Events

The worlds largest reconstruction of a Viking longship will probably set its course for the coast of Ireland Thursday arriving to Dublin Tuesday 14th of August.

The Sea Stallion and her 65 men crew left the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark June 1st. So far the ship visited Norway, The Orkney Islands, the west coast of Scotland and Islay. The sail from Islay to Isle of Man prooved to be one of the most dramatic, however.

Going through The North Channel between Ireland and Scotland winds went up to 23 metres per second – Beaufort 9 that is. In waves up to 5-6 metres in height the crew faced problems as the rope and leather band holding the rudder in place collapsed. Repairments were made and all reefs in the 112 square metre sail were taken to reduce the impact of the harsh weather to the ships steering system.

”We are bringing her to Dublin to test the Sea Stallion in those waters she was originally built to conquer. And I must say that the ship was put to a rough test in The North Channel. So were the crew. I am happy to say that both ship and crew made it brilliantly. We are thrilled and can’t wait to do the final leg in this jorney not done in a thousand years,” says head of project, Preben Rather Soerensen.

The Sea Stallion is a reconstruction of a Viking longship built in Dublin 1042. The original ship ended its days in the sea bed in Roskilde Fjord. Scuttled there as part of the maritime defence of Roskilde.

The Sea Stallion is a 30 metre long reconstruction of the original ship. It was built in 2000-2004 with the same tools and techniques the Vikings once used. The voyage from Denmark to Ireland is part of the scientific work carried out at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde.

Later this year a book in English will be published about this summers voyage. On its arrival to Dublin the ship will be on display at The National Museum in Dublin until 2008. At that time she will return to Denmark with her international crew of 10 nationalities on board.