Research Note

"It Depends!"

Mike Graff

Many of the class of things nautical are called 'it depends'.

In general, any question depends on:

kind of ship
size of ship
intended use
in what places/conditions of use
cut from what species of wood
for a ship built by whom
for whom
during what time period
in which country
at which shipyard
under the supervision (command?) of which master shipwright
after how many careenings, refits and/or rebuilds
after how many groundings, collisions, sinkings
with or without copper sheathing
etc., etc., etc..

{Mike Graff}