Gislinge Boat Open Source Project 2015

During 2015, the Viking Ship Museums boatbuilders built a reconstruction of the Gislinge Boat, a 7.7m long working boat dating from ca. 1130 AD.
Gisle, as the boat was named, was built as the focus of the Museum's Gislinge Boat Open Source Boatbuilding Project – a new, multi-disciplinary approach to boatbuilding that sought to involve the public as much as possible in the boatbuilding process, both here at the Museum and online via social media.

The Gislinge Blog

Let the countdown begin...

Three days to go to the launch on Saturday. See how the work is progressing...

The Gislinge Boat's sail: processing and production of flax fibres

Transforming raw flax into workable fibres is a long and time-consuming process

Finishing the forestay

The eye splice is finished and it's time to lay the final cord of the rope

Production of the forestay continues...

Now it's time to make the eye splice

The Gislinge Boat's rig

Ropes of horsehair, sealskin and wool are already in the house. Now it’s the turn of the lime bast.

Lime bast rope for the Gislinge Boat's rig

In comparison to ropes of skin, horse hair or cultivated plant materials such as hemp or flax, the manufacture of…

Catching up

Work is progressing quickly at the boatyard now, so here's a few of the best shots from the last weeks. Click on…

How do you sail a square-rigged boat?

Some information about sailing with square-sail - and a bibliography!