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Old 02-14-2010, 05:59 PM   #11
Rocket Man
Petitioner: Word of IN Filk
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Longmont, CO
Default Re: Crewing a ship in the Age of Sail

It really does make a difference what kind of ship you're talking about. For example, the caravels of the early days of the Age of Sail would have had a crew of 20-30 people. During Columbus's voyage, the Nina (90 tons) sailed with a crew of 24 and the Pinta (70 tons) with a crew of 28. By contrast, the tiny 16th-century frigate Squirrel (8 tons) completed a three-month voyage across the Atlantic and back again with a crew of only 10.

The size and type of the ship, the type of mission it's undertaking, how long it's expected to be at sea ... all these and more will make a difference.
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