Daredevil, the story of a little cargo boat

 

 

Long ago, in a place called Oslo in Norway, there was a small boat whose name was Daredevil. She was very special because she was alive, she could see and hear and feel things.

 Daredevil was tired. She had been working hard all day for her master, a man called Arnstein, carrying stones to the castle and then barrels of fish to the market. It had been raining all day, and it was cold with light snow showers.

It had been a long day, and her frames and planks were aching. Worst of all she could feel she was leaking, and water was coming in through old cracks in her body.

 She was a little wooden cargo boat over twenty years old with 2 sails and place for four persons to row. Arnstein was both skipper and owner and had worked very hard to support his wife and two daughters that lived up the road from the harbour in Oslo, quite close to the church.

The problem was that to make enough money to provide food for his family he had to work Daredevil day and night, and he did not have time to look after Daredevil properly.

At the end of a long day Arnstein tied Daredevil to the quay. But then Daredevil felt a tug on her ropes and her mast was gone. Then a shuffling sound and the sail went ashore. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that all the oars were also gone. Very strange. He had never done this before.

Next day Daredevil was expecting to be again carrying stones and fish around Oslo, but nothing happened. Arnstein had left her. The weather turned nasty with high winds, snow and huge waves that banged against her side. The leaks got worse over the next few days, and she was so tired that she just wanted to go to sleep for a long time. Then it happened. Quite suddenly she sank and gently came to rest on the soft mud at the bottom of the harbour. Strange thought Daredevil, I do not have aches and pains anymore and it is very peaceful down here. So, I will sleep now.

Daredevil was woken from her deep sleep by loud noises above her head. It was strange because when she went to sleep there was only the relaxing sound of water that had helped her to go to sleep.

What could this be?

She opened her eyes, and everything was black, and she could smell the soft mud that she recognised from when she sank.

Then the loud noises were replaced by scraping sounds, just like digging in the sand, although it seemed it was happening all around her. Suddenly she saw a speck of light above her that gradually got bigger until a deep blue clear sky appeared above. Then a face appeared with light brown eyes in a round smiling face surrounded by tight curly hair. She heard a shout. “There is a boat down here”. What are they talking about and what are they doing here?

The hole got bigger and bigger until all the mud was gone. They pulled her out of the mud, but something was strange. She did not look like a boat anymore. She was flat and broken into pieces. It was if a large weight had squashed her flat and her ribs and planks were scattered about.

Daredevil looked up expecting to see the familiar things, the quay, the church, but there was nothing. Instead, she was in the centre of a large hole surrounded by giant cranes and very tall buildings. Where was the sea?

What Daredevil did not know was that she had been asleep for over 400 years and in that time, Oslo had grown and taken back a lot of land from the sea.

Now she was in a building site in the centre of Oslo, and the sea was 500 metres away.

 So, what were these yellow coated people doing here? Why were they poking around with their trowels and photographing and measuring her planks.

They were scientists who study what life was like many years ago by, looking for and digging out old boats to understand how they were built and used. So, they scraped away all the mud from Daredevil and then started to separate her parts.

Daredevil was quite amused as she was used to repairs to her body, but this was quite different. She was now being taken to pieces, each piece numbered and carried away.

Daredevil hoped that they did not lose any of her parts and kept them together, after all she was a boat!

But where were they taking her and what for. She noticed part of a large sign that said museum. What is a museum and what would they do with her there?

While she pondered this, her parts were placed in large baths of what looked like water, and she heard Agnetta say that she should have to stay there a few months until she was finally clean.

She knew she had been used for dirty work, especially stinking fish, but a bath for a few months. After a few days in these baths, she started to feel better and stronger, as though she had been treated for a sickness.

Then, one day Daredevil’s parts were taken out of the bath and transported to a room full of computers and equipment.

These experts, especially one called Signy started poking her with a metal pin that was connected to a computer screen. Every so often there was a little bleep and the shape on the computer screen changed. What was all this about.

The door opened and a medium tall man with a loud voice came in and asked Signy what she was doing.  

“We want to measure Daredevil accurately and learn more on her life and how she was built. With this equipment we can record all of Daredevil’s pieces and all the damages she has suffered even her nail holes.”

Daredevil thought this was a little too personal, but she did not have a choice so accepted quietly to this examination.

 Examination over they returned her parts to the large baths.

Some months later whilst relaxing in her bath she heard Signy say to somebody that it was time to look after all her parts by freeze drying.

