table and the drag was reduced.Mast Supports
Viking longships were mostly navigated in shallow fjord and rivers.
Most times they were rowed by the crew than sailed in the wind. The masts on
longboats are design to be stepped down (taken down) with ease. By taking the mast
down, the boat became more stable and the drag was reduced.
Two structures were used to secure the mast, beside the stays (rigging): the keelson, or old woman, and the fish. The keelson was a log that laid directly on top of the keel. The length of the log was often half the length of the ship, so that the mast's weight will be evenly distributed along the keel. The end of the mast would fit into a hole carved into the log.
Directly above the keelson, at deck level, is the fish, named so because
of its shape. The fish would be carved from a trunk with a branch growing
perpendicular to it. A hole would be bored directly behind the branch. The
branch would prevent forward and some side-to-side movement of the mast. Once the
mast is in place, it would be wedged tightly into place at deck level.
When the yard (the pole which the top of the sail is attached on a square-rigged sail) is hoisted up the mast, it is carried by the mast yoke. The yoke is made of a series of wooden beads that roll up and down the mast.
When the mast is stepped down, it would rest on the mast rests, located fore and aft of the fish.