A team of people from 2012 tried to re-create and build a boat from 1550 BC, the Bronze Age, but failed spectacularly. When the ship was lowered into the ocean, it immediately filled with water and started sinking. Yikes, we suck.
The team was made up of British archaeologists and craftsmen who have been hammering away and building the boat with Bronze Age tools and methods for the past three months. The boat it was based on, used oak planks sewn together with yew lashings. It sounds like a wonderful project, right? Let's see how the building chops of modern men stack up with ancient techniques! Sadly, we embarrassed ourselves.
The boat, which is a half-sized replica of the original Bronze Age boat found in Dover back in 1992, didn't even have anybody in it when it was lowered into the harbor yet it had to be lifted out of the water immediately. The team even popped champagne at the launch but will now go back and patch the boat up to see if they can at least get it to stay afloat. Good luck! [Kent Online UK, BBC]