Ok, I am forced to admit I am a 'lubber, having nenver lived near an appreciable body of water in my life. So if any of you out there have some expertise with sailing, please enlighten us on some of these topics.
Some of the crew titles and responsibilites are obvious, others not so, so give us some typical Age-of-Sail positions on a ship and the duties required. I'll start it with these, so fill in the blanks please.
Captain
Mate
Bosun
Cook
How about some other seafaring terms that a DM might find useful in roleplaying aboard a ship.
If you know of any online reference material that could help, that would be cool too.
In honor of Talk Like a Pirate day, Here is some more nautical info, with a piratey bent.
Pirate Talk
Cheers!
ok, some of the more useful nautical terms which may likely feature ( the big question being, how much do you want to set your players adrift ?)
Shipside terminology :
first off, a ship is a lady and always refered to as "she" by her crew. Not it or whatevr, "she"
as in
"easy as she bears"
that said... PART 1
The rigging = the masts, sails and all ropes
Foremast = frontmost mast
Mainmast = you guessed right, the biggest and tallest mast
Mizzen(mast) = rearmost mast (on a three masted, "full ship", that is )
Bowsprit = angled spar jutting out from the front end (bow) of the ship. Provides better leverage for the stays (see below) and allows the use of jibs (triangular sails used in front of the foremast ). Often a set piece of tarred net is hung below the bowsprit, to prevent people working on it from falling off into the sea.
Yards = horizontal spars from which the (square) sails get hung. usually at right angles to the mast and keel-line
The Tops = wooden platforms halfway up the masts, used for fighting (archers) and as support for the lookouts
Crowsnest = Basket construction, usually either at the tip of the mainamst, or two thirds up the foremast. Used as a protective (environmental) enclosure for a lookout. Tight....
Stays = the stationary ropes running fore and aft supporting the masts against falling over and breakage.
Shrouds = Stationary ropes supporting and anchoring the masts to the ship's sides. Often fitted fitted with rope-ladders to make ascencion into the masts fast and easy
the chains = the bolts and length of chains the stays and Shrouds are fastened too on the hull, usually slightly outboards for better leverage
lanyards = Ropes used to position (by hauling in or lossening) the yards, allowing trimming of the sails
the sheets = the canvas part of the sails
the halyards = ropes (with a tackle system or at least one block ) used for hauling up the yards into the masts and keeping them in place. If you loosen/cut them, the sails drop down ---> crunch !
Also used to haul other stuff up into the masts.
belaying pins = wooden 2" prods of carved wood, stuck into belaying boards along the masts and sides of the ship. Ropes (lanyards, halyards ) get tied to these, to prevent loosening. They can be pulled from the boards and make great (and traditional) wooden clubs
the halyards = ropes (with a tackle system or at least one block ) used for hauling up the yards into the masts and keeping them in place. If you loosen/cut them, the sails drop down ---> crunch !
Hawser = Thick rope used for securing the ship to the quay or pier. also the heavy (tarred) hemp rope (more like a cable) used to link the anchor with the ship (you need aprroximately 15' of hawser /yard of depth anchored in, so we are talking an enourmously long 2" thick rope here... usually stinks to heaven, too, from mud, algae, mussles, barnacles and whatever clinging to it. Stowed in the cable-locker, a forward compartment in the bow (which is not actually rendered in the "Sea-Wyvern" map). Good place for stowing miscreants, since it never had a handle on the inside of its hatch/door.
winchlass = mechanical device with a ratchet and a drum, used to haul in rope with increased leverage and prevent it sliding back.
the capstan = large ( shoulder height) winch (lass) used for hauling the larger ropes - basically like a large mill with a vertical axle , on the upper deck. Needs several men to operate
the cathead(s) = short beam(s) to which the anchors are fastened when they are not in use, jutting out from the hull near the bow. An admirality anchor (the traditional anchor ) will weigh a ton and up for a ship of the Wyvern's size , you don't care for that mass swinging around near the hull. Consider it a massive wrecking ball and you see why....
Hatch = self explanatory, but often sealed only with a loose grating in fair weather, for better below-decks circulation. Taraditional term for closing and securing them is "to batten down hatches", wihich included a layer of tarpaulin and wooden wedges rammed into iron fittings to secure them.
the bow = front end of ship, actually the curved forward part of the hull. Usually reinforced to some degree, since it bears heavy strain in strong winds. The figurehead (if any) is located here... as are the ship's lavatories ( with fully functional seawater flushing...)
the stern = rear end of the ship, often a flat wooden wall. In its middle is the massive sternpost, anchored to the keel, on which the rudder is mounted.
the helm = steering implement, usually a steering wheel or a tiller (long beam attached to the rudder, akin to that on a rowing boat )
the keel = the lower (underwater ) part of the hull, actually only the main wooden beam running from the bow to the stern, basically the "spine" of a ship. Usually reinforced with a secondray layer of planks/beams on the ouside, meant for ablative purposes (like running aground ), the so-called false keel
spars = wooden frames fastened to the keel, supporting the shape of the hull - similar to ribs. These are the structures actually under stress if the ship is underway
planking = wooden planks (!) nailed onto the spars, forming the hull. usually several layers with overlap for greater structural strength, some possibly mounted at diagonal angles (greater strength ). At least 3" up of thickness near the deck, stronger underwater and near the bow.
