Learnings: Conditions on Board
Longships had an open deck; the distance between the kneel and the "floor" was relatively short (usually less than 1 metre). This meant that supplies had to be stacked around the crew. So did the equipment, which included oars, weapons, and anything else the sailors would need during their travels or once they reached land. All of these items left the crew with very little room to move around, as can be seen in this photograph.
Sleeping conditions depended on the type of travel undertaken. During short voyages or river journeys, the crew would pull the boat ashore and sleep on land. For long-distance ocean crossings, crew members would be forced to sleep on their bench or on the floor. A canvas could be stretched over the crew, forming a tent that would protect them as well as possible from the weather while providing them with a "roof" under which to rest.