[WPRESTO]

A Viking-Era longboat that was purposely sunk between 1050 and 1100 CE to prevent raiders from coming up a channel to attack a settlement. Several other small boats were sunk in the same area to enhance blockage of the channel.

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Last edited by WPRESTO; 08-01-2022 at 09:40 AM.

[Dartmoor Dave]

A Viking-Era longboat that was purposely sunk between 1050 and 1100 CE to prevent raiders from coming up a channel to attack a settlement. Several other small boats were sunk in the same area to enhance blockage of the channel.

That one is truly fascinating. I live a couple of miles outside the town of Tavistock that was invaded by Vikings in the year 997, with much death and pillaging and the destruction of the town's abbey. It's quite amazing to see an actual longboat from that era. Even today there are some stones around here marked with runes that the Norsemen left behind them.

[OrchidJulie]

A Viking-Era longboat that was purposely sunk between 1050 and 1100 CE to prevent raiders from coming up a channel to attack a settlement. Several other small boats were sunk in the same area to enhance blockage of the channel.

It's interesting to ponder who sunk it and how they did it (well, how they got hold of it, no real mystery about how to sink a boat) -- was it abandoned by a raiding party? stolen?

Norse influence on the British Isles, and the language, is incredibly interesting.

.

[WPRESTO]

It's interesting to ponder who sunk it and how they did it (well, how they got hold of it, no real mystery about how to sink a boat) -- was it abandoned by a raiding party? stolen?

Norse influence on the British Isles, and the language, is incredibly interesting.

.

The boat, actually multiple boats were sunk by the people who lived in a settlement further up the waterway to prevent raiders from sailing right up to their docks. If a Viking warship were to be stopped by the sunken boats in the channel, the warriors aboard would have to wade through deep water or mud and marsh a substantial distance before getting to the village.

[Arn]

Ford panel delivery truck - 1946?

[OrchidJulie]

The boat, actually multiple boats were sunk by the people who lived in a settlement further up the waterway to prevent raiders from sailing right up to their docks. If a Viking warship were to be stopped by the sunken boats in the channel, the warriors aboard would have to wade through deep water or mud and marsh a substantial distance before getting to the village.

Ah, I understood that part, I was just wondering how the villagers got a Viking longboat to sink. Their own boats, I can understand that, but Ragnar's boat?

[WPRESTO]

Ah, I understood that part, I was just wondering how the villagers got a Viking longboat to sink. Their own boats, I can understand that, but Ragnar's boat?

The boats they sank are best called "Viking Era" or "Viking style." I think only one of them is regarded as large enough to be the type used to go viking. The others are "traders" or "coastal" boats used by merchants, fishermen, travelers, etc., but the basic style of the boats was Viking-like as that was the way ships were built in Scandinavia. I have an image of a replica "trader" boat, less than half the length of a warship and a little "dumpier" in appearance. but easily recognized as in the boat-design tradition of the Viking Era.

Meantime here's a replica boat they use for taking tourists for a sail (they don't make them row). This boat is much smaller than a warship.

ADDENDUM, the warships were up to about 65 feet long and could transport 40 men. Imagine forty men in the boat below, or the hull recovered and on display.

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Last edited by WPRESTO; 08-01-2022 at 07:25 PM.

[OrchidJulie]

The boats they sank are best called "Viking Era" or "Viking style." I think only one of them is regarded as large enough to be the type used to go viking. The others are "traders" or "coastal" boats used by merchants, fishermen, travelers, etc., but the basic style of the boats was Viking-like as that was the way ships were built in Scandinavia. I have an image of a replica "trader" boat, less than half the length of a warship and a little "dumpier" in appearance. but easily recognized as in the boat-design tradition of the Viking Era.

Meantime here's a replica boat they use for taking tourists for a sail (they don't make them row). This boat is much smaller than a warship.

ADDENDUM, the warships were up to about 65 feet long and could transport 40 men. Imagine forty men in the boat below, or the hull recovered and on display.

Ah, thanks. Much clearer now.

[Neuse River Sailor]

The viking warships that ran up to 65 feet long and carried 40 men were narrow and fast, but lacked the ability to carry tonnage. Neither of the boats posted would have carried 40 men. The merchant ship, known as a "knarr", ran up to 55 feet in length and was wider and somewhat deeper, and could haul 20 or more tons of cargo. The knarrs were true blue-water boats, and crossed oceans, whereas the war boats were coastal raiders.

To get a good sense of these boats, check out Tom Cunliffe's book, "Topsail and Battleaxe".

[WPRESTO]

A boat that never did and never could go anywhere (SFAIK). It's a restaurant at Tivoli Gardens.

[Arn]

a couple of boats from Le Legue, Port du Saint-Brieuc.

Some years back we stayed in Langoat for a couple of weeks - loved touring the area, looking for the best tarte citron in the Parish Closes, walking the coast, and eating oysters!

Here is a lovely old classic cruising past the docks.

[aslyfox]

Another photo of a sailboat in a foggy San Franscisco Bay

[WPRESTO]

Modern, comfortable, quiet, efficient train, Copenhagen Central Station.

---------- Post added 08-03-22 at 04:24 PM ----------

The viking warships that ran up to 65 feet long and carried 40 men were narrow and fast, but lacked the ability to carry tonnage. Neither of the boats posted would have carried 40 men. The merchant ship, known as a "knarr", ran up to 55 feet in length and was wider and somewhat deeper, and could haul 20 or more tons of cargo. The knarrs were true blue-water boats, and crossed oceans, whereas the war boats were coastal raiders.

To get a good sense of these boats, check out Tom Cunliffe's book, "Topsail and Battleaxe".

The replica/reproduction boat in the first two images below is what I think would be called a "knarr." It has, as i remarked above, a somewhat "dumpy" look, very much the look of a boat designed to carry cargo. I'm posting another image below of what I think is a replica longboat, the type that carried warriors out viking. Longer and much sleeker in its lines.

[WPRESTO]

The viking warships that ran up to 65 feet long and carried 40 men were narrow and fast, but lacked the ability to carry tonnage. Neither of the boats posted would have carried 40 men. The merchant ship, known as a "knarr", ran up to 55 feet in length and was wider and somewhat deeper, and could haul 20 or more tons of cargo. The knarrs were true blue-water boats, and crossed oceans, whereas the war boats were coastal raiders.

To get a good sense of these boats, check out Tom Cunliffe's book, "Topsail and Battleaxe".

The replica/reproduction boat in the first two images below is what I think would be called a "knarr." It has, as i remarked above, a somewhat "dumpy" look, very much the look of a boat designed to carry cargo. I'm posting another image below of what I think is a replica longboat, the type that carried warriors out viking. Longer and much sleeker in its lines.

[paulh]

A smoky day at Ventura Harbor a couple years ago...