What is a Snipa in Swedish ?
A Swedish word, snipa, is the name given to a type of wooden boat unique to Sweden. It was mentioned in Camilla Lacberg’s novel The Preacher.
The length of a snipa can be from around four meters to up to eight metres. The boats can be open or partially equipped with decks.
The Scandinavian snipa has its origins in the Vikings’ clinker-built boats and longships. The snipa has had a large distribution area from the coasts of the Baltic Sea to the North Sea including the Faroe Islands and Iceland. The snipa was traditionally used for fishing, transport of various kinds and more.
The Nordic snipa technically has several similarities with other older boat construction in clinker, a few julle, eka and several boat types. Nowadays, snipa can be equipped with a motor, and also be built in materials other than wood. These can be decked and equipped with a ruff, as well as being more round-holed than the older pointed-holed snips.
