Talk:Sloop

Regarding the use of maritime terminology for Traveller vessels:

• In Traveller, a "Ship" is defined as a Jump-capable vessel (exclusively).
• In History, a "Ship" is defined (explicitly) as a vessel with three or more masts.

Historically, a "Sloop" was defined two separate ways, depending upon time period:

1. The earlier definition (17th-18th Century), the "Sloop-of-War" effectively was a vessel larger than a Gunboat but smaller than or similar to a Corvette, normally carrying only two masts (a.k.a. "Brig-Sloops"), but a few had three masts - (a.k.a. "Ship-Sloops", thus overlapping the very low end of "Post-Ships" and "Corvettes").
2. The later definition (19th Century) of a generic "Sloop" was a small fast vessel with large sail area but only a single mast. This latter type of Sloop was often considered to be a variant type of Cutter.

Preserving the historical precedent, a Sloop is best defined as a vessel that is non-Jump capable, but small and reasonably fast. Since a few historical Sloops did have three masts, Jump-capable Sloops should be permissible, but noted as the exception and denoted specifically as such (i.e. "Jump-Sloops").

In general, ancient single-masted vessels would best be rendered/reinterpreted as larger Smallcraft, and ancient double-masted vessels would best be rendered/reinterpreted as Bigcraft.

See also: Wikipedia: Sailing ship

--WHULorigan (talk) 12:47, 29 April 2024 (UTC)

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