A GROUP of pals have built a replica 40ft Viking longboat after coming up with the idea in the pub.
Now they plan to sail the ship across the North Sea from Scotland to Norway.
It took the six friends five months, £10,000 and 18 trees to build the boat.
Retired mechanic Phil Robertson, 57, from Tarbert, Argyll, is delighted with the finished longboat.
“I was sitting in the pub when my friends and I got talking about Viking longboats,” grandad Phil said. “I said it couldn’t be that difficult to build one, and the idea just took off from there.
“It took five months to complete and is built exactly the way our ancestors would have done hundreds of years ago.”
The team didn’t have any plans but carried out extensive research to build a watertight wooden hull.
The modern-day adventurers hope to embark for Norway this week, depending on the weather.
They initially planned to row the ship, Freydis, across the North Sea.
However, that plan has been sunk, and they will instead tow it with another boat.
They hope to parade their hand-carved masterpiece, rather fittingly, at a Norwegian seaside festival.
Another team member, Lachie Ralph, 34, said: “Crossing the North Sea is something I’ve always wanted to do. I have never been to Norway so it will be a novel first trip.”
Lachie will act as helmsman during the night and play the bagpipes as the boat arrives in various Norwegian harbours.
It will take part in the Tonsberg Viking Festival next month.
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