Ships were built using the frame-first method – where the internal framing is built first, and planking later added to the frame. This stern rudder made even the heaviest boat easier to steer. Sailors found it was easier to steer ships if the steering oar was fixed onto the sternpost. They began to be built with straight sternposts instead of curved ends. In medieval times, ships in the northern part of Europe began to change. Gaps between the planks were stuffed with animal hair to keep the water out. The shell of the ship was built first with overlapping planks, then reinforced with internal framing – this is known as clinker building. There was a steering oar at the back on the right-hand side. Viking ships had one square sail made of wool, and a row of oars on each side. Using longships, they set out from Scandinavia every summer to raid and trade with other countries. Vikings thought ships were very special so they tried to make them look beautiful, by carving decorations on them. Throughout that time, ships and boats have been adapted to make them faster, more efficient and safer. From Viking longships and 14th century carracks to 18th century battleships, the way ships were built evolved greatly between 8.įor thousands of years, people used boats and ships to fish, travel, explore, trade or fight.