Freezing and drying seemed a horrible thing to do, thought Daredevil. Drying was OK. She was fed up with being wet anyway but freezing she did not like. She knew all about freezing as she had carried cargo in the middle of winter covered in blue ice. Not nice, but what could she do?

But sure enough, one day her parts were taken out of the bath and loaded into what looked like a giant metal box. I don't like this she thought. As the door was slammed shut and she started to feel cold, and it became colder and colder and colder and then she just fell asleep.

Many months later she started to feel warmer and yes, also dry. The door opened and there stood a woman in a white coat.

She had long brown hair, tied in a bun, and large brown glasses through which she looked closely at Daredevil’s parts. “Good,” she said, “Daredevil is dry and ready for storing.” “Great”, said Signy. “We can help you transfer her to the shelves.” “OK,” said Mildred in the white coat. “I can help you store Daredevil’s parts.”

What does this mean thought Daredevil. Am I to end up as a dusty set of parts hidden away. That's not what I want. I want to be a boat again, charge through the waters that I remember from my younger days. So, she lay there in her various parts, dreaming of being a boat again when suddenly the

storeroom door opened, lights switched on and she heard a young woman's voice say, “I think Daredevil is over in this corner.” Daredevil looked up into a kind warm woman’s face surrounded by short blonde hair. “There she is Roar,” said Kari. “Let's see if she is complete.” Well, I could have told him that I was not complete. Some of my parts got lost or mixed up in the discovery at the building site. Roar. Who is Roar? I thought. They don't sound like experts at all. Well, they are. Kari looks after old Norwegian boats like Daredevil and Roar is a boat builder.

So, what are they up to. Roar started to examine my body parts, making comments, and referring to computer printouts. Roar was a stocky, medium sized man with a red face.

“We need to talk to Pål, the technical expert on how we can put Daredevil back together as a boat,” said Roar. “It will be like a jigsaw puzzle finding where the parts fit and what will we do about the missing parts?” “How will we hold everything together.”

Pål came down to the storage area. He was a quiet, thoughtful man so took his time before he said, “we need to add a steel frame to hold the boat together.”

Daredevil was a little irritated at this as she had never needed extra metal bits to hold her together before. Yes, she had wooden parts replaced and held in place with large iron nails, but a steel frame seemed a very unusual addition to her hull! Well, well, she had no choice so just accepted that she was over 400 years old and needed a little help to keep her in shape.

Patiently, Pål and Mildred put her back together around this new steel frame and finally she was complete. “Time to return her to where she came from,” said Pål. Oh, thought Daredevil, that will be exciting, going back to my old home. Of course, she had forgotten that her home was gone, replaced by a modern city and her new home was where she was found but now was in the basement of a modern building.

 

“Wait,” said Roar, “we could also build a copy of Daredevil with new wood using the drawings the experts made. That way we will learn a lot on how she was built 400 hundred years ago and how she sailed.” A copy of me I thought. A copy of Daredevil from the old days. That sounds interesting. I will be strong and young again like I was all those 400 years ago. Hope they remember that I was strong because I was built of oak.

“OK,” said Roar. “We start by chopping down some oak trees. We need many straight bits for her back and planks and some curvy branches for her ribs.” This Roar seems to know what he's doing, so I will have to find a way to keep an eye on him on his work.

But here I lie in this dark, dry room, not the place I want to be. I was built to be on the sea, to feel the salt spray on my body and the wind in my sails. I must find a way to transfer my spirit and energy to this new Daredevil. How shall I do that.

 By magic, that is how. I will concentrate all my energy, into the parts in the storeroom. Then, as Roar starts measuring the strongest part of me, my back which is called the keel, I will use Roar as the magician to transfer myself to the new keel.

So, I waited and waited by practicing how to concentrate all my energy in my old keel.

Then one day, Roar came down to the storage room, took out his ruler, and started measuring my keel. This is the moment. I struck and all my energy transferred to Roar.

“Ouch” said Roar, jumping back. I just had an electric shock, he said to the Yorkshire man. “No, that cannot be as the keel is wood,” said the Yorkshireman. “I'm telling you I received a shock,” shouted Roar. Daredevil smiled. Success. She was alive and well in Roar.

Now for the second part of the magic. Transferring my energy to the new keel. But it must happen quickly as I cannot stay in Roars body too long. “I need a cup of coffee after that shock,” said Roar. “OK, I will make some in the workshop,” said the Yorkshireman. “Then you can keep working.”

