The reconstructed víking ships belonging to the Viking Ship Museum are often sailing around in Danish waters. Some might think it’s to please tourists and their cameras or for the pleasure of the volunteer crew members on board.
But that is not entirely true…
Sailing the reconstructions also has a scientific purpose. Both on board the reconstructions and on land scientist are working with the data that is produced while sailing. Data that will bring us closer to our past.
One of these scientists is Anton Englert from the Viking Ship Museum. And from last summer’s trip to Norway, he has listed some of the most important numbers and results from the test sail.
Two days to Oslo.
From the results, we are lead to believe that it was common knowledge in the Viking Age that a ship could sail from Sealand in Denmark to Oslo in Norway in only two days, if the wind was fair.
From the sailing this summer, it can also be concluded that even though war ships like the Sea Stallion could sail faster than the cargo ships, they didn’t stay on open see as long, because of their lack of space, comfort and storing areas. This means probably no more than two weeks of sailing, before seeking land.
Fair to hard wind.
We have yet to reach an absolute top speed with the Sea Stallion. Earlier on in the project experts were estimating a top speed of twenty knots, but recently guesses are closer to fifteen knots.
But from this summer’s test sailing an interesting facts is, that a fair wind on Limfjorden by Aalborg can make the ship sail just as fast as a hard wind on open see in Skagerrak – and that is ten and eleven knots. During both sails the wind was coming broad reach – or what people on shore would call following wind at an angle from behind’.
But no matter what, the general speed a ship can manage throughout many days is more interesting for the scientist than the top speed reached on a few minutes or seconds.
What is lost is also gained.
And finally results showed that the human body reacts in differently when experiencing hard physical labour and outdoor living for a longer period.One crew member gained six kilos and another lost three. Most of the crew members lost weight though and the total loss were eighteen kilos during the summer’s journey. And for those how think the hard life on board a víking ship is only for men – think again! Every fourth crew member on board is a woman.