Calm and rain. The day was spent processing the results from the sea trials, we have been preforming the last couple of days. We had expected to sail out monday morning, but at 6 a.m. DMI (Danish Meteorological Office) suddenly reported that a new low-pressure area was on the way. This would give wind up to a severe gale tomorrow. We have to wait for it to pass.
Now follows the interim results of sea trials with the Sea Stallion in the waters near Lagavulin. The Sea Stallion has been at Lagavulin for a week and three days have been used one different sea trials: One day in a very gentle breeze, one day in a moderate to fresh breeze and one day in a fresh to strong breeze.
In the strong breeze we managed to do two tacking trials; one under full sail and another one with one reef. A very preliminary analysis of the two trials show a VMG (Velocity Made Good, speed up against the wind) on 2,2 knots with a full sail and a VMG of 1,85 reefed one from below. Increasing wind made rowing trials impossible, but previous experiences under similar conditions suggests that it is unlikely to reach the same speed using the oars.
In the moderate breeze it was possible to both tack and row. In this wind the Sea Stallion achieved a VMG of 1,8 knots with a full sail; in the same conditions 24 men and women on the oars achieved a speed against the wind of 1,95 knots. If the mast is taken down, the same 24 people can achieve a speed of 2,53 knots. To complete the picture it has to be said that it took 28 minutes to take the mast down and 24 minutes to raise it again - during wich the ship drifted half a nautical mile backwards. With some training the amount of time spent on this procedure could no doubt be reduced
In the gentle breeze we preformed rowing trials on both 24 and 49 oars - that is on every oar and every other oar respectively. We are not certain about the speed, as there was current in the waters; but the difference appear to be marginal from e.g. 2,5 to 3 knots. After the trials it is the general view of the crew, that it is impossible to row on all oars for longer streches, but in turn it is possible to row for a very long time when we row on every other oar, with the avantage of being able to pull harder and further on the oars.
The results above mentioned is based on just a fraction of the large amount of data we continuously assemble from the voyage from Roskilde to Ireland. In the months following the voyage, the employees of the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde will process all of the data, so we eventually can give both more and more precise accounts of the sailing capabilities of the ship.