Why Didn't the Vikings Adopt a Better Sail Rig for Going to Windward?

Wing-Shaped Lateen Was Being Used by Contemporary Peoples to the South

Draken is a longship replica that draws eight feet, which is more than many of the original craft, and that may have had a beneficial influence on her windward performance, not speed but angle to the wind close-hauled. Many of the original craft were said to draw less than four feet, and the best they could do to windward was about 70° off the wind.

We d…