The Selection of Trees
In the selection of materials for Valkyrie, there were two important considerations. Firstly, we wanted to choose trees in such a way as to have the least possible environmental impact. Secondly, we wanted to select the absolute finest trees available. Different types of wood are needed for different parts of the ship:
- WHITE OAK
The White oak that creates the frame for the ship was harvested from a forest lot in Oregon. It is no easy task to locate trees with such precise requirements. We had to create individual patterns, hold them up in a tree and find the exact shape needed. A young fellow named “Squirrel” climbed each tree and cut the required branch. We ended up with 92 very heavy branches that were transported back to the Aspøya shipyard. These very branches were scheduled to be burned, so we felt good putting them to better use! The trunks of the tree were cut and sold to make space available to grow new Douglas Fir.
- DOUGLAS FIR
In our search for the fir needed for various parts of the ship we were extremely fortunate to receive a call from a logger north of Bellingham. He told us that he had found some large timbers in the forest which had been cut in 1915 and left on the ground. These timbers ended up on a pile of rocks, therefore they had not rotted. No one seemed to know why they were left behind — perhaps they were not large enough? It was our good fortune as they were perfect for many structural elements of the ship.
- YELLOW CEDAR
Yellow cedar was used for the decking. In order to access hemlock and Douglas fir in BC, a new road was being cut through a grove of cedar. The original plan was to sell the cedar in Korea, so we felt good having it stay in the PNW!
- WESTERN YEW
Yew was used to make the trunnels (pegs) that help hold the ship together. Yews are small trees often used for making archery bows because of their flexible nature. This flexibility helps a Viking ship to move gracefully on the water. We gathered the branches from various piles of firewood at local homes.
In the building of Valkyrie, we tried our very best to acquire materials in as conscious a manner as possible. In the same spirit, Valkyrie will be used to support environmental and educational causes.
- WHITE OAK
The white oak that creates the structure for the ship is from a forest lot in Oregon. These large timbers create the internal frame. In order to accomplish this we had to create individual patterns, hold them up in a tree and find the exact shape needed. A young fellow named “Squirrel” climbed each tree and cut the required branch. We ended up with 92 very heavy branches that we transported back to the construction sight. These very branches were scheduled to be burned, so we felt good putting them to good use! The trunks of the tree were cut and sold to make space available to grow new Douglas Fir.
- DOUGLAS FIR
In our search for the fir needed for various parts of the ship we were extremely fortunate to receive a call from a logger north of Bellingham. He told us that he found some large timbers in the forest that were cut in 1915 and had been left on the ground. They ended up on a pile of rocks so they had not rotted. No one seemed to know why they were left behind… perhaps they were not large enough? It was our good fortune as they were perfect for many structural elements of the ship.
- YELLOW CEDAR
Yellow cedar was used for the decking. A new road was being cut through a grove of cedar in BC in order to access hemlock and Douglas Fir for cutting. The plan was to perhaps sell the cedar in Korea, so we felt good having it stay in the PNW!
- WESTERN YEW
Yew was used to make the trunnels (pegs) that help hold the ship together. We gathered the branches from various piles of firewood from local homes. Yews are small trees often used for making archery bows because of their flexible nature. This flexibility helps a Viking ship to move gracefully on the water.
In the building of Valkyrie, we tried our very best to acquire the various materials in as conscious a manner as possible. In this same spirit, Valkyrie will be used to support environmental and educational causes.
White Oak
Douglas Fir
Yellow Cedar
Western Yew
A bit more detail from our shipwright Jay Smith…
Ships have been built of readily available materials since prehistoric times. In keeping with this tradition, we felt compelled to build “S/V Valkyrie” of woods indigenous to the Northwest coast of North America. The forest of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia are rich in Douglas-fir, Alaska yellow cedar, Oregon white oak and Pacific yew, all woods with high rot resistance. Knowing these materials were accessible here and choosing them as our “woods of choice’ for this project was a simple task. Locating them in the dimensions and quality we required became a major challenge.
First was to locate a sawyer and mill with access to yellow cedar logs that would yield planking stock 16-20” wide in 16’-24’- lengths, clear (free of knots), with 20-30 annual rings per inch. Sawyers are a special breed of cat who know the forest and can maximize the material in any log – even tell you what’s in the log beforehand. But oftentimes it is the logger who can lead you to the right sawmill.
After dozens of extensive conversations with people who knew people and several “Well, you aren’t asking for much is you?” we located two mills in British Columbia with large yellow cedar logs and the ability to custom mill the dimensions we needed. This planking stock was stacked and stickered in open shed, and end grain was waxed to prevent checking. This was certainly an encouraging beginning, though we would need even more planking to complete the hull.
The keel, stem, and sternpost are white oak from the Willamette Valley in central Oregon. Oak trees have been the preferred ship-building material for millennia, the Latin Quercus meaning “strong.” Our source for white oak was the Willamette Valley in central Oregon. Monroe Oak in Sheridan had a 34’ log for the straight keel. Finding a large oak log with a graceful sweep for stems was a challenge. Frank Pender at Tanglewood in Dallas, OR had a pile of oak logs for us to rummage through. He sent me out to take a look for myself, and recalls hearing a “whoop and a holler” from across the yard. He had a beautiful oak log in ample dimension to yield the bow stem for the ship. Frank seemed to have the Keys to the Kingdom, and through him I met the loggers, sawyers, foresters, and arborists who have contributed so generously to this project.
Frames are shaped from natural grown crooks that range from wide curves to near 90° knees, and this Viking ship required scores. These are harvested from the branches of oaks by dropping the uppermost crown of the tree, felling the tree, and parting out all usable crooks on the ground. J.R. “Squirrel Boy” Dutson (arborist), Rocky MacArthur (faller) and I harvested over 100 crooks from several forests between Dallas and Philomath OR. The most valuable resource was Zena Hardwoods where Sarah, the owner, personally escorted us through her mixed fir/oak forest, tagging trees. Frank Pender had recommended Sarah, cautioning, “She’s a fine lady, but keep in mind she’s an environmentalist.” Several of these oaks were 235 years old, predating the Oregon Trail by some 50 years. Magnificent giants. Sarah took care in deciding which trees could be harvested.
A group of fellows from “up river” known as the Wild Ass crew were invaluable in locating old growth fir logs and Pacific yew for deck planks and trunnel stock. Their portable mill was regularly seen at Aspøya.
Through all of these knowledgable folks, their contacts and hard labor, we were able to build this Viking ship with some of the finest material in the Pacific Northwest.