The voyage Roskilde–Dublin–Roskilde is the ultimate test of our reconstruction of the Viking ship Skuldelev 2. The voyage is an essential part of the archaeological experiment. This is where we test the interpretations we made of the original ship before and during the building of the Sea Stallion from Glendalough. This is where we reach beyond the limits of the drawing board, ask decisive questions, and get answers to unsolved puzzles. Just by being at sea, with the wind, the tide, the nights, the tiredness, and 60 other members of the crew, some questions become obvious and other previously unasked questions become vital.
The voyage to Dublin in 2007 established that in general terms the Sea Stallion is a longship that functions very well. There is a good balance between the sail, the rigging and the hull, which means the ship is easy to steer and manoeuvre. The standing and running rigging, the height of the mast, and size of the sail proved to work well in the various conditions we encountered last year.
But last year also showed that we had not solved the problem of how to hang the side-rudder. The hemp rope that holds the rudder in to the side of the ship snapped several times on the voyage, leaving the ship in an unpleasant situation. During the winter, we investigated rudder tackle found in archaeological digs. Then we went into the forest and twisted 10 pieces of 55 mm thick birch and oak into tackle. One made of birch has been mounted and we are having our first experiences with it at the moment – something I will come back to.