Vikings

Transportation

The Vikings crossed the ocean to North America using a kind of sailing ship called a knarr. Knarrs were open, wide-bellied ships with room for passengers and cargo. They were long and narrow, with one mast and a large, square sail. They were also shallow in depth so that the Vikings could take their ships up river, travelling far inland. When there was no wind, the crew would row the ship with oars.

Clenched Lap or Clinker
These odd words describe the type of shipbuilding method that Vikings used. Viking ships were made with wooden planks that overlapped like shingles on the roof of a house. Viking ships tended to be small. When longer ships are made with this type of contruction, the hulls break and the ships leak.

Viking Navigation
The Vikings used a navigation table to help them find their way. A needle placed in the centre of the table measured the sun's height, a bar around the edge plotted the ship's course.