Is the Longship Faster Than the Karve in Valheim? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, unequivocally, the longship is faster than the karve in Valheim. While both vessels offer essential means of traversing the game’s vast oceans and waterways, the longship boasts superior speed capabilities, along with a host of other advantages, making it the preferred choice for long voyages and transporting large quantities of resources. However, the answer isn’t as simple as “always faster”. Let’s delve into the details of each boat’s performance to understand exactly why the longship takes the speed crown.
Longship vs. Karve: Speed Showdown
The key difference in speed lies in their maximum sailing speeds and how they handle different wind conditions. Here’s a breakdown:
- Longship: With full sails, the longship can achieve speeds of 3.6 – 9.4 m/s. When using half sails, it travels at 3.6 – 6.7 m/s. And finally, paddling results in a speed of 3.16 m/s.
- Karve: The karve’s top speed with full sails is 3.9 – 7.0 m/s, it can travel between 2.8 – 4.8 m/s with half sails, and paddles at 3.14 m/s.
As you can see from these figures, the longship has a much higher potential maximum speed (9.4 m/s) compared to the karve (7.0 m/s). However, the longship’s lower starting speed with full sails (3.6m/s compared to the Karve’s 3.9m/s) can make it feel initially slower in light winds.
Factors Affecting Speed
It’s crucial to understand that these speed ranges are influenced by several factors:
- Wind Direction: Both boats, like all sailing vessels in Valheim, are heavily affected by wind direction. Sailing downwind will always be significantly faster, whereas sailing upwind will be much slower, even on the longship. The longship’s larger sail surface allows it to generally perform better against the wind than the karve, but it still can’t go full speed directly against it.
- Wind Strength: Stronger winds will naturally propel both boats faster, with the longship generally benefitting more due to its larger sail.
- Sailing Skill: While not directly tied to the boats themselves, your character’s sailing skill (improved by sailing for prolonged periods) will make you a more effective sailor, further increasing speeds.
- Cargo: Transporting large quantities of goods in your cargo hold can slightly reduce both boats’ speeds, but the longship’s storage has a much less noticeable impact due to its sheer size advantage.
Maneuverability vs. Speed
While the longship boasts a clear advantage in speed, the karve excels in maneuverability. Its smaller size and nimbler handling make it easier to navigate tight spaces, change direction quickly, and avoid obstacles. The longship, on the other hand, is larger and more cumbersome to steer, particularly at lower speeds. This trade-off means the best boat for the job depends on your needs – if speed is your primary concern, especially for long ocean crossings, the longship wins every time, however, if you’re navigating small rivers or need to rapidly change direction, the karve might be preferable.
The Bottom Line: Longship Dominance
Overall, the longship is definitively faster than the karve, particularly when sailing downwind with favorable conditions. Its higher potential top speed and ability to better utilize the wind make it the superior choice for quickly traveling long distances and transporting large amounts of goods. While the karve is more maneuverable and easier to craft, these advantages are minor compared to the longship’s sheer speed and utility. The karve is a great stepping stone, but the longship is the ultimate seafaring vessel.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions regarding Valheim’s boats to further clarify the details:
1. What is the fastest boat in Valheim?
The longship is the fastest boat in Valheim due to its higher potential top speed and larger sail area.
2. Does the Karve have storage?
Yes, the karve has a small amount of storage, which is significantly less than the longship.
3. How many slots does the longship have?
The longship has 18 slots in its cargo hold, making it ideal for transporting resources across the map.
4. Can you increase the longship’s storage?
Yes, by towing a cart behind the longship you can effectively double the storage capacity to 36 slots.
5. How do you unlock the longship?
The longship is unlocked in the crafting menu once you’ve acquired Iron and other necessary materials and have a forge available. You will need to create Iron nails using iron obtained from muddy scrap piles.
6. What materials are needed to craft a longship?
Crafting a longship requires 100 Iron Nails and 10 Deer Hide.
7. What materials are needed to craft a Karve?
Crafting a karve requires 80 Bronze nails, 30 Fine Wood and 10 Deer Hide
8. Are rafts good for long ocean voyages in Valheim?
Rafts are not ideal for long ocean voyages. They are slow, easily damaged, and less maneuverable than karves or longships. Their low cost makes them good for small water crossings. They have a max full sail speed of 3.1 m/s.
9. Can you destroy your boats in Valheim?
Yes, you can destroy boats using an axe. The materials will automatically float so you can collect them or they will sink into the water.
10. Can your boat float away in Valheim?
While the game doesn’t have a mechanism for boats floating away, storms can cause damage. Therefore, its best practice to dock them in shallow water or on land and build a stone dock once you have been established.
11. What is the average speed of a longship in real life?
Real-life Viking longships had an average speed of 5-10 knots (9.3-18.5 km/h), and could reach a maximum speed of around 15 knots (28 km/h) under favorable conditions.
12. Why are boats slow when sailing upwind in Valheim?
Sailing is heavily affected by wind direction. Trying to travel upwind (against the wind) in Valheim is very slow, while traveling downwind (with the wind) is significantly faster.
13. Is there a limit to how many boats you can have?
There is no limit to the number of boats you can own in Valheim.
14. What does the ‘Hold fast’ action do?
The ‘Hold fast’ action allows players in multiplayer to grab onto the mast to prevent from being thrown overboard due to the waves.
15. What are the dimensions of the Karve?
The Karve is 10 meters long, 3 meters wide, and has an 8-meter air draft (height from the waterline).
In conclusion, the longship is the superior vessel in Valheim for speed, storage, and long voyages, making the investment of resources to acquire it worthwhile. Although the karve has benefits, such as ease of crafting and better maneuverability, its speed is no match for the might of the longship.