Aluett

In the 1930s, several wrecks were found in the seabottom mud outside Kalmar Castle, on the Swedish east coast. These were investigated by Harald Åkerlund. One of them was the wreck of a 13th century merchant ship. In 1994-95 the Naval Museum of Karlskrona built a full scale replica, Aluett.

She is 11 m long and weighs about 15 tons including ballast. The material is mostly oak. There is no motor. The only modernity in the replica construction is that the planks were sawn, instead of axed. The hull is of an open clinker type with one yard sail. The hull is of a transitional type between the Viking ship and the cog. She has four oars. But like all merchant ships, she is wide, heavy and not suited for rowing long distances.

During 1995 she sailed in the south Baltic sea:

The trip went to Rostock and Visby.

During June-August 1996 she made a longer trip:

Aluett followed King Valdemar's sailing route from Karlskrona along the Swedish coast, passing Åland, south Finland and ending in Tallinn in Estonia.

The trip to Tallinn took about two months and the return a few weeks. I participated during two weeks. This is an abstract of the Swedish report.

During 1997 she sailed along the South Swedish coast

More info:

• For more info on Aluett and coming activities, contact Swedish Naval Museum, Karlskrona, tel 46-455-840 00, fax 46-455-840 71.
• You may also contact the skipper Jon Liljefors.

text and photo: Per Åkesson, November 1996

rev  apr '03