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Post by RufusScorpius on Sept 30, 2018 19:46:36 GMT
Not very often does a working Viking ship make port, but this weekend was one of those. Not being one to miss an opportunity for adventure, I took a tour of the boat. It was a lot of fun! Great weather, lunch, met some interesting people, and walked around a bit on the ship. Total cost was about $50 for the day- parking, deck tour tickets, souvenirs, lunch, etc. Not so bad for a day of entertainment. The story of the boat is very simple, in 2010 some really rich dude from Norway decided that instead of buying a yacht, he would build a Viking ship. Two years later it was done. Built out of mostly oak, using traditional methods, it was both an excercise in a dream for the wealthy, but also an excellent learning experience for living history. Many lessons were learned in it's construction. For the ship to sail the world, some concessions to accuracy had to be made. The boat is equipped with modern communications, GPS and weather radar, as well as life jackets and inflatible life rafts and such. No matter. It still moves under sail and uses a steering board for directional control. And I'm ok with that, because it's the coolest boat in the history of ever and I totally want one! The ship isn't a replica, but rather a composite of what we know from archeology. So it's a kind of "generic" viking ship It's certainly a boat that I could dream about owning one day. Any rich idiot can buy a yacht, but only the truly inspired eccentric would own a Viking ship. (interesting that SBG censored part of the ship's name. H.A.R.F.A.G.R.E.)
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Post by demonskull on Sept 30, 2018 21:25:41 GMT
I was on her about 2 years ago and for those of you wondering, yes she's clinker built.
I have to reduce the size of my pics but if I get the chance, I'll add some.
I've been on a few tall ships but those are all century's later designs. If you get the opportunity to see her, she's definitely worth it.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Oct 1, 2018 0:56:42 GMT
Dolphins saying "hello!" to the Draken as it pulled into port yesterday.
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Post by LastTemplar on Oct 1, 2018 12:28:31 GMT
methinx Ragnar want's his ship back
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Post by Cosmoline on Oct 1, 2018 17:14:10 GMT
Awesome! The size of these ships is interesting. I remember being on Golden Hinde many years ago and being amazed how *tiny* everything was.
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Post by RufusScorpius on Oct 1, 2018 19:56:27 GMT
Awesome! The size of these ships is interesting. I remember being on Golden Hinde many years ago and being amazed how *tiny* everything was. Very true. I live close to Jamestown where they have replicas of the Susan Constant. Godspeed, and Discovery. I would rather be on the Viking ship, it was MUCH larger than any of the Jamestown boats from a thousand years later. Little known fact about the Viking ships- they were primarily designed as merchant vessels and the underdecks were for storage. The crew lived, worked, slept, and did everything on the deck. The innovation of these boats was in the fact that they could easily handle open oceans for long voyages, but at the same time be able to navigate shallow rivers. This enabled the Vikings to sail far inland to either load or unload their wares, or to sack some unsuspecting villiage. it wouldn't be until modern times that hull designs could once again do both. Regardless, if I was a billionaire I would certainly have a Viking ship, or something equally cool, as my personal yacht rather than a cookie-cutter fiberglass luxury boat. Perhaps a Roman trireme would be an interesting adventure....yes...quite....
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Post by Cosmoline on Oct 1, 2018 22:17:32 GMT
I wonder what the wage would be for a rower on a billionaire's galley?
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Post by RufusScorpius on Oct 1, 2018 22:46:27 GMT
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's a volunteer crew- with a long waiting list. He ain't get to be no billionaire bein' stupid...
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Post by Cosmoline on Oct 2, 2018 17:49:48 GMT
That's what I was thinking--in fact they could probably get US to pay THEM to do it! LOL
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Post by RufusScorpius on Oct 2, 2018 20:27:00 GMT
(at a kickin' party talking with a hot girl): "So, big guy, what do you do for a living?" I'm an accountant..... (record screeches to a halt and half the people leave the party) "Yah, ok, nice talking with you"
-OR-
"So,big guy, what do you do for a living?" I'm a crewman on a Viking ship. "No, for real.." Yes, for real, I live on a Viking ship- here are some photos and vids of me sailing the world and stuff.. "Oooh, what a strong man, you got a girlfriend?"
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why guys will work for free on a Viking ship.
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Post by Cosmoline on Oct 2, 2018 21:15:23 GMT
I'm imagining going back in time and telling a Roman how people in the future would fight for the chance to row a ship. Or that we would run from nobody for nor reason.
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Post by WVfishguy on Nov 13, 2018 3:15:49 GMT
(at a kickin' party talking with a hot girl): "So, big guy, what do you do for a living?" I'm an accountant..... (record screeches to a halt and half the people leave the party) "Yah, ok, nice talking with you" -OR- "So,big guy, what do you do for a living?" I'm a crewman on a Viking ship. "No, for real.." Yes, for real, I live on a Viking ship- here are some photos and vids of me sailing the world and stuff.. "Oooh, what a strong man, you got a girlfriend?" And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why guys will work for free on a Viking ship. A REAL Viking would say, "What do I do? I'm going to do you! And in every conceivable way, I might add!" And then he would.
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Post by Gunnar Wolfgard on Nov 14, 2018 18:06:26 GMT
The problem is, if I had boarded it they would have never gotten me off it. Picture me with my arms wrapped around the mast with a bunch of guys pulling on me.
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