Dwarven Loggerhead

The Loggerhead ship design is based on one of the few favored sea creatures that the dwarves generally like, the Loggerhead turtle. They admire its toughness, resilience, and ability to thrive in an environment that most dwarves despise.
Although this class of ship is unlike most other vessels on the sea it is steadfast, enduring, and can carry a large amount of cargo. Dwarven ships being much wider than most other ships reduce its maneuverability but allows it to be quite stable in the water. It is not the greatest in the open ocean but its hydrodynamic shape and unique propulsion makes it steady, fast, and dry in calm coastal waters.

Power Generation

The power used to move this large vessel comes from the muscle and strength of the dwarves that operate the “Rowers Wheels” inside. The dwarves sit in comfortable positions at the "Propulsion Stations" and grasp the large wooden rod in front of them and then pull the rod back, down, forward, and up again in a circular motion. This turns a large wheel that is attached similarly with the other stations. All of the wheels are connected to the giant outside flippers through a complex system of gears, pulleys, tracks, and chains. The enormous flippers move and propel the ship trough the waters.

Propulsion

The ship is propelled through the waters by its two forward flippers. The "Propulsion Stations" inside of the ship cause the giant flippers to raise up out of the water from their start position, pull slowly forward, and then suddenly release. As they are released the flippers cut into the water and rebound back into their rest positions. In completing this action, the large ship is pulled forward through the surface of the water.

Weapons & Armament

This vessel carries 8 heavy ballista with 4 on each side. Two towards the fore section on each side and two towards the aft section on each side. There is also a pivoting rear mounted catapult on the aft section as well.

Armor and defense

There is very little in the way of defensive armor other than the hardened wood that the ship is constructed from and the steel plate coat that protects the bow of the ship. Additionally there is the main deck’s shell covering that is unique to dwarven vessels of this and similar classes. The top deck of the ship is open to the weather but has sliding sections of thin wood that can interlock and completely cover the whole deck. Each section can be moved independently and opened or closed as needed. This is very useful in bad storms or large waves as the arched covering allow the water to roll off and not go onto the deck. The dwarves love this for two main reasons. One it eases their fears of being swamped and sinking beneath the water and drowning and second is because the roof creates an aura of being underground where they feel more secure.

Communication Tools & Systems

Communication on board the ship is most often done through loud verbal commands, but when conditions are difficult to hear or speak in, then system drum signals are pounded out for all to hear.

Hangars & docked vessels

These vessels always carry four dwarven Slider skiffs for all voyages. Two are held at both the port and starboard sides, with each placed at the fore and aft sections of those sides of the ship.

Price

Standard models cost about 20,000 gold pieces.

Rarity

This may be the most common type of dwarf ship but they are extremely rare compared to all of the other ships on the sea.

Beam

Total beam at rest is 80 feet wide from flipper to flipper. With the main ships beam being 60 feet across. Flippers are about 5 feet wide and have a clearance space of 5 feet from the hull.

Length

Total length is 87 feet. 75 feet long tipped with a 12 foot long prow and carved turtlehead.

Speed

With minimum propulsion the standard speed is 2 mph with accelerate to 3 mph for about an hour or 4 mph for 15 minutes. With maximum propulsion the standard speed is 3 mph with accelerate to 4 mph for about an hour or 5 mph for 15 minutes.

Complement / Crew

The minimum crew is 14 at propulsion and 7 additional crew stations. The maximum extends to 28 at propulsion and 9 additional crew stations

Cargo & Passenger Capacity

Maximum of 120 tons or 140 additional passengers.