Seven days later, her first ship was built aboard the Artis Beauty.

Karen's skill is undoubtedly superb.

He erected a three-metre-long, five-metre-wide, and nearly two-metre-high bow deck in the bow, with the turntable of the fishing fork cannon and the large winch for the sagittal cord mounted behind the deck, while the mast of the Beauty pointed diagonally to the sky was independent and did not intersect with the deck.

This unique design allows the fishing fork gun to basically maintain a wide firing angle of 90 degrees in front of it.

What's more, by fine-tuning the position of the triangular sail, he freed up the bow sail control area at the forward deck, successfully retaining the standard Kirk's limited ability to manoeuvre against the wind.

This is important for a sail-powered sea vessel.

Having adjusted the bow, he set his sights on the stern of the Beauty.

Lorraine and Henna captured an oar-powered fishing boat in Black Harbor, Cherbourg, and hung it as an assault boat on the starboard rack of the Artis Beauty.

Assault boats are of course important, giving seafarers the right to land in almost all types of natural harbour, whether the bay is shallow and silted or rocky.

However, its weight also upsets the overall balance of the Beauty.

Karen's response was simple.

He built a dozen barrels, filled with gravel, and fastened them to the port side of the Beauty, so that it would not interfere with the normal passage of the crew on deck, and it would restore the center of gravity of the hull.

The only regret is that the stern is much heavier as a result.

But neither Lorraine nor Clen was concerned about the side effect.

The standard Kirk was never a high-speed boat, and even with a full sail, eight to ten knots would not be fast enough for the bow to warp when the waves break, creating a risk of capsizing.

The costless renovation was done, and the energetic Clen set his sights on the mainmast.

He suggested to Lorraine: "Captain, I intend to move the mainmast of the Beauty five meters forward, and then ten meters apart, and add a fifteen-meter-high auxiliary mast. ”

Lorraine drew the chart and absentmindedly asked, "Why?" ”

"Why?" Clen choked on this answer for a long time, "Because double-sided sails make the ship faster!" ”

"I have calculated that the speed of the modified Beauty can reach about ten knots, which is basically the same as the Brig type of the same level when fully sailed. We can also add a full sail line, a horn sail and a windcatcher in one step. Even if it's a headwind, the Beauty can maintain a speed of two to three, perfect! ”

Lorraine reluctantly put down the quill pen: "Mr. Scott, do you know how much such a modification costs?" ”

"Uh...... I can preside over the construction, and if I have only materials and labour, it will be about eight hundred pounds. ”

"Eight hundred pounds." Lorraine smacked her lips, "Very well designed, dismissed." ”

Clen clutched her hair in disbelief: "Why! ”

"Quite simply, I don't have any money."

"You told me that the famous Drake hereditary baron has no money at home?"

"Drake is Drake, Lorraine. Drake is Lorraine. Drake. Didn't Ramos tell you when he introduced me that I was an outcast of the Drake family? ”

"He said it! He also said that the nobility of England has always been hypocritical, old-fashioned, arrogant, and shameless, and that there are several outcasts like you in every family with a long history! ”

"He's pretty much right. As far as I know, the Drake family does have two nominal outcasts, who are responsible for running the Americas and Asia routes respectively, making profits for the family. ”

"What about you?"

"It's a shame that I happen to be the first real outcast in Drake's history, worthy of the name."

Karen suddenly had a bad premonition: "I would venture to ask, what is the salary you pay seafarers?" ”

Lorraine recalls earnestly: "The Drake Chamber of Commerce is still in its infancy, and for the time being, the salaries of sailors will be kept at twenty to thirty pounds a year, roughly in line with the market price. As for the seafarers...... Eat, wrap up, and share the glorious prospects of the Chamber of Commerce with myself. ”

Clen was shocked: "I don't even have a salary? ”

Lorraine shrugged in embarrassment: "Young man, it's enough to have a future, what do you want money for......?"

Clen took a deep breath: "What do we eat!" ”

"Grandma Rowling's secret delicacy."

"Where's Grandma Rowling? I've been on the boat for seven days, and I haven't seen a single cook cook on board! ”

Lorraine replied earnestly: "It is good that you did not see her, because she went to God with joy seven years ago." Before leaving, she gave our dear little Pierce the secret recipe of her life's cherish, and his craftsmanship was authentic. ”

"And where are we staying?"

"Didn't the dormitory be assigned to you seven days ago? Stern compartment. ”

"But my room is in a helltight chamber!"

Lorraine frowned: "You are a boatman, I even prepared an independent working cabin for you." Where can I find such a large space other than a watertight cabin? ”

Clen looked at his shameless captain in a daze, and muttered to himself, "What do I think...... I think I'm on a thief ship? ”

"That's true." Lorraine patted her ass and stood up, "Don't look at the four of us and a poor fishing fork cannon on board the Artis Beauty, but she's a real privateer. The privateer's permit now hangs in my captain's quarters, and it was issued by the Queen's own hand. ”

"Queen?"

"No fish on Fridays." Lorraine uttered a London dialect, "That queen is our great and wise virgin queen, Queen Elizabeth I, who is the common master of England, France, and Ireland...... Her Majesty. ”

……

Not eating fish = embracing the leader.

Clen could hear Lorraine's voice, not to mention that he was really getting along well with this wonderful and talented young captain these days.

He ultimately chose to stay aboard the Artis Beauty, even though the Drake Chamber of Commerce shamelessly stripped the seafarers of their salaries, and even though Lorraine did not have the money to satisfy his desire to refit ships.

Like Lorraine said, they're young, aren't they?

[Young people, it's enough to have a future, what do you want money for]

The haughty Clen enlisted the words on the mainmast with the consent of the shipowner, Pierce Jr., and announced that he had officially completed the complete refit of the Artis.

So, on a calm and sunny afternoon, the Beauty pulled up the iron anchor.

Henna at the helm, Clen at the helm, Lorraine in a trench coat, arms folded, one foot on the bow deck railing, eyes firmly ahead.

He shouted, "Left full rudder! ”

Henna immediately dialed the handwheel, and the Beauty drew a beautiful arc backwards in the open Mali Bay, and the ship headed due east.

"The wind is due east, the wind is three knots, the breeze is blowing, and the sails are full!"

Clen sprang into action, put away the bow sail, and with the assistance of Pierce Jr., quickly pulled the wide sail to the top.

Lorraine raised her arm, pointing forward.

"Artis Beauty, target Stavanger, depart, set sail!"