Southampton's Medieval West Quay c.1450

Southampton's Medieval West Quay c.1450. . Medieval boats were built with overlapping split boards, known as clinker construction. Towards the end of the medieval period European boat builders changed to sawn planks laid edge to edge; known as carvel-construction, a method that had been used originally by Roman shipwrights., Boats were built and repaired in this area from the late medieval period until the early years of this century. Many of the medieval ships that traded from Southampton were probably built here. The structure shows the early stages in the process, with the keel, stem and stern posts in position. The first two planks, known as strakes, have also been attached to form the bottom of the boat. To these were fixed the frames, to be followed by the planking This method was used throughout northern Europe, while in the Mediterranean area the hull was built first and the frames fitted in later., To your right are the outlines of two rowing boats. They were used for getting people about the port, fishing and ferrying passengers across to Hythe and the New Forest area. They were made from hollowed out logs with planked sides.