Gracefield Shipyard can trace its origin to the year 1691, when John Gracefield opened a shop for the repairing of small fishing vessels in the colonial city of Baltimare. After noticing the poor quality of the boats that were brought to him, he decided to design and build his own line of skiffs. Soon he had obtained local popularity for his sturdy and efficient design, and found he was making more profit from constructing new boats than repairing old ones. In 1693 he moved on to designing cutters, and eventually with the expansion of his business in 1698 he was constructing merchant schooners for coastal transport. In 1699 he hired a chief engineer, George Watts, and in 1702 they had constructed their first sloop. They were given an order for a second sloop of the same pattern by a representative of the renowned East Imperial Company, and by 1707 they had a flourishing company with its own small shipyard. They continued constructing sloops of various design until moving further up to brigs in 1710, and their first frigate in 1718. John Gracefield retired and passed the company onto his son, Peter Gracefield, in 1732, after which the company received its first military contract in 1737 for a gun boat. Gracefield Shipyard provided invaluable service during the War for Sovereignty in 1745, and has since become the leading ship constructor for the Imperial Navy and East Imperial Company. Today Gracefield Shipyard owns and operates 3 shipyards in Baltimare, Phillydelphia, and New Canterlot, and holds shares in 12 different shipbuilding companies. Along with ship construction facilities, Gracefield Shipyard owns several private dockyards, a port in the Colony of Darkpool, and operates a private fleet of 20 vessels. We pride ourselves on our craftsmanship, attention to detail, and ingenuity.
Whether you're a nation making its start in the golden Age of Sail, an individual seeking the novelty of owning a sailing vessel, a historical organization, or something else entirely, Gracefield Shipyard can more than adequately provide for your needs. All ships are constructed with care and held to the highest standard, rigorously scrutinized and tested at multiple points in the construction process. Our timber is gathered from company owned and privately owned reserves across the Empire, with all trees being certified for hardness and quality. The drying and aging processes we employ ensure a maximum lifespan for all our vessels, as well as decreasing the chances of board warping at sea. And our specially invented construction techniques give our ships superiority in both survivability and armament over similar ships of the same size.
If you would like to order a ship for construction and purchase, please review the proper despatch guidelines outlined below. In order to streamline communications, we have a pre-written letter provided for your convenience, but you are welcome to write us your own. We only ask that you include all the necessary information we require to complete your purchase. Special orders can also be accepted, and should we find the design a good one, we may adopt it as a standard pattern vessel (simply acknowledge if you wish for us to do so). After your order has completed construction, you may either send a crew to sail it, or we can provide a crew to sail it for you, at additional cost. All newly completed vessels sail under a flag of civil neutrality, recognized by all nations, so their safe passage is ensured. If you still feel uncomfortable or uneasy of your vessel undertaking its journey, we offer two insurance plans available for purchase up to the day of the ship's launch.
Despatch Guidelines
1: All despatches must include type of ships being purchased and number of each. Otherwise the order will not be accepted.
2: Any information not included will be assumed as a "no."
3: You are welcome to include any other information you may think to be relevant.
4: Despatches must be made "In-Character" and with reasonable English grammar.
5: Despatches should be made with consideration given to national tech levels (please refer to the "Tech Lvl Notice").
Standard Vessel Order Despatch
- Code: Select all
[b]Nation:[/b]
[b]Purchasing Entity:[/b]
[u][b]Ship Purchasing Info[/b][/u]
[b]Ships you are purchasing and number of each:[/b]
[b]Are ships being purchased equipped or as a hull? (Please specify which are being purchased as which)[/b]
[b]Would you like a provided crew? (This will add an additional 200 NSD per 100 sailors. Please specify which ships you would like crewed.)[/b]
[b]Ship Modifications you would like made (this will add additional cost):[/b]
[b][u]Insurance Plan and Info (leave blank if you do not wish to purchase insurance.)[/u][/b]
[]Plan 1
[]Plan 2
[b]How long will the ship be at sea for delivery?[/b]
[b]Which ships are you purchasing insurance for?[/b]
Custom Vessel Order Despatch
(Please be aware that Gracefield Shipyard will NOT provide crew nor insurance for custom ships)
- Code: Select all
[b]Nation:[/b]
[b]Purchasing Entity:[/b]
[b][u]Ship Specifications (leave a field blank if you have no preference)*[/u][/b]
[b]Type and/or Rate:[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Displacement:[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Beam:[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Draught:[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Height (waterline to top of mainmast):[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Length (bowsprit to stern):[/b]
[b]Propulsion (steam* or sail - please note steam power is still experimental and highly volatile):[/b]
[b]If choosing sail, maximum and minimum sail plan in m[sup]2[/sup]:[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Masts:[/b]
[b]Preferred Rigging Type:[/b]
[b] Preferred Number of Boats (include type and number of each):[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Complement:[/b]
[b]Preferred Marine Complement:[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Armament (only include [I]total[/I] number of guns):[/b]
[b]Preferred Gun Type (carronades, long guns, swivel guns, etc.) and Number of Each:[/b]
[b]Preferred Hull Thickness:[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Total Cabin Space (for recreational and sporting vessels):[/b]
[b]Minimum and Maximum Hold Space (for mercantile vessels):[/b]
[b]Other Details:[/b]
[b]Budget:[/b]
[b]Should we like the design, would you like us to adopt it as standard pattern?[/b]
[b][u]Disclaimers[/u][/b]
[I]If choosing steam power for propulsion are you aware that steam power is an experimental technology, and as such, highly dangerous?[/I] []Yes []No
[I]Gracefield Shipyard will NOT claim responsibility for any injury or damage that may occur as a result of having a steam engine onboard. Do you understand and accept this?[/I] []Yes []No
[I]Although every attempt will be made to construct a ship to your specifications, there may be instances where certain specifications need to be changed, modified, excluded, included, etc. Do you understand and accept this?[/I] []Yes []No
Insurance Plans
Plan 1 (half coverage)
Will cover up to 50% of the hull's total worth. This excludes cargo, personal belongings, cannons, etc. Will only cover against "acts of nature". Coverage only good for the duration of the vessel's delivery voyage. Requires 500 NSD up front, payment of 25% of the hull's worth, and a premium of an additional 250 NSD for every week the ship will be at sea, or 50 NSD per day (if length of time is under a week or does not round evenly). Once insurance has been purchased it cannot be canceled.
Plan 2 (full coverage)
Will cover up to 100% of the hull's total worth. This excludes cargo, personal belongings, cannons, etc. Will only cover against "acts of nature". Coverage only good for the duration of the vessel's delivery voyage. Requires 1,000 NSD up front, payment of 50% of the hull's worth, and a premium of an additional 500 NSD for every week the ship will be at sea, or 100 NSD per day (if length of time is under a week or does not round evenly). Once insurance has been purchased it cannot be canceled.
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