'Modern Viking Ship'

The rig, based around the original single square sail favoured by the Vikings is to be modernised and built in Carbon. The use of cambered yards and furling gear is being investigated and the intention is to provide the same legendary performance of the original ships whilst simplifying the handling.

The lines are based on the 'Gokstad Ship' an original Longship dug from a burial mound in Norway and now on display at the Viking Museum in Oslo. The shape has been adjusted to allow for a suitable interior and space for engineering, as well as overall size and freeboard. The result is a futuristically styled vessel based on Millennium old ideas.

Fairlie Restorations are covering the structural design of the vessel, which has been developed to conform to the regulations set by Germanischer Lloyds, as well as the rig design and deck plan.

Construction of the hull is now well underway at the Skipavik shipyard in the village of Stykkisholmur, on the west coast of Iceland, about 110 miles from Reykjavik and it is hoped that she will sail the waters of the North Atlantic in 2007.

Specifications:

Designer - Karl Ludviksson (Skipavik)

Structural/Rig design - Paul Spooner (Fairlie Restorations)

Builder - Skipavik ehf

Year - 2005

LOA - 54.8 feet (16.7m)

LWL - 50 feet (15.3m)

Beam - 14.1 feet (4.3m)

Draft - 3.3 feet (1m)

Sail area - 1045 sq. ft. (96 sq. m)

Displacement - 15 Tonnes