Is it possible to send an unmanned sailing ship out to sea (e.g. viking funeral) or will it likely float back to shore?

Depends a bit on the state of technology as well as wind/current patterns. If we ignore currents, and assume the wind blowing towards the sea, easiest thing wold be to say that they were put on a raft or a dinghy. W/o a keel or daggerboard it wouldn't be able to tack upwind no matter how hard it tried, and would continue to be swept away with the direction of the wind.

Even assuming a craft with a keel, they can be trimmed to maintain a fairly reliable course, allowing them to go well clear of land even if the wind is blowing alogn the coastline. It'd require having crew on board to get the craft going, and then leaving the craft while in motion. These days, and for quite some decades, there's been wind rudders http://www.hydrovane.com/our-product/our-product/ available.

With one of these, a keeled craft could be set to leave shore, even with the wind blowing inland. It'd probably still require someone to leave the craft after it's gotten moving though. Depending on specifics, this may well overcome both tides and some currents as well.

Dabac 37 months ago http://www.hydrovane.com/our-product/our-product.

Depends a bit on the state of technology as well as wind/current patterns. If we ignore currents, and assume the wind blowing towards the sea, easiest thing wold be to say that they were put on a raft or a dinghy. W/o a keel or daggerboard it wouldn't be able to tack upwind no matter how hard it tried, and would continue to be swept away with the direction of the wind.

Even assuming a craft with a keel, they can be trimmed to maintain a fairly reliable course, allowing them to go well clear of land even if the wind is blowing alogn the coastline. It'd require having crew on board to get the craft going, and then leaving the craft while in motion. These days, and for quite some decades, there's been wind rudders http://www.hydrovane.com/our-product/our-product/ available.

With one of these, a keeled craft could be set to leave shore, even with the wind blowing inland. It'd probably still require someone to leave the craft after it's gotten moving though. Depending on specifics, this may well overcome both tides and some currents as well.

Dabac 42 months ago http://www.hydrovane.com/our-product/our-product.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.