Fantastic Voyage: What Did the Ark Look Like?

on July 1, 2016 ; last featured January 7, 2018

Featured in Answers Magazine

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The Bible gives us only a few details about the Ark’s appearance, but we can make some educated guesses based on basic principles of good shipbuilding.

Part Two

What Did the Ark Look Like?

The Bible gives us only a few details about the Ark’s appearance, but we can make some educated guesses based on basic principles of good shipbuilding.

Three Decks

In Genesis 6:16 God told Noah to make the Ark “with lower, second, and third decks.” For efficient use of space, Noah could have added a couple of half-floors that did not extend across the entire width of the ship. These would be perfect for storage, animal housing, and easy movement on ladders and staircases between decks.

God also told Noah to “make rooms [nests] in the ark” (Genesis 6:14). These rooms or nests would simply be stalls and cages for the animals. Noah could have put the animals on the three decks, and then moved between the decks on the mezzanine levels. They could also hold tanks and pipes to distribute food, water, and waste.
Fin to Catch the Wind

Heavy winds will cause a drifting vessel to turn sideways (broaching), leading to a dangerous situation. To avoid this, Noah may have added a “fin” on the bow. This would catch the wind and turn the ship into the waves. Once pointed into the waves, the Ark would be much safer and more comfortable.
Fixed Rudder to Catch the Water

To assist the Ark in turning toward the wind, it would need something similar to a rudder on the stern. Noah may have used a design like this. Heavy winds would then push the Ark safely through the waves rather than pushing the long ship sideways.
Skylight

After the Flood, Genesis 8:13 says, “Noah removed the covering.” This may refer to a skylight that ran across the top of the Ark.

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Three Decks

In Genesis 6:16 God told Noah to make the Ark “with lower, second, and third decks.” For efficient use of space, Noah could have added a couple of half-floors that did not extend across the entire width of the ship. These would be perfect for storage, animal housing, and easy movement on ladders and staircases between decks.

God also told Noah to “make rooms [nests] in the ark” (Genesis 6:14). These rooms or nests would simply be stalls and cages for the animals. Noah could have put the animals on the three decks, and then moved between the decks on the mezzanine levels. They could also hold tanks and pipes to distribute food, water, and waste.

Perfectly Balanced

The Ark had a very striking shape—its hull was six times longer than its width. A major 1993 scientific study found that these proportions perfectly balance the conflicting demands of stability, comfort, and strength.

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This study, headed by secular engineers at a world-class ship research center in South Korea, called KRISO, compared different hull proportions. No shape significantly outperformed the 4,300-year-old biblical design. Many other proportions rendered the vessel dangerously unstable, uncomfortable, or prone to breakup.

In fact, the Ark has the same proportions as a modern cargo ship. Clearly, the Savior of the human race knew what He was doing.