Drawing a Cargo Hold

Fold a sheet of paper in half and draw half a broad hull section against the fold. Cut along the line and unfold it to see the space inside.

In the field notebook

Make a second section with the same depth and a narrower waist. Fill both shapes with identical paper squares. Count only the squares that fit completely. This simple model makes the consequences of a small change in breadth visible.

Keep the results as a comparison between your two models. A measured plan would be needed to estimate the capacity of a particular Viking ship.

Further reading at the Viking Ship Museum ↗