The Helmet debate to end all helmet debates

[ufkacbln]

Oh don't go opening this old chestnut again, many a long night was spent in the longhouse discussing this prickly issue in the pre internet forum days.
I thought this one was dead and buried with the advent of diesel engined longships.
In pre diesel days the pro lobby argued the need for helmets in order to provide some degree of protection in the event of main halyard failure which of course caused the yard to come crashing down into the boat with little warning. The anti-lobby meantime preached in favour of regular inspection and maintenance/replacement of running rigging in order to prevent such accidents in the first place and pointed out the risks should a helmet wearer fall overboard when the extra helmet weight would cause the helmet wearer to float lower in the water increasing the risk of inhaling saltwater through mouth and nose.

The fate that the Norns have written will not be changed by a piece of leather

 

[slowmotion]

Oh don't go opening this old chestnut again, many a long night was spent in the longhouse discussing this prickly issue in the pre internet forum days.
I thought this one was dead and buried with the advent of diesel engined longships.
In pre diesel days the pro lobby argued the need for helmets in order to provide some degree of protection in the event of main halyard failure which of course caused the yard to come crashing down into the boat with little warning. The anti-lobby meantime preached in favour of regular inspection and maintenance/replacement of running rigging in order to prevent such accidents in the first place and pointed out the risks should a helmet wearer fall overboard when the extra helmet weight would cause the helmet wearer to float lower in the water increasing the risk of inhaling saltwater through mouth and nose.

I believe that some of these arguments were never listened to, or even heard....their horn speakers were playing too loud.......

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOErZuzZpS8

 

[661-Pete]

Of course they had horns! Monty Python says so, so it must be true. As true as the words in the Hungarian phrase book...

 

[Mac66]

<old git> Listen up the naysayers. I saw a documentary when I was about 6, called Noggin the Nog. Noggin and Nogbad The Bad both had horned helmets and it was shown on the BBC, therfore it must be true </old git>

 

[ufkacbln]

Ahem...Noggin didn't have horns but Nogbad did!

Aren't you glad that Graculus was a Cormorant - saves a lot of innuendo

 

[Mac66]

Ahem...Noggin didn't have horns but Nogbad did!

I stand partially corrected . But there is another behorned viking in the background, although it looks like he's had a word with health and safety, because he's got knobs on his horns. They can have your eye out you know!

So at current rates, its 2:1 in favour of horns. Maybe noggin wasn't old enough for them?

 

[661-Pete]

Recently been re-reading that quaint little novel Mr Pye, by Mervyn Peake. In it, the protagonist sprouts horns*. But he ain't no Viking. Although he behaves oddly...

*amongst other things.