Skuldelev ships
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The Skuldelev ships is a term used for 5 Viking ships recovered from Peberrenden by Skuldelev, c. 20 km north of Roskilde in Denmark. The remains of the ships were excavated over 4 months in 1962. The recovered pieces, which constitute 5 types of ships and have been dated to the 11th century, provide a good source for the ship-building traditions of the late Viking period. The ships are today exhibited at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde.
[edit] Skuldelev 1
Skuldelev 1 is a sturdy sea-going cargo-vessel possibly of the knarr type. It is 16 m long and 4.8 m wide and would have had a crew of 6-8. The ship, which is built from pine and oak, was constructed in western Sweden, and has seen repairs in eastern Denmark.
[edit] Skuldelev 2
Skuldelev 2 is an oak-built, sea-going warship, a longship, possibly of the skeid type. It is approximately 30 m long and 3.8 m wide, and would have had a crew of 70-80. Dendrochronology showed that the ship was built in the Dublin area around 1042. The shape of the ship would have allowed for great speed, up to 15 knots (28 km/h) with a rowing crew of 60 and higher under sail. It is one of the longest viking-ship ever found.
A reconstruction of this ship: The Sea Stallion from Glendalough has been built by the Vikingship Museum in Roskilde and sailed to Dublin during the summer of 2007 (arriving on 14 August).
[edit] Skuldelev 3
The Skuldelev 3 is a 14 m long and 3.3 m wide cargo ship, possibly of the byrding type. It is made from oak, and was constructed somewhere in Denmark. It would have been well-suited to shorter journeys in Danish waters and the Baltic Sea, it would have held a crew of 5-6 and could reach a top-speed of 8.5 knots (16 km/h) under sail.
[edit] Skuldelev 5
Skuldelev 5 is a small warship of the snekke type. It is 17.3 m long and 2.5 m wide and would have had a crew of about 30. It is made from oak, pine and ash, and was built in the Roskilde area. The ship was purpose-built for sailing in Danish waters and the Baltic Sea, and the top speed was calculated to have been about 6 knots (11 km/h).
However, the first-ever replica of this ship (Sebbe Als of Augustenborg, Denmark) showed these calculations to be wrong. 'Sebbe' is able to reach a speed of 5 knots (9 km/h) on oars alone, and under sail she does 12 knots (22 km/h).
[edit] Skuldelev 6
Skuldelev 6 is a 11.2 m long and 2.5 m wide cargo and fishing-vessel of the ferja type. It was built in Sognefjorden in western Norway, mainly from pine. It would have had a crew of 12-14.
