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The Viking Long Boats were built with a shallow draft & low masted. Built light and with the overall structure running the length instead of the width of the vessel allowed it to flex and bend over the waves rather than crash or cut through them. Although they were keeled, the keel was shallow for a sailing vessel but as it ran the length of the hull it afforded the ability to track straight but did not afford much in the way of stability as the deeper & weighted keels we see more of today. Wider hulls and little superstructure kept these Long Boats from being top heavy while under sail. I hope this helps.

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10y ago
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13y ago

It sat very high in the water, and was very wide, it allowed faster speed over the ocean than most boats at the expense of storage space. it allowed them to raid places quickly and also allowed them to venture up shallow inland streams. This is what the vikings found most useful after hundreds of years, refining and improving the initial design.

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14y ago

Because they were built for the usage of oars AS WELL AS sails.

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Q: Why were the viking ships so useful to the vikings?
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What were viking long ships used for?

They used the longships for battles. The longship was the strongest weapon the Vikings had. The Viking long ships had no front or back, so it was easy to manoeuvre


What transport did the vikings use?

He was a viking so he used a ship. The ships the vikings used for long voyages across the Atlantic were called knarrs. They were cargo ships that were about 54 feet long. They held a crew of about 20-30 vikings.


What did the vikings use longships for?

They used the longships for battles. The longship was the strongest weapon the vikings had. The Viking long ships had no front or back, so it was easy to maneuver.


Why didn't Europeans learn the shipbuilding and navigation methods of the Vikings?

Actual, they did learn the shipbuilding techniques of the Vikings, and some of the mediveal ships, such as the medieval Scottish birlinn, were directly descended from the Viking ships. Also, the ships in the Bayeaux Tapestry are very similar to Viking ship design. It is just that the Viking Ships were replaced by designs that were better suited for carrying cargo than the Viking ships. The Viking ships, for all their beauty and speed, were not designed for sailing long distances carrying a lot of cargo. Their open decks would have made would have made traveling in them rather uncomfortable, and the Viking success is as much due to the hardiness of the Vikings themselves as the design of their ships. In addition, the design of Viking ships limited the maxiumum size they could be built to. Later shp designs, such as the cog, which in part were derived from Viking designs, could carry more cargo, and so were more economical to sail, which is why they replaced the Viking ship designs. In addition, the later designs could be modified and made much bigger than the Viking ships. Navigation aids, such as the magnetic compass, would have been easier to learn and use than Viking navigation techniques.


What is the vikings favorite color?

What is America's favorite color? What is Germany's favorite color? The vikings were composed of individuals, and just as any group will have a multitude of likes and dislikes, so did the vikings.

Related questions

What were viking long ships used for?

They used the longships for battles. The longship was the strongest weapon the Vikings had. The Viking long ships had no front or back, so it was easy to manoeuvre


What transport did the vikings use?

He was a viking so he used a ship. The ships the vikings used for long voyages across the Atlantic were called knarrs. They were cargo ships that were about 54 feet long. They held a crew of about 20-30 vikings.


What did the vikings use longships for?

They used the longships for battles. The longship was the strongest weapon the vikings had. The Viking long ships had no front or back, so it was easy to maneuver.


Why didn't Europeans learn the shipbuilding and navigation methods of the Vikings?

Actual, they did learn the shipbuilding techniques of the Vikings, and some of the mediveal ships, such as the medieval Scottish birlinn, were directly descended from the Viking ships. Also, the ships in the Bayeaux Tapestry are very similar to Viking ship design. It is just that the Viking Ships were replaced by designs that were better suited for carrying cargo than the Viking ships. The Viking ships, for all their beauty and speed, were not designed for sailing long distances carrying a lot of cargo. Their open decks would have made would have made traveling in them rather uncomfortable, and the Viking success is as much due to the hardiness of the Vikings themselves as the design of their ships. In addition, the design of Viking ships limited the maxiumum size they could be built to. Later shp designs, such as the cog, which in part were derived from Viking designs, could carry more cargo, and so were more economical to sail, which is why they replaced the Viking ship designs. In addition, the later designs could be modified and made much bigger than the Viking ships. Navigation aids, such as the magnetic compass, would have been easier to learn and use than Viking navigation techniques.


Was thor a viking god?

The Vikings were Norse people, so yes Thor was a Viking god.


Is a serf a viking?

European serfdom was part of feudalism, which did not exist in the pagan lands of the Vikings until the coming of Christianity, at with time the Viking age was pretty much over. So, if there were serfs, they were not Vikings. The Vikings owned slaves, but the slaves were not Vikings, and they were also not serfs.


What did leif ericson do to end the vikings?

He was a Viking so he didn't do anything to end them.


Why was it so important for the vikings to build longships?

The long ships were necessary for viking conquest. Long ships were built sturdy enough to surive the many storms of Scandinavia and Northern Europe. They were also designed so they could easily beach or sail on rivers, providing a quick attack.


What is the vikings favorite color?

What is America's favorite color? What is Germany's favorite color? The vikings were composed of individuals, and just as any group will have a multitude of likes and dislikes, so did the vikings.


Why were the viking long boats so important to the vikings?

Having a shallow draught, Viking longboats allowed for sailing or rowing up shallow rivers.


What ships are known to be used by the the Vikings?

The Vikings used various ships for various roles.KnörrThese ships were used for crossing vast oceans and were designed to be able to do so. They were often used for transporting heavy cargo and livestock between Europe and Greenland by crossing the North Atlantic.KarveThese variations were small-ish cargo ships used for transporting light cargo and livestock within the Viking Empires. They were also designed for navigating shallow waters, so they could be used to sail down rivers.FaeringThis was a medium-sized row boat that can be powered by two pairs of oars or a small sail. These were generally used for personal transportation or small fishing trips.LongshipThis is probably the most known Viking ship. Longships were the backbone of the Viking navy, used in many military campaigns by the Vikings.Longships could also be privately owned by Viking lords to show off their wealth, these lords were often cremated in their ships when they died.


Did the vikings raid Oslo?

Oslo was founded right at the end of the Viking age, so probably not.