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Birka Boat Building Shop

Custom Longships Ship and Boat Repairs

The secret of our quality ships is found in our unique construction methods. We use broad axes rather than saws. Our expert woodworkers first split oak tree trunks into long, thin planks. We then fasten the boards with iron nails to a single sturdy keel and then to each other, one plank overlapping the next. We call this shape to the hull the "clinker" technique. We use this method on all our ships rather than the more conventional method of first building an inner skeleton for the hull. Next, our boatbuilders affix evenly spaced floor timbers to the keel and not to the hull; this insures resilience and flexibility. We then add crossbeams to povide a deck and rowing benches, and secure a massive beam along the keel to support the mast. Our longships' light, economic construction is a major factor behind our success. Our ships have achieved speeds of up to 14 knots. Our quality crafted ships' lack of a big, vertical keel makes them highly maneuverable and able to easily penetrate shallow surf and river estuaries. Our ships are all steered using a single side rudder on the right, the 'starboard' or "steering board" side. Another feature is that you can also reef the square sails in strong winds and adjust them to permit rapid tacking. If it's a North Sea voyage you desire be sure to look into the largest longship we offer. The Skeid, it is a beauty and at 95 feet will take you to your destination with ease. We also produce the best Snekke our 50 ft longship which carries a crew of 50 men and the Drakkar 75 feet in length with a crew capacity of 100 sail and oar driven with the ornate decoration worthy of the gods.

We also build smabyrdings they hold a crew of about 10 in size are oar and sail driven. They have a cargo capacity of 11 tons and are easy navigatiable up rivers and coastal areas. Perfect for local merchants. Our lettbryding is the next size up from the smabryding also carries a crew of 10 and powered by both oar and sail. The total cargo tonnage is 20 tons. Our vistbryding is a private carrier meant for use when carrying cargo of less than eight tons. Our largest bryding is havsbyrding it is has a 38 ton cargo capacity uses a crew of 10 men and is also sail and oar driven. Birka is also the only company still building the reliable old Busse. Sail driven it is slow under the oar but a highly maneuverable vessel. It carries crews up to 40 men and has a cargo capacity of 50 tons. Our Knarrs have proven themselves to be our most popular mercantile vessel with a cargo capacity of 24 tons holding a crew of 20 men under sail and oar. Birka is a subsisiary of the Vestfold Longship company in Vestfold with a guild of shipbuilders who are the best Scandinavia has to offer, we stand behind our products one hundred percent and penalty of death.