Viking Longships and Merchant Ships
The Viking longship, also called a drakkar, and called a dragonship by its enemies, was a fast, maneuverable warship, usually about 25m or 80ft long, though the longest ever found was 70 meters long. It had a shallow bottom that let it sail even on rivers, and needed no harbor, as it was designed to beach on any sandy shelving shore. The sides of the ship were pierced with holes for oars, manned by Viking warriors who sat on their sea chests containing their belongings when it was their turn to row. A large square sail billowed from a mast erected in the center of the ship. The longship had only one level, and the prow or front of the boat was sometimes decorated with a dragonshead.
The Viking merchant ship or cargo ship, called the Knórr, was a sturdy, wide ship that carried passengers, animals, and supplies. It was more broad and solid than the longship, and thus slower as well. 54ft long, 15 feet wide, and 6 feet high (not including the mast), it was quite a sturdy ship.
Left: Longship * Right: Knórr
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