One
of the many practical and tactical advantages of the Viking ship was
that it could be propelled by both sails and/or oars.
HAVHINGSTEN
has 30 oars on each side and the total of 60 oars had each a length of
4.5 m. The material is pine, but archaeological finds have shown that
they could also be made from alder wood.
By making oar
holes in the side of the ship instead of oarlocks, the ship's side could
be made higher and thus make the ship more seaworthy. As can be seen
from the picture gallery, the oar holes could be closed with a small
cover to prevent water from entering when the oars were not being used.
When
HAVHINGSTEN is propelled by the oars, an average speed of 5-6 knots can
be achieved.