the bilge = lowest part of the space inside the hull .... all liquids and everything else runs down to this point of the hull eventually. The pumps start here. Also, the abode of the ship's rats... think "filthy" and "dark"...
gunwhale = part of the hull reaching up above the level of the main-deck, often topped with a set of wooden railing. Provides nice cover and protection. Also keeps people and stuff from being wahsed overboard.
deck(s) = floors of a ship, usually done with thick (2"+ planks) and with a slightly domed surface, in order to cause water to run off it to the lee gunwhale
forecastle = usually a superstructure at the bow,
the bowwave = wave caused by the motion of a sip through the water. Size depends on speed
the wake = area of turbulent water left behind by the ship's movement through water. At night in summer and in the tropics, there is usually fluorescent activity, marking a ship's passage for a mile, easily
Windward = the direction the wind is coming from, upwind
Leeward = the direction the wind is going to, downwind
roll = ship's motion around the the lengthwise axis,
yaw = Ship's motion around the horizontal axis, like nodding
the swell = degree of the sea's choppiness
In general - try to get hold of "a Sea of Words" by Dean King, which is an excellent, comprehensive and easily accessible book of historical naval and shipboard terminology
As for ranks, you won't need any, because the "Sea Wyvern" is not part of any navy.
Positions aboard :
"Captain" - overall commander
"Master" - in charge of sailing and navigation (experienced)
"Helmsman" - physically fit specimen (endurance and strength) with a degree of reliability to keep the helm for extended periods (tiring and very strenous in bad weather
"Boatswain" - senior sailor, usually comparable to a foreman
"Seaman" and "Able Seaman" - degrees of experience with normal crew
Part 2 "maneuvres"
"to tack" - changing course by moving the bow through the line of the wind. The sails are shifted (re-trimmed) to the other side of the ship
-----> "helm to larboard, ready to tack..... There she bears ! Haul over the sheets.... haul them in tight, now BELAY.... easy as she bears, new bearing 240°, helmsman....."
"to jibe" - changing course by moving the stern of the ship through the line of the wind. The sails are shifted (re-trimmed) to the other side of the ship.
larboard or "port" = left side of the ship in sailing direction. Even if you turn around and look to the stern, larboard stays larboard. also named as port ins ome naval traditions
----> "look out ! Sail to Larboard !"
starboard = right side of the ship in sailing direction.
"sails on the larboard/starboard beam" = sails are trimmed on the relevant side of the ship, the leeward (downwind) side. The ship lists to that side ( usually no more than 10° to 15°, storms or nautical emergencies excepted
-----> "she runs smoothly on the starbaord beam, Miss Venkalli !"
"reefing" = act of decreasing the sails, both by taking individual sails down (often hard to do with those on yards and spars ) or (partially) pulling them in, securing them with ropes to the yards. Takes a bunch of people, usually four or more for the larger sails
------> "Have the mainsail and topsails reefed , Miss Venkali.. that Cloudbank looks like it packs a gust or two.."
"spreading canvas" = increasing sail, basically "un-reefing"
"hauling the sheets" = pulling the shrouds tauter, shifting the yards more into line with the keelline. Done when sailing closer to windward
"loosening" the sheets" = playing out the shrouds, letting the sails ease away from the keelline. Done when sailing away more from windward.
"using the log" - determining speed through the water (usually, but not always the same as speed over ground) by deploying a small float and a line with regularly spaced knots. The amount of line played out in a set span of time tells you the speed of the ship, measured in nautical miles/hour.... hence "knots". Small note, nautical miles are approximately 1/8th longer than an imperial mile.
-----> "Doing six knots and up, sir ! We are really cracking on...."
"casting the line" = determining water depth by throwing a (hollow-core) leaden weight ahead of the ship, on a long thin line (usually no more than 240' though, approximately 40 fathoms) , marked in an appropriate measure (feet, fathoms, or metres ) to determine the depth of the water one is sailing in - as well as the type of sea-bottom (sand, rocks, mud, silt, ... possible shells etc. )
Usually only done near a coast and at low speed - ship's don't break well at all, and running into shallows at high speed is....
----> "casting the line, sir.... five fathoms, and muddy white sand... bottoming out.... casting the line..... four fathoms.... etc... etc"
time aboard ship is measured in glasses (of 30 minutes each) measured by a large hourglass, usually kept near the helm/steering wheel. Passaage of time is announced by strikes of the ship's bell, a chime at each turning of a glass. Eight glasses make up a watch. Important, since a ship sailing to the east or west will slowly change time-zones. Six watches a day, every day.... until landfall
an online link (but with little distinction between contemporary terms and without much in-depth explanation )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nautical_terminology
for an excellent impression of nautical life in the age of wooden ships (if not quite the proper period) one could do far worse than watching "Master and Commander : the Far Side of the World". One if not actually THE best nautical sailing movies of all time, and embarassingly precise and thorough in its detail and faithfulness.
