Actually, just like our planet, I think a number of Gloranthan seagoing people have caught up with the fact that a simple monohull is not particularly fast. Just like the polynesians used, and use, catamarans and proas here, I think that somewhere in Glorantha (why not everywhere, eh?) the same is true. Who is to say that the Wolf Pirates don't go around in 120' catamarans? (note: above about 35', a trimaran vs catamaran battle is usually in the catamaran's favour)
The formula you're thinking of is 1.34*sqrt(waterline length). Note that contemporary, well designed monohulls spit in the eye of that formula and can go way faster: you don't *have* to have a multihull, it's just easier ;-)
So, really, there is no maximum speed for length of hull. Like most things, it's much more complex: the shape of the hull is very important, the beam:length ratio, the weight distribution, the primatic coefficient, etc. If you want to use the above formula, go ahead. But realise that it's far less authoratative that an Orlanthi "all"...
> ** That is, leaving aside issue like being carried on the back of a
> giant whale, having your whole ship picked up and carried by a storm,
> slipping into the godplanes and riding the primal water currents as
> they invade land, finding a magical high speed current to ride (hull
> speed is your speed compared to the water, add or subtract the effect
> of current), the magical ability to plane along the top of the water,
> or other super magical effects. (normal magic effects like summoning
> a tail wind or enhancing your boats efficiency would mostly just let
> you approach your hull speed and not have to tack back and forth, I
> think. To exceed hull speed you need BIG mojo).
The nice thing is, you can make up for anything you want to have happen by "magic". You know the Earth best-24hr distance. Feel free to go anywhere under that without having to sweat your explanations to players too much. I doubt you need much more than that distance/speed :-)
Robert
Powered by hypermail