Súðbyrðingur clinker-built boat Hafliði is the 7th generation of wooden clinker boat builder. At 10 years old, he began building boats with his grandfather, a well-known farmer and boat builder in Hvallátur, at the remote western tip of The Westfjords.
Hafliði Aðalsteinsson
“How do you know how much to shave off and when to stop?”
Haflidi grins and glances at me from the corner of his raised eye brow and taps his temple twice with his pointing finger,
“it’s in here” then laughs.
Watching Hafliði carve a wooden plank was calming and meditative. His expression was relaxed, the corners of his mouth curves up lightly to meet the ripples on his cheeks. I am affected by his groundedness. He glides a shaver, a wood block with a blade on the underside, along the pine plank. With each stroke, he reduces the stiff block into paper-thin wooden spirals. The ends of the plank are slowly taking on the curvature of a wooden toy sward. A notch gradually takes shape along the top edge closes to Haflidi. The notch is shallow towards the middle of the plank, and gradually deeps towards both ends.
The traditional construction of Súðbyrðingur, the Nordic clinker-built boats, has been preserved for two millennia and can be traced back to the vessels that Vikings used. They are constructed with wooden planks that overlap horizontally, with the lower edge of the top plank overlaid and nailed onto the upper edge of the next plank below. Each end is secured to the stems at the bow and stern with treenails, iron rivets, or ropes. The body is fortified with ribs carved to hold the planks to maintain the overall body shape.
Haflidi inserted the freshly shaped plank into a “steam machine”—a long wooden box made from salvaged driftwood, with a propane-fueled water boiler built fitted under. The plank will be steamed for several hours to make it pliable, so it can be swiftly moulded and nailed into the elegant curves of the boat body. The rest of the 17 planks will be shaped in the same manner.
“Before the telephones, my grandfather used to order wood by writing a letter. The wood would arrive next winter from Denmark or Norway by boat.”
Mastering the design and woodwork takes at least ten years. The craft is now listed by the UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage—for knowledge, skills and customs that are passed down through generations and contribute to a sense of cultural identity. In the Nordic coastal communities, Súðbyrðingur carries the stories of fishermen—their struggles with the elements, waves, wet feet, losses, as well as triumphs. Hafliði casually sets down his coffee mug and told his grandson, also named Hafliði, that the plank is about ready to be pulled out of the steam machine. Young Hafliði follows suit and sets his pepsi cola next to a few other empty cans. Together, they pull out the steaming piece and quickly mount it over the skeleton of the 80 year-old boat that they are restoring.
How do you think people’s views on clinker-built boats have changed since you began?
Many years ago, boats were common, and used for daily work. They have to be built strong and durable, otherwise it would cost the lives of seamen. Now you can find these boats made of plastic, but people still enjoy keeping the wooden ones. They are special crafts that people enjoy looking at. They are just fun to make.
Interview continues…
Image above: Hafliði, grandfather and Hafliði, grandson discuss methods of wood working.
Article creditsInterview & article - Jamie Lee Videography - Margeir Haraldsson and Jamie Lee Photography - Jamie Lee Art direction & design - Jamie Lee Transcription -
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