Tolkades

Tolkades is a type of traditional wooden launch that originated in the coastal regions of Northern Europe during the late Middle Ages. The vessel is typically between 8 and 10 metres in length and features a shallow draft and a single mast. It was designed for inter-island trade, fishing, and as a means of transport for small communities along the Baltic Sea. Because of its dimensions and construction, the tolkades could be hauled ashore for easy storage or shipped on larger merchant ships to distant ports.

Construction of a tolkades relied on locally harvested spruce and pine. The planks were hand-made, edge-to-edge on a straight edge, and fastened with brass or iron nails. The hull was carved to be slightly convex, improving buoyancy and maneuverability. An iron bilge was installed to keep the water out of the cargo hold. The single sail was typically a gaff-rigged trapezoid that allowed the vessel to windward more effectively than earlier flat-bottomed shallow boats.

Use of the tolkades persisted into the 17th century as small-scale traders, fishermen, and sometimes smugglers used the vessel to carry goods across short distances. Its lifespan was limited to about 20–30 years, after which it was replaced by larger cogs or carvel-built ships. The tolkades played a crucial role in disseminating cultural goods, such as iron tools and textiles, between sparsely populated coastal hamlets. Several modern replica tolkades exist in maritime museums, and enthusiasts sometimes organize reenactments of the period’s trading routes.