Thursday, August 12, 2010

Viking Boats

Norway has many great boat museums, although due to the poor way the boats are displayed it's almost impossible to enjoy them. Perhaps the many people in Norway, who are involved in the preservation of old boats, should take a tip from the Unst Boat Haven if they want to see how it should be done.
We recently visited the boat museum at Bjørkedal and it annoyed me how many exhibits they have, which can't really be seen because the sheds they are displayed in just aren't up to the job. Although
Bjorkedal is situated about 10 kilometres from the nearest sea, at the edge of a lake called Bjørkedalsvatnet, but despite that it is historically a great place for boat building, and still is to this day. Click on this link for some more info about boat building in Bjørkedal.
I'll get round to a proper post about boat building soon, but what I really wanted to show was this picture which I took 2 years ago when we passed through Bjørkedalen. At the head of the lake there were these 2 'replica' Viking boats.
I have to admit that there is an amazing similarity to the Dim Riv which lies in Lerwick harbour, but at least the Dim Riv, as far as I know, has never had an outboard fitted. It just looks wrong to see a Yamaha hanging from the side of a Viking ship, doesn't it?
Anyhow, just wanted to show those pics which I found when I was trying to sort and categorize some of the 18000+ images which my poor old computer now has on it. Lord knows what else I'll dig up.
Could be I'll even find a load of funny Trowie pictures. ;) ;)

Yun's aa fir enoo.

2 comments:

  1. The vikings were known to trade with and value commodities and knowledge with a huge number of cultures throughout the world if they could get a motor to travel across the sea with they wouldn't think twice. IMO

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  2. Yes. You're so right Julian. LOL
    The idea of an outboard motor on a Viking ship gave me a good laugh at the time.
    But, in hindsight, compared to rowing, can you just imagine how many more countries the vikings could have invaded if all their longships had been powered by Yamaha.... (Oooops, I didn't mean to advertise for Yamaha) ;) ;)

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