Compare reconstructed
Tuna of Badelunda boat with other boats
Among other other boats of
comparable design one can mention
Merkijärvi find
(see also
reference in the article) in
Finland -- a boat with expanded aspen bottom and two strakes on
each sides, sewn with spruce roots. She had hollowed stem blocks of
quite a similar design, but no continuous gunwale, only oarlock pieces sewn to the edge
of upper strake. The find was (unreliably) dated to 15th century.
Another find is Björke boat in Sweden,
Gästrikland, she had expanded lime wood bottom, and one strake on
each side, nailed with iron rivets. Stem blocks were also hollow, but much thinner and
less developed. No continuous gunwale again, only oarlocks. Dated as ancient as 4th
century.
One can see the similarity between the above charts: first of Gokstad færing strakes,
second of Tuna boat replica strake and bottom part projection. Scale is equal for both charts.
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There was a færing boat found in Gokstad, (accordingly to the accepted dating, she must
have been built some 50 years later then Tuna boat), it had the same length, same number of
ribs (five), and similar position of rowing bunks -- over 2nd and
3rd ribs.
Though building technique of Gokstad færing is entirely different, -- a
classic oak clinker boat with hollowed stems, she had a very peculiar shape of the
strakes (on the picture above). First strake was the widest (~40cm), which, considering
that first strake in a boat is the most difficult one to bend and twist into shape,
looks rather a strange solution. Usually in most modern boats first strake is one of the
narrowest, and it is bent tightest. Also, it is easier to have a more simple strake profiles,
sort of straight, narrowing toward hood ends, as most modern boats have. So peculiar
profiles of Gokstad færing strakes are probably dictated by some tradition, rather
then practical use; could it be, that such a tradition started as an imitation of
expanded bottom in a clinker technique? At least, these profiles look more logical
for an expanded dugout with additional strakes, then for a clinker boat.
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One can also see the lines and shape similarity between the two boats.
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