From the shipwright's point of view, and with vessels made by the eye of a master craftsmen unaware of modern maths and physics, the construction had to be a strongly traditional process: mistakes were expensive or could easily have fatal consequences - this was a strong force to resist any change. Secondly, sailors are notoriously superstitious: their lives are at stake on any vessel, and if preceding forms and ideas work then there has to be a pretty good reason to adopt and use any new concepts. Some aspects of its design are covered in the following sections...
It is clinker builtMaking a hull out of overlapping strakes of wood is a northern tradition, and it is a directly link to the first prehistoric dug-out log boats that were given additional wooden panels to increase their freeboard. In Viking and other early boats these overlaps would have been used to tie together the planks using rope or sinew through small holes, before internal strengthening frames would have been fitted; an "outside-in" process. Ships of this early period are flexible, and can 'move' in heavy seas.
By the 13th Century, however, with the need for larger, sturdier, less compliant vessels, a solid structure comprising a keel and basic frames would have received steamed timbers that would have been nailed or pegged (treenailed) on. This planking process is a time-consuming and laborious one, and starts at the keel with the garboard strake and rises, plank by plank, to the top strake, known later as the gunwale . On this photograph it is possible to make out the ends of large crosstimbers that stick out through the side of the hull - these are strengthening timbers that solidly lock the frames to the hull planking and help prevent flexing and movement of the finished hull.
All clinker boats have to be caulked at the overlaps between strakes, and for this vessel it is most likely that this would have been done with rope teasings and pitch to make them waterproof.