The Midshipmans' Cabin

[Funny_Bunny]

OK Midshipmen, 

 

Here is a cabin for those boys new to the ship, where we learn what it takes to captain a vessel. I'm hoping this topic will become a nice Q and A area where we can bring our newest Midshipmen up to speed.

 

First: What is a midshipman?

A Midshipman was a boy of about 12 years of age, educated, and often of the upper class. His role was to learn how to be a good officer, and eventually a Captain. A Midshipman had command rank above most sailors, who were legally bound to obey the Midshipmans orders or face disciplinary action. Midshipmen however would merely face the switch if they failed in their duties. At the end of their stint as a midshipman, they could take the officers exam to become a lieutenant at age 18.

 

How is a Midshipman different that a powder monkey?

A powered monkey is a boy with little or no education from the lower classes, who carries gunpowder and is learning a sailing trade.

 

Midshipmen served in their respective navy. They had a collective (very small) cabin aboard most ships. In the cabin they could work on their lessons, or relax in their time off.

 

 

(I'm writing this as we sail between ports)

 

Frederick Bunnington III

[Funny_Bunny]

Lesson one, Sailing & the wind.

 

The wind indicator on your screen has an arrow that indicates which way the wind is blowing as the arrow flies.

 

Ships use the wind to sail across the water, by use of two types of sails. Square and Triangle.

 

​Square sails; the oldest, and are fastest when the wind is at your back. They do not work well at all when facing into the wind. 

 

Triangle sails, or Jibs; are at their fastest with the wind abeam (sideways). They can sail much closer to the wind than square sails can, but are not as fast a squares with the wind astern (blowing from behind)


Sailing into the wind; I know it sounds impossible, but it can be done with triangular sails and proper seamanship. The art is known as "Tacking" By sailing your vessel alternatively 45 degrees port (left) or starboard (right) for equal times (use your hourglass and compass, lads) you can navigate your ship into the wind. Its not as quick, but it can be done.

• Getting clapped in Irons: Sailing too "close to the wind" (facing into the wind) will cause a sailed vessel to slow, stop, and then be blown backwards. To get free, simply hold the rudder the opposite direction you wish to turn and go to full sails. The ship will then turn the wind abeam, where you reverse your rudder turn toward your chosen course.

Right of Way: When sailing near another vessel, the ship on your right, has the right to stay on his course. The ship on the left MUST change his course, in the manner best suited to himself, to avoid a collision.

 

 

In battle: To escape in a square rigged vessel, run with the wind. To escape with jibs, run abeam of the wind. To board and capture a ship, try to nudge him into the wind. This will stop both of you enough to engage in grappling (G will appear on your screen).

 

 

I think that's all for now. Any questions lads?

Frederick Bunnington III

Edited August 5, 2015 by Funny_Bunny

[Funny_Bunny]

Lesson two, Navigation.

 

Now lads, using the wind gets you nowhere but lost, unless you know how to read a chart (map), use a compass, and find your way by the Sun.

 

​The ship already has a compass built in. The compass has all the directions you are already familiar with, plus a few more. If you start at North, reading clockwise, they are;
North, East of North, North by North East, North East, East of North East, North of East, East, South by East… and so forth.

Each of these represent about 18 degrees on an as yet to be invented 360 deg compass. North being 0 or 360, NE = 45, E = 90, SE= 140, S =180, SW = 220, W = 270 NW = 320.

 

All of this is of no use without your trusty map. You can keep the map open in the background and estimate a course by using the compass points we talked about.

If you are making a voyage to a small island or one that is very far away, you may want to print a copy of the map, and lay a precise course using a map and compass (if you are a Boy Scout).

*This world map uses a geographic north, so correcting for magnetic declination is not required. If you don't know what that is, don't worry about it in game, but don't try it in the real world or you will get lost and die.

 

I know. I know, settle down lads. its not as hard as it sounds. Ill give you an example. Say you want to make a short trip from Amealienborg on the West end of the British Virgin Islands, to The Settelment. You look on the map and see that the course isn't North East, it lies further to the East than that. So you would sail "East of North East" (about 60 deg).

 

Note that the game world we live in is actually correct with your trusty and indispensable  map! Kudos to the wonderful Developers up in the Admiralty! You can actually match islands to the map, very handy for staying on course or finding your way if you get lost.

 

I know this is a difficult subject lads, its even harder in the real world, but stick with it and pleas ask me any questions you have via a Private message (Ill post relevant info here if a major subject comes up)

 

Frederick Bunnington III

[Jeremiah O'Brien]

Taking the boys into the cabin to "teach" them, eh?

All jokes (and sodomy) aside, nice lessons you've got there.

[Stormy-Seas]

Hi Funny-Bunny, is it not normal for all ships to sail PORT to PORT which should automatically keep shipping lanes clear and avoid collisions !!.

[Funny_Bunny]

Hi Funny-Bunny, is it not normal for all ships to sail PORT to PORT which should automatically keep shipping lanes clear and avoid collisions !!.

I believe the rules were in effect to avoid collisions near the docks. That is when ships would me coming and going in different directions. Once at sea, things are pretty straight forward. Does that answer your question, young man?

[BlueEagleGER]

1. The port-on-port rule comes simply from the fact that on shipping lanes vessels sail on the right side, like on most roads (shut up, UK!)

2. Sail ships DO NOT change course for the ship on the right, this is the rule for motor vessels.

When sailing on different bows (having the wind from different sides) the ship with wind from starboard has the right of way, this is the superior rule.

When sailing on the same bow the ship leeward has the right of way, this is the inferior rule.

Note, these are modern rules and in Naval Action it is common for the small ships to alter course, simply because they can do it quicker and on a smaller area.

[Funny_Bunny]

What in blazes is this "motor vessel" you speak of???

[BlueEagleGER]

It is known as AI fleet that make 12 kts against the wind :-)

Seriously, your post includes history, game tutorial aswell as sailing lessons, so I didn't really know in what category your right-of-way paragraph fits.

In sailing lessons it is wrong, in gameplay tutorial it is wrong aswell (SoL > frigate > small ships) andI don't think sailships ever used that rule in history.

[ObiQuiet]

Being "caught in irons" is different from being "clapped in irons".   Though a midshipman who is too full of himself may well be said to be "sailing too close to the wind" and if he isn't careful, this could lead to being "clapped in irons".

[Funny_Bunny]

Picky picky...

[ObiQuiet]

Yeah, my apologies. I like what you're doing here.