Every crew member on board the Sea Stallion knows that there’s a risk sailing an open ship from Roskilde to Dublin and because of that safety on board is an ongoing theme in the preparations for the journey..
The Viking Ship Museum is working together with safety experts in the navy and because of their advice the museum has decided that every crew member on board must have a life preserver.
”Even though many believe that sailing across the North Sea is the most risky part of the journey, it isn’t necessarily so. Stream and stiff waves close to land are dangerous for us and we will experience both in the water north of Scotland and in the Irish Sea. Here forces of nature will seriously challenge both the ship and its crew members.
Keep the body warm.
As a sailor one must always hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. That why, if the ship capsizes, the crew on the Sea Stallion must be able to handle themselves.
In freezing sea water a water proof life preserver can keep a person dry and warm for many hours. The Skipper Carsten Hvid and the steersman Poul Nygaard have tested a model, which can keep a crew member a live for six hours in 2-5 degrees sea water. The temperature north of Scotland is 10 – 16 degrees in July and August, when the Sea Stallion is sailing towards Dublin, so the tested life preserve is more that suited for the job.
“Our biggest challenge on board the Sea Stallion is the lack of space. A life preserver takes up the same space as a sleeping bag and that a lot on a ship like this. On the contrary the suits are great to move around and work in, so they can come in handy when there is not an emergency. Like when sailing on open sea at night or when sailing in tuff weather,” says Carsten Hvid.
Practising in the harbour.
In the next couple of month the Viking Ship Museum will try to negotiate offers from dealers and company making life preservers. And during spring the equipment will be tested in the museum harbour in Roskilde. At the same time the crew will practice evacuating the ship and other emergency procedures with different safety experts.