The Foundations of the Navy
The Cog is a type of boat that originated in the north, has a relatively simple structure, and is very practical.
Its hull is wide and flat-bottomed, with a shallow draft, good stability, large cargo capacity, and relatively simple operation, making it very suitable for trade transportation in near-shore, coastal, and river estuary areas.
It is relatively easy to build, has a short construction period, and can quickly establish transportation capacity.
A basic Cog looks like an enlarged, covered fishing boat. It usually has platform structures called "superstructure" and "sterncastle" built at the bow and stern, providing living and storage space for the crew and also mounting small Cannon for self-defense when necessary.
Its sails typically consist of a large square sail. Although it has poor performance when sailing against the wind, it has good speed when sailing with the wind and is easy to control, requiring relatively few crew members.
The Caravel, on the other hand, is a more advanced and adaptable type of ship.
In another timeline of history, it was this very ship that carried Columbus to accomplish the feat of discovering the New World.
It typically has two or more decks, two to three masts, and a unique sailing system that combines triangular and square sails.
The triangular sail gave it excellent upwind sailing ability and maneuverability far exceeding that of most ships of its time.
The Caravel was longer and faster, making it suitable for both ocean exploration and as an efficient merchant ship. In wartime, it could even be fitted with Cannon and become an excellent light cruiser or privateer.
Of course, its construction process was much more complex and time-consuming than that of the Cog, and it required a higher level of skill from the craftsmen.
The shipbuilding team that Carnford currently possesses is key to the implementation of the fleet plan.
This group of craftsmen numbered in the dozens, encompassing various trades such as carpenters, seamstresses who used hemp fibers and asphalt to fill the gaps in the ship's planks to prevent leaks, sailmakers, and ropemakers.
Most of them were originally skilled craftsmen working in the shipyards of Field Territory.
Field Territory is an important coastal territory of the Goldflower Kingdom with a long shipbuilding tradition.
However, after the Sauron army pressed in and the Field Territory garrison surrendered, these craftsmen refused to become slaves of the Sauron and build warships for the enemy to attack their own people.
So they resolutely abandoned their homes, took their families with them, and braved the strait to seek refuge in Fran City, using whatever small boats they could find.
Life wasn't easy in Fran City either. The artisan community there was already saturated, and as newcomers, they could only barely make a living by doing odd jobs at first.
It wasn't until Carnford's recruitment plan to "attract talent" spread that word spread. In particular, after hearing that Karl's territory urgently needed all kinds of craftsmen and promised to provide generous treatment and a stable life, these craftsmen with superb skills but no way to serve their country came to Carnford one after another.
Their arrival injected invaluable technological expertise into Carnford's shipbuilding industry, which was starting from almost nothing, making it possible to build more complex vessels like the Caravelle.
According to the craftsmen's estimates, building a Caravel, from laying the keel to the final launching and outfitting, would take at least three to six months, even with sufficient manpower and materials. This required the meticulous operation and close cooperation of skilled craftsmen.
Despite the long construction period, Karl understood the principle that "a skilled craftsman must first have the right tools." Despite the still tight finances, he demonstrated remarkable courage and decided to directly launch the construction plan for the three Caravelle ships!
This meant that a large amount of high-quality timber, ironware, canvas, ropes, and other materials needed to be allocated at the same time, as well as to pay the craftsmen's wages for a long period of time. It was a huge investment, but Karl believed that this investment was crucial to the future of Carnford.
In contrast, the simpler-structured Cog are much faster to build, taking about two to three months to launch.
In order to quickly establish a large-scale transportation capacity, Karl also generously approved the plan to build ten Cog at the same time! This will enable Carnford to have a considerable coastal transport fleet in a short period of time for the transportation of supplies within the territory, coastal trade, and even rapid troop movement.
Significant resources were allocated to the newly established shipyard, whose site was carefully selected on the excellent natural beach of Amber Bay.
The terrain here is flat, with soft sandy beaches that make it easy for boats to launch. The bay opens to the southeast, which effectively protects it from the harsh North Wind Stud Farm in winter. The waves are relatively calm, making it an ideal location for shipbuilding.
The craftsmen and recruited workers built rows of simple but practical sheds on the beach to shelter them from the wind and rain and to store their tools and materials.
To lift heavy keels and large ship planks, the carpenters used their ingenuity to assemble a simple yet effective crane using logs and pulleys, greatly improving work efficiency.
Since the vessels currently being built are all relatively small, such as Cog and Caravelles, there is no need to construct complex dry docks; construction can proceed directly by laying the keel on the beach.
But the craftsmen all knew that if they were to build larger and more complex warships in the future, it would be essential to construct a dedicated dry dock capable of draining the seawater; that would be the next phase of the grand project.
To incentivize artisans, retain talent, and promote the transmission of skills, Karl introduced the "artisan ranking and compensation system" that he had previously successfully implemented in industries such as Blacksmith Shop to the shipyard.
The craftsmen were also divided into apprentices, first-level craftsmen, second-level craftsmen, third-level craftsmen, and even the highest level, "Teacher Craftsman".
The higher the level, the more generous the basic salary and future retirement pension. More importantly, for craftsmen at the "Teacher Craftsman" level, their compensation is directly linked to the number of apprentices they train and the results they achieve.
The more qualified apprentices they train, the higher their income will be.
Even when the apprentices are capable of working independently, these Master Craftsman can step back and only need to provide guidance on key aspects and quality control, yet they can still earn extremely high compensation.
This policy greatly motivated experienced craftsmen to pass on their skills, and several old shipbuilders who might have been conservative and reserved about their expertise showed great interest in it.
They discovered that in Carnford, it was no longer a case of "teaching the apprentice and starving the master," but rather "a great teacher produces outstanding students, and the master is more respected."
As long as you diligently train more outstanding apprentices, your status and income will not only not decline, but will actually rise.
Therefore, they changed their previous practice of keeping technology secret and began to consciously explain the principles and demonstrate the techniques to the young people who came to help and learn during the shipbuilding process, and even let them do some practical operations.
Karl was well aware of the urgency of talent development, so he sent dozens, even hundreds, of young men with basic education, carefully selected by the General Manager of the Interior Edgar, to the shipyard.
These young people were quick-witted and had a strong learning ability. While working as laborers, helping to handle timber and move materials, they also eagerly learned all aspects of shipbuilding from the Master Craftsman.
Karl hoped that this "learning through practice and practicing through learning" model would enable Carnford to quickly cultivate a large number of local, young shipbuilding workers and technical backbones, completely solve the talent shortage problem, and lay a solid talent foundation for the large-scale expansion of the future fleet.
And so, along the shores of Amber Bay, the sounds of hammering, sawing, and the shouts of the craftsmen never ceased.
The sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, swept across the bustling construction site, while the fresh, new timber exuded a pleasant fragrance.
The skeletons of Cog and Caravelle ships gradually took shape on the beach, like a flock of seabird eaglets about to hatch, foreshadowing that Carnford, the rising star of the Northern Territory, was about to unfurl its sails and sail towards a wider world.