As well as being long, Viking longships were shallow. Most had a maximum draught (the depth a boat sinks under the water) of 0.5-1 meter. This meant that they could sail into shallows and down ...

Indeed, the Viking Age, from A.D. 800-1100, was the age of the sleek, speedy longship. Without this crucial advance in ship technology, the Vikings would never have become a dominant force in ...