The Duyfken is a reconstruction of a 17th century ship. However, it's pretty bloody close to how I picture the Sea Wyvern. Thought I'd share.
The "Duyfken" is a Nao, a far more modern type of ship than the carrack the Sea Wyvern is drawn and typed as.
Too big ( aft deck construction, bow spirit and head, double yards - main and topsails - on the masts ) , too advanced for the types depicted.
As much difference in complexity, capability and handling as a sixties sports car and a twenties Ford Model T. Or an arquebuss and a crossbow. And as much resemblance....
Here would be an image of The "Santa Maria" (sailed by Columbus) replica in Funchal, Madeira, which is already pretty advanced for a 15th century carrack
Santa Maria
And the Sea Wyvern seems to be more akin to the smaller Pinta and Nina of columbus flotilla
I thought they typed the Sea Wyvern as a caravel.
Of course, what D&D caravel corresponds to in real life is up for grabs. And there's no especial reason one's D&D campaign world can't have more advanced nautical architecture than 15th century--the only big issue would be whether you want to allow cannons. The picture of the Santa Maria shows a ship's wheel. When did that technology evolve?
I thought they typed the Sea Wyvern as a caravel.
Of course, what D&D caravel corresponds to in real life is up for grabs. And there's no especial reason one's D&D campaign world can't have more advanced nautical architecture than 15th century--the only big issue would be whether you want to allow cannons. The picture of the Santa Maria shows a ship's wheel. When did that technology evolve?
Steering wheels evolved in the late 15th to mid 16th century - mostly as an answer to the the problem of moving the tiller through several layers of aft decks with a single cross-beam from above, which became a factor with the construction of large carracks and naos (blame the portugese and spanish for that ) - which was up until then the means of doing so on hanseatic Cogs and Holks. There is also the matter of compensating for the increased pressure from the rudder on the tiller in adverse weather, much easier done with the rope and winch system of a
Since a ship's wheel is nothing more than a winch (with fancy handles though) , moving an a loop of rope, which in turn pulls the tiller, it is hardly high-tech
On the replica Santa Maria, methinks it would be an anachronism, but since that ship never actually made it back from the carribean, history will never know with certainty.
As for the caravel - you are right with the typing, but actually caravels are slightly smaller than cararacks in the first place (while Naos are much larger ) .
Yeah, I did some surfing last night and found out a bunch of interesting things about late medieval/early modern ships and naval architecture. Found out the history textbook I'm using to teach world history erroneously labels a nao as a caravel--I didn't realize quite how small caravels really were.
Gratuitous link to my bad Photoshop job (based on the Nina)!
(Indeed, caravels are much smaller than I originally thought.)
I still don't see the pirate hats! :P
Nobody has sent me a Photoshop "add pirate hats" filter!
Oh, hey, I know it's anachronistic. Totally understand that.
As far as size though, it's 60 feet long (give or take), and the Sea Wyvern map shows it to be about 60 feet long, so, it's not totally out there for size.
But, yeah, the rigging is wrong. OTOH, considering they reference a schooner in The Bullywug Gambit, a bit of anachronism isn't out of place. :)