Just absorb the athmosphere, tedium and moments of breathless terror (yes, the storm scene is accurate and true to a historic incident ) to get a vivid idea of stroms at sea. Given that the "Surprise" in the movie is about twice the size and two genrations of ship-building more advanced than the "Sea Wyvern" should set the stage quite accurately for the finale of SWW.
Thats a whole lot of great information there vikingson. So, give us a rundown of crew titles and duties when you get a chance.
Thanks for all that effort!
Cheers!
Slightly off topic, but this has been annoying me for years.
How do you become a Captain? In modern times, buy a boat and proclaim yourself? Is there some kind of test?
Greetings from the amber waves of grain.
How do you become a Captain? In modern times, buy a boat and proclaim yourself? Is there some kind of test?
I think it's accurate enough to say that the master of any boat is a 'captain.'
There is considerable history to the term, but in the US Navy (as an example), most ship 'captains' don't hold the rank of Captain (equivalent to an Army Colonel) -- they are usually a lower rank, like Commander.
The history of Royal Navy ranks and positions is quite interesting.
The short answer is that you just need to run a boat to be a captain.
ok, becoming a "captain"...
around here (Central Europe), to become a "captain" (factually )you actually need a "patent of Captaincy", available through exams for the merchant marine, the naval service and yachting (pleasure craft only) .
For both of the former patents, you need a certain degree of experience and time served as an officer aboard a ship to qualify.
Up to the Napoleonic Age, captains were comissioned, much like army officers by royal or minsterial decree (or the equivalent government ).
The person in charge of a ship, with regard to nautical matters is the "master". No actual qualification needed, but experience sure helps =)
They were/are sometimes adressed as [I]"captain" [/]for courtesy reasons, if no actual comissioned captain is present and in command.
so captian is both an actual naval rank, a degree of competenc and a honorific adress for a ship's commander
As for crew ranks - actually, there aren't, or rather weren't any outside the actual state navies.
Manual-work positions aboard were "sailor", "able sailor" (more experienced, better pay ), "boatsswain" ( a foreman/sergeant-type position), "helmsman", "carpenter", "gunner", "purser", "physician"
senior crewmembers supervising watches were usually termed "master's mates", filling the position of lieutenants outside a navy. They were expected to have a degree of literacy and capability to handle the complex mathmatics needed for stellar navigation and dead-reckoning ( no barbarians need apply, hehe )
the onboard specialist jobs were differentiated into degrees, if a certain number of them were aboard, "master carpenter" "carpenter" "carpenter's mate", "second carpenter's mate" etc.
At times - but this was very rare - there was an actual backup "navigator" aboard, but mostly tehse were cases of ships sailing into unknown waters and charting them.
Young boys (and we are talking young teens and less) were usually rated (in the ship's books) as cabin-boys or "powder monkeys", but don't get too many illusions from Stevenson's Jim Hawkins.
Officer ranks (Royal Navy terms her,e, I am not up to speed for French or other European navies ) :
(Sea-)Cadet (young volunteer, officer candidate )
Midshipman (officer in training) ,
Lieutenant (officer),
Commander (up to 1803, methinks, than abolished as a rank, reinstituted later; denotes a lieutenant in independent command of a non-rated naval vessel.... you don't want me to go into details any further... ),
(post-) Captain, (commanding officer of any naval vessel from a certain size/fighting capability upwards )
( Commodore - a temporary rank, denoting a captain in independent command of a small flotilla or fleet ),
Vice-Admiral,
Rear-Admiral,
Admiral,
Grand Admiral or Sea Lord
Please, take note.... NONE of this is relevant for a ship the Sea Wyverns size and outside an actual naval force
There are a number of threads that you should be able to pull up from the archives if you need more help, OP. I've posted a lot on this and other nautical topics in these threads, so I won't elaborate further here.
Just to kick in a tiny bit: a master or sailing master is often used if the Captain is not an experienced seaman. Like, if he's the ship-owner's son, or a representative of the merchants that own it. In a navy, in the early modern period, warships often had 'gentleman captains'-- that is, courtiers, nobles or army officers who knew about fighting, but not about sailing, or were loyal to the Crown. Then, a sailing master might be someone who's been a sailor for decades.
That's actually what my group did - while two characters had some skill in profession sailor, they hired Amelia Venkali as "master" and let her run the ship, taking command only in crisis moments. worked like a charm, especially since one of the characters was a wizard joining the seekers and constantly busy writing journals, maps, dissecting stuff they had killed on their most recent landfall
... and yes, I guess he has taken/stolen some pages from Stephen Maturin *grin*
The short answer is that you just need to run a boat to be a captain.
Sweet! I can be a pirate captain of the Missouri River! ; )
Thanks for the info, both of ya!
Arr!
Thanks Peruhain, doing searches on keywords like 'captain' won't generate a specific a set of topics as will searches using your name. I will seek those out.
I did find this Wiki article on Seafarer's Professions which will be useful even tho its about modern era seafaring. Only minor extrapolation will be required.
Cheers!
thanks for the vocab lesson. We start Sea Wyvern's Wake next Monday.