“OK,” said Roar, and they returned to the workshop. Roar took out his ruler and started measuring the new keel. Fizz, Bang, Wallop, Daredevil’s spirit and energy was transferred down the ruler into the new oak keel. “Ouch” said Roar. “I got that tingling feeling again.” “You are getting old,” laughed the Yorkshireman. “Here, drink your cup of coffee.” Daredevil smiled as she snuggled down into the new keel. Her magic had worked and all she had to do was to be patient and wait until Roar had finally finished building her and she would be a boat again.

Summer past, also autumn and Daredevil’s parts were connected to the keel and then the first planks. This went well and Daredevil’s strength grew and grew as she felt she was going to be a new, younger version of the old Daredevil. Roar was an expert. Everything had to be exactly as it was shown on the old Daredevil and slowly, she grew and grew until her body was complete.

She smelt of pine tar and linseed oil just as she did 400 years ago.  Daredevil was really happy.

Then the day of the big launch came, and she was wheeled down to the water's edge and given a great send off as she once again became a boat on the water.

Daredevil was very happy as she lifted to the waves and smelt the salty spray. Now she was back to life.

NOTE:

 If you visit Oslo, you can see the old Daredevil in her new home in the basement of the National bank. On the pavement is a large glass pyramid. If you look through it, you will see Daredevil resting peacefully in her steel frame.

If you want to see the new Daredevil, go down to the museums harbour at the Norwegian Maritime Museum in the summer and you will find her at her moorings with a big smile on her face.

Seamen need to be able to tie knots

 

This seems an obvious statement but without the ability to handle  ropes and use knots it is just not possible to be competent as a basic seafarer. This is particulalry relevant to traditional clinker built boats where there are no hydraulics or electricty to help you. You just have ropes that need to be attached to various parts of the boat. This subject has many opinions on which knot to use in a particular circumstance.

We will use Vaaghals as an example where we use 7 basic knots that are used to operate the boat.

Bowline (Pålestikk)

This is a general purpose knot often used to form a loop or bight in the rope so it can be passed through or over mooring cleats or posts. It is also used to attach a brace (bras) to each end of a yard (rå). It does not slip under load and can be difficult to untie after use if it has had a lot of tension on it.

Reef knot (Båtsmannsknop)

As the term applies it is used to tie together the two ends of the reefing lines in the sail and also used to tie the square sail to the yard. It is best for ropes or rope  ends of the the same size as it is likely to slip if different diameter rope are used or different rope types such as natural fibre and plastic ropes.

A common mistake in tying this knot is to forget the sequence of tying the ends. Remember «Left over right and then left under right» will produce the correct knot. It generally is tight under a constant load but can unravel if the load on the knot varies.

Timber hitch (Tommerstikk)

The timber hitch is a quick and easy knot to use where a constant load is applied. On a traditional square sail rig it is often used to attach the halliard to the sails yard. Note it generally applies to small boats such as Vaaghals.

Note also that the halliard passes down behind the yard on the mast side and then is tucked back on itself at least three times. The tucks should therefore be facing away from the mast.The number of tucks really depends on the diameter of the yard. The more tucks the better. The knot is easily undone when the load is taken off  the rope.

Figure-eight knot (Stoppeknute)

The figure of eight knot is self evident in its makeup and is quickly tied. Its main use is as a «stopper knot» so that the end of a rope cannot run out of a block or attachment hole. Most often used for the sheets controlling the sail but generally where you do not want to lose  the end of a rope. As it is a jamming knot it can be difficult to untie.

Rolling hitch (Vantstikk)

This knot is a «jamming» knot in that it tightens and holds fast under load. It is often used to take the tension off a rope in order to undo it. The important element is that the second turn must cross the first one before belaying with a half hitch. This creates a jamming kink in the rope the knot is attached to. It is also used in traditional wooden boats to tighten and hold the shrouds in place by applying the end of the shroud back on itself in cases where there are no deadeyes. It works best with natural fibre ropes and is known to slip with plastic ropes.

 

 

 

 

Round turn and two half hitches (Dobbelt halvstikk om egen part)

As the name implies the knot is applied to a spar or object by first passing the rope around the spar and then adding two half hitches to the standing part. A variation of this knot passes the rope behind the standing part before completing the turn and half hitches(bøyestikk). A very secure knot of general use.

