Skuldelev 3

Skuldelev 3 - The coastal trader

Skuldelev 3 is a small, elegant and sturdy trading ship, built for transporting goods in Danish coastal waters and the Baltic. The ship is the best preserved of the five Viking ships found in Roskilde Fjord, and was built of Danish oak. It had decks of loose planks fore and aft and an open hold amidships with room for about 4 tons of cargo.

The ship may have been used when the owner and his associates or family travelled to  to a market or meetings at the assembly.

Wind was the most important means of powering the ship, but the oars could be used when manoeuvring or when travelling short distances in calm weather.

The Viking Ship Museum's reconstructions, Roar Ege and Estrid Byrding, is on display at the Museum Harbour.

Dating: ca. 1040
Place of construction: Denmark
Preserved: ca. 75 %
Material: Oak
Length: 14 metres
Breadth: 3.3 metres
Draught: 0.9 metres
Displacement: 9.6 tons
Cargo capacity: 4.6 tons
No. of oars: 5 oar ports
Crew: 5-8 men
Sail area: 45 m2
Average speed: 4-5 knots
Top speed: 8-10 knots