NauticalSpeed

Nautical Speeds: (this information is intended to supplement the information found in White Wolf's Savage Seas)
- designed by Darkkling

Speed Rating and Nautical Speed: (1 knot = 1.15 mph)
● 4-5 knots
●● 8-10 knots
●●● 16-20 knots
●●●● 30-40 knots
●●●●● 60 -80 knots

• these speeds assume a wind force of between 4 and 6 and in good to excellent weather conditions

Points of Sail:
Points of sail do not effect the speed of a ship, other than whether it can tack that close to the wind or not.

Wind Speed:
Wind speed does determine nautical speed. Between force 4 and force 6, the adjustments made to the sail can keep the ship moving at ideal speeds. Each step below force 4 brings with it a 25% speed reduction as there is just not enough wind to fill the sails enough. Each step above force 6 brings only a 25% increase as the sailors are forced to shorten sails or risk damaging the rigging and potentially the mast. This increase only works up to force 10 at which the ship's sails must either be stowed or ripped from the rigging and flung out to sea, not to mention the other hazards of sailing in a storm.

Constancy of Wind:
Intermittent wind also has an adverse affect on sailing speeds. For every, 10% decrease in constancy of wind, reduce the force of the wind by 1 level. Intermittent winds at forces above 6 are far less likely, but may still occur. Apply the negative effect of the adjusted wind force to the speed of the ship.

Time on the Sea:
There are only between 8 and 12 hours in the day, depending on the time of year and location, that are capable of being sailed, safely. These are the hours between 6AM and 6PM. As an average the first 2 watches of a given day will actually be used for sailing, with the possibility of the 3rd watch in the summer months when the day is longer.