 

 

 

 

Clove hitch (Dobbelt halvstikk)

Another very usefull general knot for tying off the end of a rope. Used for fenders, mooring etc. With variable load on the rope it can unloosen. A variation of the knot has the final half hitch «slipped» with a loop so it can easily be undone.

Trip to the wilds of Nesodden

 

An adventure for the Båtlab gang

It all started about two years ago when two of our colleagues, Charlotte and Camilla, announced that they would not be around the Norwegian Maritime Museum for some time, as they were involved in a large project to move all the cultural items stored in Ekeberg to a new storage location near Drøbak.

This was very sad for us, as with Charlotte we had learned a lot on traditional clinker-built boats by working with the boat builders on the reconstruction of Norwegian boats. In fact, 4 boats in total.

With Camilla, we learnt much on the conservation of cultural artefacts, especially boats, rubber gloves included.

 So, they disappeared and then later, we had an invitation from Camilla for an orientation tour on a new warehouse, located in the countryside around Nesodden. This would be exciting as we had spent some time working with Charlotte and Camilla in the caves of Ekeberg and anything had to be a better working environment than that.

 

We were four experienced navigators so expected no difficulty in driving down to the warehouse. three in one car and the fourth driving from another town It didn't turn out like that though.

A pleasant drive south with the three navigators towards Drøbak was suddenly shattered when we realised, we had passed the recommended turn off for the warehouse. Not to worry, said navigator 1, we have GPS in this new car.

He duly typed in the address given to us by Camilla. The computer-generated map instructed us to take the next turning and head towards Drøbak. Problem solved, we thought, and we proceeded along country roads for some kilometres, passing a local church in the countryside. This did not seem right, so we turned round, and our wonderful computer immediately gave us another route and we should turn into a narrow lane skirted by several houses and a farm. Our second navigator, very experienced in the navigation of ships, pointed out that often these lanes deteriorate quickly and so it did. First the asphalt disappeared to be replaced by a gravel surface. So long as we do not get grass in the middle of the road, we should be OK as it means that the road is well used, said our second navigator. A few kilometres on grass appeared in the middle of the road. This does not look too good, said the third, navigator from the back seat, a little confused being more used to navigating by sun and compass.

 It will be OK, said Navigator 1, so long as we do not meet a road barrier. At that moment, the GPS screen showed the road ended in a barrier! So, we must turn around and return to the Church Road.

Completely disorientated, the 3 experienced navigators counselled that the wise thing to do was to go back until we saw a sign for Drøbak. This we did and we reintroduced the address into the GPS which seemed as confused as us by constantly wanting us to turn back toward Drøbak.

Three times we arrived at the same roundabout only to be instructed to take the road back to Drøbak. Time for a radical solution. Out with Google Maps on our mobiles and Navigator 3 in the back seat confirmed he had our position plotted and could give verbal directions to navigate to our goal.

 After several missed turns we finally arrived at our destination, somewhat bewildered and a little subdued that the combined might of many years maritime navigation could not solve this challenge. Our excuse could be that there was no sun in evidence, we lacked a sextant and had no compass!

However, we had arrived at the new warehouse for the Norwegian Folkemuseum, better late than never! Surprisingly our fourth navigator had already arrived and wondered why it had takes so long as he had no such navigation challenges. The moral of the story is never to travel with three navigators in the same car!

Camilla was there to welcome us, and we entered this new HUGE building, met the rest of the conservation team and started our orientation tour.

First impressions were WOW, three floors for artifacts, offices seminar room,

kitchen and offices and even toilets. What a difference to Ekeberg. But the first surprise was the sheer size of each floor, possibly 2 football fields in area they were light air-controlled spaces with plenty of room to move around and work with objects, even had lifts between floors! The third navigator was heard to state “fantastic” multiple times!!

It soon became apparent of the scale of the move from Ekeberg. Some 3500 artifacts must first be identified, registered in a database, cleaned and set in a logistics plan for moving. Only then could the items be transported. At the new site a completely new system of storage was built with racks and pallets and wheeled cradles for the 70 odd boats.

Each of the items had an ID , a location and a barcode providing its history where known.

No wonder we did not see Charlotte and Camilla for 2 years.

The result is a breathtaking new modern warehouse for cultural artifacts of the Museum. Many thanks to the team down there and especially to Charlotte and Camilla.

PS. We all made it back to Oslo without incident!