Re: The Vinland Map Find Or Fraud?

In soc.history.medieval Soren Larsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>"Paul J Gans" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> skrev i en meddelelse
>news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> In soc.history.medieval Vaughan Sanders
><[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>> >"Eric Stevens" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
>> >news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> >> On Sun, 30 Nov 2003 21:41:30 -0000, "Vaughan Sanders"
>> >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>> >snip
>>
>> >>
>> >> Being propelled under sail, they really had little alternative in
>the
>> >> route they could follow. They didn't have to land at these places
>but
>> >> they did have to sail in their general direction. The return
>journey
>> >> would be made by a more southerly route.
>> >> >
>>
>> >Where on earth did you get that idea from?, a Viking Longship or
>Knarr
>> >could out point any square rigger of Nelson's navy.
>>
>> I'd like to see some proof of that.
>>

>It is a bit overstated.

>The replica longships dont do as well as "modern" square riggers for
>probably two reasons: 1) There has been very little material available
>to reconstruct the sail setup of warships. 2) The hull is designed
>as a compromise allowing for both sailing and rowing as effective as
>possible. The longship replicas usually sails at 75 degrees when heading
>into the wind.

>The norse pure sailing ships otoh usually sails at 60 degrees when
>heading into the wind which is very respectable compared with
>"modern" fullrigged ships from around 1900 which usually sailed at 60-70
>degrees. The "knarr" replicas has a hullshape optimized for sailing
>and their rig has been reconstructed with a large degree of certainty
>since the hulltype only slightly altered was in use into the 20th c.
>This has alloved for comparisons of the modern rigs with the rig traces
>on the viking age wrecks.

>It is also worthwhile to ponder that Viking - the first viking ship
>replica
>managed to cross the Atlantic in 27 days in her journey for the world
>fair
>in 1893. Viking was a Gokstad replica and as such probably never
>intended
>as a seagoing ship by the Norse.

>Cheers
>Soren Larsen

I have never doubted that the Viking ships were remarkable. 
It is, as you know, that sailing into the wind requires
a suitable sail rig and a reasonable amount of subsurface
structure on the ship.

While the 1800 era ships of the line were designed with
other aims in mind (and so design compromise was necessary)
the clippers, as you mention, were specifically designed to
be good close to the wind sailers.

   ---- Paul J. Gans