Re: Why Tradesman need large cargo space

In <URL:news:local.spelljam> on Sun 04 Jun, Rian A. McMurtry wrote:
> Into space, bulk foods--grain, beans, etc.-- become important commodities.  
> I'd expect a lot of tradesmen in such a basic trade.

Using the SJ rules I posted previously, SJ ships have 100 cubic
yards of volume per spacial ton, 2700 cubic feet (nautical ton is
35cf, to 40cf).

You get enough water for 5.5 men per ton for four months - food
is not an issue and air is calculated on a four month basis
anyway.

A 100 cubic yards is 76.5 cubic metres, and a cubic metre of
water is a metric tonne.  If you assume most food stuffs are
about the same density as water, i.e. they will just about float;
then lose that is 76.5 tonnes of food per spelljamming spacial
ton of cargo.  Even in barrels or whatever wasting 50% of the
cargo volume that is still about 38 tonnes; about 42 (short)
tons.

A Tradesman is 25 spacial tons, so say that it has the maximum
number of 25 human-equivalents on board.  12.5 tons of cargo, as
the cargo space is half the tonnage.  Call it 5 tons for food and
water for the crew for a four month voyage.  That leaves 315
(short) tons of cargo; well packed-in, even more.

I would expect that a skilled merchant could make a reasonable
living with that sort of cargo capacity.  If it was all fine wine
at 10gp per 1.5lb bottle then that is 4.2 million gold pieces
worth!

-- 
Dreamer
dreamer@??????.?????.??.uk
http://www.romsys.demon.co.uk/