Ark-sized wooden ships are not only possible, but were actively contemplated in the early 20th century. Incomplete composite action, historically a weakness in wooden ships, can be greatly mitigated through the use of a sufficient number of low-tech high-stiffness dowel connectors. The deflection of the ark could have been held down to no more than 1.75–2.0 times that of a completely-composite ark that experienced no shear lag. In addition, the effects of limited lengths of timber, relative to the length of the ark, are not significant when such dowels are used.
