Why were viking ships designed the way they were?
Viking shipwrights, in quest of the ultimate raiding machine, created the most extreme of all traditional ship designs. The length-to-breadth ratio, combined with the shallow draft allowed longships to land on any beach and penetrate virtually any waterway in Europe. The high beak of the bow enabled the ship to cut through high waves, making a sturdy and safe ocean going vessel, while also steady in shallow waters. Oars and sail ensured that not only did was th ship able to continue it’s journey in times of poor weather, but could also manoeuvre swiftly and under control during ocean going battles. With speed as a goal, whether under oars or sail, expert shipwrights achieved strength through resilience and lightness. They pared the planking to a thickness of two centimeters–a finger’s breadth–and trimmed every bit of excess wood from the rib frames, creating a sleek and almost ‘oiled’ frame. The effect is similar to that of an olympic swimmer shaving themselves to go faster in the wa
