It is generally agreed that Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer, was the first European to have set foot on North American soil along with his crew nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus. The Vikings’ early expeditions to North America were well documented and are accepted as fact by most scholars. Around the year 1000 A.D., Leif Erikson sailed to a place he called Vinland in what is now the Canadian province of Newfoundland.
Viking longships were typically 56 to 75 feet in length, with a shallow 4-foot draught and carried 30-60 men. Powered by sail and men with oars, these vessels were light, fast, and feared by other Europeans. The Viking longship could reach England and France in three days. The ships were made watertight by filling the spaces between the planks with wool, or animal hair mixed with tar or tallow. The largest Viking ship found to-date, unearthed in Denmark, was over a 100-feet long.
Viking ships sail again in North America. The Valkyrie, a hand-crafted Viking longship, will be sailing the Salish Sea this summer, 2024. Owner Dave Knudsen and builder Jay Smith, spent a number of years constructing Valkyrie – a 56-foot longship with a 15-foot-wide beam. The ship was built in Anacortes, Washington using timber from the West Coast and was constructed using no screws or bolts. The traditionally-built lapstrake ship holds 16 oars and 24 shields, sporting a dragon head prow. The vessel has been inspected and certified as a passenger vessel by the U.S. Coast Guard for voyages on the Salish Sea.
Dave’s father, who was from Denmark, provided the inspiration before his passing. The ship will be captained by Dave Knudsen’s son, Erik, the third generation to carry on the family Viking heritage. To build the ship, Dave partnered with lapstrake boatbuilder Jay Smith, skilled in building these types of vessels, which he first learned from relatives in Norway. Smith continued his training in lapstrake boatbuilding and traveled to Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Norway for additional research and study. He builds and repairs boats in his shop on Fidalgo Island in Anacortes. Jay also built, Polaris, a 37-foot Viking longship launched in 2018.
The Valkyrie was launched on March 21, 2024, from Skyline Marina in Anacortes. The vessel was carefully transported by Associated Boat Transport from its covered backyard workshop to the launch site. The ship circled Burrows Bay three times in a clockwise direction “to acquire its soul,” a Nordic tradition.
A schedule of events highlighting the Valkyrie will take place this summer, 2024, beginning with a sail through Deception Pass in early June. An updated schedule will be posted on their website at northwestvikingship.com.
Valkyrie will call Poulsbo home, where she will be made available for tours, sailing trips, and private charter.
Photos: aspoyaboats.com
