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Why did the Vikings use the clinker method?
Nordic clinker-built ships and boats were developed hundreds of years before Viking ships. The ships’ strength lay in this method of construction. The clinker-built boards, or the overlap between two boards, act as a longitudinal strengthening element in the hull. This allows for a greater distance between the frames.
How did old wooden ships not leak?
Wooden boats were made water-resistant by putting tar in the hull of the boat. The pitch or tar sealed the wooden boards of the ship together, keeping water out and allowing the boat to float. Sailors also utilized oil on their sails in another form of waterproofing.
Where did clinker boats originate?
clinker construction, method of shipbuilding characteristic in north European waters during ancient and medieval times, in which the planks were overlapped and, in earlier times, usually joined by sewing. The earliest-known specimen, found in Als, Denmark, dates from about ad 300.
What is a clinker built hull?
Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap each other.
How is clinker made?
Clinker occurs as lumps or nodules, usually 3 millimetres (0.12 in) to 25 millimetres (0.98 in) in diameter. It is produced by sintering (fusing together without melting to the point of liquefaction) limestone and aluminosilicate materials such as clay during the cement kiln stage.
What is a carvel boat?
In boat building, carvel built or carvel planking is a method of constructing wooden boats by fixing planks to a frame so that the planks butt up against each other, edge to edge, gaining support from the frame and forming a smooth hull.
How did pirate ships not rot?
On ships, tar or pitch waterproofing was the most common method used. Wooden boats were made water-resistant by putting tar in the hull of the boat. The pitch or tar sealed the wooden boards of the ship together, keeping water out and allowing the boat to float.
What did Vikings seal wood with?
To make the ship waterproof, the Vikings placed animal hair dipped in tar between all the planks. In other cases, they used moss. This had to be done yearly. Viking ships were up to 36 m long and built with overlapping planks sealed with animal hair and tar.
What is clinker made of?
The major raw material for the clinker-making is usually limestone mixed with a second material containing clay as a source of alumino-silicate. An impure limestone containing clay or silicon dioxide (SiO2) can be used. The calcium carbonate (CaCO3) content of these limestones can be as low as 80% by weight.
What does clinker look like?
The lumps or nodules of clinker are usually of diameter 3-25 mm and dark grey in color. It is produced by heating limestone and clay to the point of liquefaction at about 1400°C-1500°C in the rotary kiln.
What happens in the clinker?
What is a plank ship?
A “plank owner” is an individual who was a member of the crew of a ship when that ship was placed in commission. Originally, this term applied only to crewmembers present at the ship’s first commissioning. Today, however, it is often applied to members of a recommissioning crew as well.
Is clinker better than carvel?
A clinker certainly has a slightly larger wetted area, but a carvel hull is not necessarily more efficient: for given hull strength, the clinker boat is overall lighter, and displaces less water than a heavily-framed carvel hull.
How did Vikings seal their boats?
What is a clinker built boat?
A Viking longship, displaying the overlapping planks that characterize clinker construction. Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap each other.
What does clinker stand for?
Clinker (boat building) Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap each other, called a “land” or “landing”. In craft of any size shorter planks can be joined end to end into a longer strake or hull plank. The technique developed in northern Europe…
What is a Viking clinker?
A Viking longship, displaying the overlapping planks that characterize clinker construction. Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap each other. Where necessary in larger craft, shorter planks can be joined end to end into a longer strake or hull plank.
What is clinker built (lapstrake)?
Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull planks overlap each other. Where necessary in larger craft shorter planks can be joined end to end into a longer strake or hull plank. The technique developed in northern Europe and was successfully used by…