The boat was situated in mostly waterlogged clay (silty-clay, silt and sand) deposits, which greatly helped the preservation of the timbers.

Both methods gave rather comparable results of some time for the timber between 750 and 390, which places the construction of the logboat at the end of the 4th century BC.

Based on reconstruction of the landscape around the site, it is known that it was dominated by mixed oak, birch and alder woodland, with some meadows and marshes, as well as many river tributaries and oxbow lakes.

Oaks of such advanced age and size must have developed a rot known as "brittle heart", which originates at the base and spreads upward.

It was no accident to select a tree with an extensive rot along its entire length and thus save a tremendous amount of time.

The forward upper edges on both sides of the hull are curved in sections and rebates to support extensions in the form of a washstrake.

Approximately 25 cm (9.8 in) forward of the stern, a transverse groove was cut into the bottom and sides to support the transom piece.

In the case of the Hasholme boat, the rotted heart prevented the construction of an integrated bow and stern, therefore both sections had to be precisely fitted and watertight.

In the Hasholme logboat, however, the thickness gauges were bored not at the bottom but at the turn of the bilge, and later corked by oak tree-nails.

Close analysis of those holes showed no signs of any intensive wear or fitting marks inside them so their purpose is still a mystery.

The other repair, which was done to the starboard inner face of the hull at the stern, was patched by an insertion of a pre-shaped block and fastened by a tree-nail.

Based on ethnographic evidence, it is assumed that this kind of log could be cut by the use of some primitive stone or iron tools, but mostly by the use of controlled fire.

The first stage would be to externally flatten the bottom and slightly upturn the bow and stern and shape the hull sides, as well as drilling holes for thickness gauges as required.

For the bottom, however, the holes left by the thickness gauges were later plugged by tightly fitted and dried oak tree-nails to ensure they were completely watertight upon expansion of the timber.

The log would then be finished internally, with all the rebates for fitting bow timbers, transom, washstrakes, and holes along the sheer-line cut.

As the final step, bow and stern timbers, which were separate pieces from the hull log, would be caulked with moss and the whole structure made watertight.

Even though building a logboat was always a communal effort, the complexity of the bow and stern sections suggest that a master boat builder with specialised knowledge must have been employed in this case.

Another function of the boat might have been simply to transport cargoes such as iron ore, rocks, timber, grain or meat, among others, with a maximum load as high as 9,000 kilograms (20,000 lb).