A Short Guide for the Use of Visitors to the Viking-Ship from Gokstad (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from A Short Guide for the Use of Visitors to the Viking-Ship From Gokstad

The ship had been made both for sailing and rowing. About midship is placed a keelson for the mast to rest upon. Above this, on the beams, is a large block af oak, cut out at both ends in the shape of a fish's tail. Hence the name of mastefisk, which is still used of the part of the-deck round the mast. Through a large opening made in this mastefisk, the mast was lowered and let into the keelson. When the mast had been raised, the after part of the ope ning was filled up with a large piece of oak, which at the same time served to steady the mast. When this piece was removed, there was an opening large enough to allow the mast to be lowered. The plain capstan in the fore hold no doubt served to raise and lower the mast. The mast was probably fitted with a yard and a large sail. Right in front of the mast, and, also further fore and aft are vertical beams with a gaff, on which to place the spars. A few spars were found on them, of which one no doubt is the vessel's yard; another the top part of the mast. That the ship was propelled by oars as well is proved by the existing oars, and, likewise, by the openings for them made in the third strake from above. There are 16 such openings on each side; the strake in which they are made,is the fourteenth from the keel and is somewhat thicker than the rest. This is, also, the case with the tenth, against which the upper part of the frames and the ends of the beams are resting. There is, as will be seen an incision in the after part of the openings, for the blades to pass through, when the oars were to be used. In the fore part of the ship it is especially seen how the bottom was covered with boards resting on the beams.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.