Frequently Asked Questions Some contents borrowed or gleefully plagiarized from the North Bay Vikings Web Site North Bay Vikings 1. What is a whaleboat?
Our whaleboat is a style called a Monomoy, also called a lifeboat. It is 26 feet long, pointed at both ends, and weighs roughly 2,000 pounds (when empty and dry, which it usually isn’t). It is powered by eight rowers who sit in four pairs on stationary bench-like seats. Each rower operates a single 12-foot oar through an oarlock. A coxswain stands at the stern and steers the boat with a long (16-foot) sweep oar. Occasionally, a person (called a bowhook) sits in the bow to assist in launching and docking, and also for safety purposes (such as directing the coxswain during swimmer rescues.) Whaleboats are generally used as lifeboats, but historically were used by whalers when harpooning.
