I base this on absolutely nothing, but I could easily imagine that sailors would be paid based on the income; in essense get percentages of the profit.
I know that during the Napoleonic wars (I know, different culture *and* the wrong era), sailors were paid a fixed percentage of whatever prizes they took, based on their rank and seniority.
Also, I'm thinking that running costs of a sailing ship is extremely fluent; if you run into a cyclone one year and has to replace a mast, broken timbers and several sails it would be expensive; if, on another year you have smooth sailing, there would be next to no running cost, save that of provisions for however many crew you have.
And, finally, I'm guessing prices would be equally fluent, depending on weather, harvest, demand and supply. As well as local political situations, bandits, pirates, and the capability of the tradesman.
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Date: 2012-05-10 05:13 am (UTC)I know that during the Napoleonic wars (I know, different culture *and* the wrong era), sailors were paid a fixed percentage of whatever prizes they took, based on their rank and seniority.
Also, I'm thinking that running costs of a sailing ship is extremely fluent; if you run into a cyclone one year and has to replace a mast, broken timbers and several sails it would be expensive; if, on another year you have smooth sailing, there would be next to no running cost, save that of provisions for however many crew you have.
And, finally, I'm guessing prices would be equally fluent, depending on weather, harvest, demand and supply. As well as local political situations, bandits, pirates, and the capability of the tradesman.