J Harris himself pointed out that "by fitting a daggerboard with a nice foil shape in a descreet trunk, this boat would murder the traditional craft at messabouts," This got me thinking.  If you want to reinact being a viking, get yourself an axe (or two) and build yourself a 40-50' longship, and get a crew of 20-40, and have at it. 

But if you want a boat reminiscent of a viking age workboat, but are not against modern techniques (power tools anyone?) why not build using epoxy and plywood, but take the same hull shape we all know is beautiful.  Take the original owner of the Gislinge in a time machine to today and give him some lasses in epoxy and plywood and ask if he would like to build a stiffer boat in a fraction of the time. and I would be surpised if he would be unhappy with the result.   Show him what a daggerboard can do, and I am sure all his future vessels would have one.  After all, why row when you can sail?

Which brings me to my next thought.  square rig sail is iconic.  And stupid.  If you want to single hand, anyway.  J. Harris tried to hold onto that iconic shape, but make it a bit easier, with the dipping lug.  But even then "with practice" tacking takes a minute and a half.  that's way too long for my fairly tight waters of Cape Cod bay. not to mention it appears I would need a mandatory first mate to manage it all.

Hear me out.  What if, we ditched the center mast step completely, and maybe went with a ketch, or yawl?  More room admidships maybe, although clearing the aft stem might make a yawl a bit tricky.  But being able to sail this hull singlehanded upwind with alacrity intrigues me.  To hell with a traditionsl sail plan.  Thoughts?