Rib-frames
The re-creation of the Hjortspring Boat
This part deals with the ri-frames.
Schematic representation and naming of the Hjortspring boat's construction parts. 1
Rib-frames
Raw-chopped thwart of linden.
The raw seat.
A raw shaped thwart.
Seat and beam are shaped.
The underside of the thwart is shaped.
A finished shaped thwart compared to a 1: 1 scale drawing.
The seats on all thwart are of the same size, only the beam between them is different.
Finished thwarts laid on the boat's gunwale.
A deck beam is measured and adjusted at the cleats.
Deck beam with inserted support columns and some pieces of hazel branches
to keep the correct distance to the cleats. The holes to the colums in the thwart can be marked.
A rib-frame consists of a Thwart-beam of linden, a deck beam and two columns of ash wood. It's all held together by ...
a hazel branch. A freshly cut branch is used, which is immediately debarked and prepared for insertion,
which can be quite difficult, especially at the outermost frames (1, 2 & 9; 10).
It helps to use some grease as a lubricant.
A finished rib-frame. Most rib-frames consist of the five parts shown,
except for No. 10 and No. 1, they have only one Column. In addition, No. 1 is very special.
Rib-frame no. 1 - the aft rib-frame raw adapted.
Details are cut out on thwart no. 1.
Thwart no. 1 together with a support beam.
The cleats at tofte no. 1 are specially designed.
It is our own construction, as there are no preserved parts from this part of the find.
Rib-frame no. 1 put in place aft.
Note the cutouts and holes at the bottom of the toft.
A small stern bulkhead is mounted at the rear of the gunwale-planks and the first plank for "løfting" (a small deck) is put in place.
Aft rib-frame, stern bulkhead and "løfting" in place.
The boat is now tarred inside, the Thwart-beam are treated with linseed oil and a "stretch rope" is mounted between the cleats on both bow blocks.
The stern bulkhead with its fine cutouts, also on the stern side. The tension rope is attached to the cleats on the aft bow block.
- Ib Stolberg-Rohr has selected and customized the images.
Notes and sources
- 1: Kaul, Flemming, Da våbnene tav, Fig. 11, p. 19