Length: 76 ft. Cargo: 10 tons Width: 17 ft. Sail material: Wool Draft: 3 ft. Weight: 20 tons Interior Height: 6 ft. Crew: 35 The Viking longship was principally a sailboat, excellently suited for the costal and island-hopping voyages the Norsemen typically undertook. Its oars were used for landing and travel in narrow waterways. Its relatively small cargo space (10 tons versus the 100 ton capacity of Columbus's ships) limited the amount of food and fresh water that could be carried, restricting voyages to approximately 500 miles. The ship's keel was approximately 57 feet in length and had to be made from a single oak tree.