ROCKLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine)-- There’s an unusual sight on the coast of Maine this week—a Viking ship, named the Draken, complete with a carved dragon’s head on the high stem of the bow. The full name of the ship is the Draken Harald Harfagre, and she is a reproduction of Viking ships that would have sailed the North Atlantic 1,000 years ago.
The Draken, as she is generally called, is the largest Viking ship replica in the world—115 feet long, weighing about 90 tons. She is visiting Rockland through Wednesday, at which time she will set sail for Portland.
The ship was built in Norway, made of oak by a team of eight Norwegian shipbuilders who tried to stay as true as possible to the traditional methods of construction. Some of the timbers are joined by iron bolts, others by wooden pegs or “trunnels”. Captain Bjorn Aahlander said Monday the Vikings were likely the first to bring iron to the natives when they landed in Newfoundland in the 10th or 11th century.
“So because of us, your car is made of steel and iron today,” the Captain joked on Monday. “Otherwise it would have been made of wood!”
The Draken is owned by a Norwegian businessman, who had the ship built to honor his community’s Viking heritage, according to the ship’s website. After sea trials in 2013, which crew member and naval architect Karolina Malmek says ended with a broken mast, the ship was repaired and then headed for North America. Malmek says the original construction of the Draken was modified and stiffened, but that the long vessel still flexes some as it goes through the sea, which she says is good.
“And when the ship hits the wave she can take it because she flexes up and goes over the wave. Its beautiful, “ she said.
The trip to North America followed the original route of the Vikings, according to the captain. Norway to the Faroe Islands near Scotland, to Iceland, then Greenland and then to Newfoundland. Nearly all was done under sail power, he said, rarely using the ship’s engine – installed as a nod to the modern requirements of schedules and safety concerns.
Sailing on the Draken is not especially comfortable. She is basically an open boat. There is no cabin below decks. Instead, crew members sleep in a large tent on deck, and there is a smaller shelter for storage. Water that washed onto the ship goes through the floorboards into the below deck area, where it is pumped out. Malmek said most of the time the 35 crew members are wet and sometimes cold. Even the ship’s two heads, or bathrooms, are not immune from being soaked by seawater, sometimes when they are in use.
During the summer east coast tour, conditions are generally better. While docked in Rockland this week, crew members are being housed at the city’s South School when they are not on duty— an improvement from the tent.
Visitors were lined up Monday morning to view the Draken and learn about her construction and heritage. Both the captain and Malmek hope they gain an appreciation for the history of the early people of the Scandinavian countries.
“I hope in Rockland they will learn a little bit about the Norse history, because they weren’t only plunderers and mean people, they were also smart people and shipbuilders and had very interesting history,” the naval architect said.
That Viking ship is open for tours Tuesday and Wednesday at the Rockland Public landing. Then she sails for Portland, and will be open there Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Four Points marina on Fore Street. The tours are not free, and visitors do need to buy tickets.