The Viking Ship Project

Having seen that Éigse Slieverue was organising a visit to the Viking Longboat Project, some of us tagged along and discovered the project behind-the-scenes.

The Viking Ship Project is part of the Viking Triangle Project. It is partly funded by FÁS, Waterford Chamber of Commerce, as well as other sponsors.

Michael Power, guide for the day, explained that those involved in the building were first chosen among the newly unemployed... but they had no knowledge of shipbuilding! The project manager, Michael Kennedy, whose name is associated with the Dunbrody Famine Ship, was the only shipwright on the project. Then other tradesmen were allowed to join, some are carpenters. In order to learn the trade, they first worked on the building of a Newfoundland dory using oak and Honduras pine, then repaired a boat built in WIT for the Atlantic Challenge, whose ribs were crushed when it was moved, and another local fishing boat.

The plans are based on the Viking Ship in Roskilde
The timber is locally sourced, here are the stacks of oak, from the Carlow area.
The model is built from the ground up, and timber is shaped from this model.
The timber is steamed in order to bend in shape
Traditional tools and methods are used. This is a shipwright's adze and a
smoothing axe

The hull will be clinker-built (a traditional method) to ensure watertightness. It is hoped that construction will be finished by June 2011. Looking forward to seeing her in all her glory!!!