North Sea Shipwright

A North Sea Shipwright is a skilled worker in the shipyards of Danyund and Nodyund designing and building the clinker-built Dragon Ships, longships, fishing boats, and cargo ships that sail throughout the North Sea (Nod Sei) and into the open ocean, sailing up and down the west coast of Derkomai as far south as Teiyon.
The shipyards of Danyund, especially those of Danhabn, are more tightly controlled than those of Nodyund, but the ships produced in Nodyund, though much fewer in number, match the quality of those produced in Danyund.
Generally speaking (and according to the bylaws of the Danhabn Shipwrights' Guild), after working in the shipyards for at least three years, a common laborer may apply to become an apprentice shipwright. Apprentice shipwrights undergo extensive training while they work, learning advanced techniques for shaping, bending, and joining timbers and lumber, how to select timbers and lumber for the different parts of the ships, how to forge the spikes and other fittings for the ships from copper and iron, how to make and rig sails, and everything else they need to know to build a North Sea sailing ship.
After a minimum of five years and with the Master Shipwright's consent, an apprentice shipwright may apply to become a journeyman shipwright. To become a journeyman shipwright, the apprentice is tested thoroughly, both verbally and practically. If the Master Shipwright administering the tests is satisfied with the apprentice's skills and knowledge, the apprentice is allowed to "prove" his or her abilities by constructing a small fishing boat, typically no more than 20 feet (6 meters) in length, from a design provided by the Master Shipwright. When completed to the Master Shipwright's satisfaction, the apprentice shipwright is "approved" and becomes a journeyman shipwright.
Journeyman shipwrights continue to increase their knowledge and skills in shipbuilding; however, since they've already proven their skills and knowledge shipbuilding techniques, the journeymen began to study ship design, learning how to ensure that ships and boats are seaworthy, proper width to length ratios, how to set a large ship's mast, the proper size of sails and how to make them, and so on. They also learn how to manage the apprentice shipwrights and common laborers that they oversee. Senior journeymen shipwrights are able to design and oversee construction of all but the very largest North Sea Dragon Ships.
Becoming a journeyman shipwright is the highest rank that most shipwrights will ever attain. To become recognized as a Master Shipwright, a journeyman must own a shipyard, and (especially in Danhabn), this is next to impossible. Not only is an enormous amount of money required to purchase the land and tools to build a shipyard and to pay apprentice and journeyman shipwrights and common laborers, contracts to build ships are controlled by the shipwright guilds. The Danhabn Shipwrights' Guild tightly controls which shipyards get contracts throughout all of Danyund, so without permission from the Guild, no new shipyard can be established. In Nodhabn, the shipbuilding guilds do not have as much control, but the financial obstacles are just as difficult to overcome. As a result, nearly all Master Shipwrights are the sons (or occasionally, the daughters) of the previous owners and Master Shipwrights of the established shipyards, and "Master Shipwright" is nearly a hereditary title (though it still requires real skill and knowledge of shipbuilding).

Career

Qualifications

To apply to become a shipwright, a person must have worked in a shipyard for a minimum of three years as a common laborer.

Career Progression

After working as a common laborer, a person may become an apprentice shipwright. After working for at least five years as an apprentice shipwright, the apprentice can apply to become a journeyman shipwright. A journeyman shipwright, in theory, can become a Master Shipwright, but in practice, only shipyard owners are allowed by the shipwrights' guilds to become Master Shipwrights, so very few journeyman shipwrights ever become Master Shipwrights.

Payment & Reimbursement

The wages of common laborers in the shipyards are quite low. Apprentice shipwrights make considerably more than laborers, and are considered well-compensated. Journeyman shipwrights are among the highest paid laborers in Danyund or Nodyund.

Perception

Social Status

Shipwrights are viewed favorably in Nodyund and Danyund. Their skills are recognized as being vital to their communities. This is especially true in Danhabn, where the powerful and influential Danhabn Shipwrights' Guild looks after the interests of shipwrights.

North Sea Dragon Ship by Peter Nelson (Zero Sum Games)

A North Sea Dragon Ship

Margrethe Thøgersen by Peter Nelson (Zero Sum Games)

Margrethe Thøgersen, Grandmaster Shipwright of Danhabn

Demand

Because there aren't that many shipyards (especially in Nodyund), the demand for shipwrights isn't high, but the number of qualified shipwrights is also not large, so the number of shipwrights roughly matches the demand for their skills.