Murom builds single-mast ship for France

In the city of Murom in heartland Russia, the Murom shipyard is building a single-mast ship, drakkar. It is a deckless high-board boat with elevated bow and stern.

The drakkar is ten meters long and three meters wide, takes on board a dozen rowers and a lot of cargo.

On the boat built in Murom, French researchers and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Krichevsky will sail along Russian rivers in the end of this summer.

A replica of the 10th-century drakkar is now in the making at the Murom shipyard. Old masters made parts of it from whole logs. Today ship-builders use materials from veneer production, ordinary tools, adhesives and screws.

Builders of the drakkar say that in performances the contemporary boat will be as good as the ancient one.