Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology

4th July 1657

Southern United Marine Design Bureau, Mumbai

The designers Puneet Shetty, Balakrishna Pujari, and Bhargav Reddy have started the process of designing the new merchant ship.

Puneet Shetty, a member of the design team led by Vishesh Niladri, who designed the Bhima Class Armed Merchant Ship, assumed the nominal position of leader as soon as he joined the Southern United Marine Design Bureau. Balakrishna Pujari, one of Ghana Prabhu Berunda’s assistants, is nearly as qualified as Puneet Shetty but lacks the necessary leadership qualities.

Consequently, Balakrishna Pujari serves as the auxiliary assistant to Puneet Shetty. Bhargav Reddy, though lacking direct experience in ship design, is a highly experienced ship construction supervisor. His deep knowledge of ship components and his ability to streamline construction processes are invaluable to the team.

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"Puneet, for the hull, which material do you think we should use?" Balakrishna asked.

Puneet Shetty stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, unlike the usual merchant vessels that only travel from coast to coast, this ship will need to navigate the Indian Ocean and reach various Southeast Asian countries. Given Mr. John’s eagerness for frequent use, we should opt for military-standard Himalayan Oak and teak."

Balakrishna nodded. "For the hull construction, I was considering the carvel method. What are your thoughts?"

"That’s a good idea," Puneet agreed.

Bhargav, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "How about a double-ended hull?"

Both Puneet and Balakrishna’s eyes lit up.

"Double-ended, huh?" Balakrishna felt it was feasible. "It could not only provide excellent manoeuvrability in shallow waters but also withstand heavy waves in the sea. However, it might raise the construction cost slightly." His expression showed some concern.

Puneet dismissed the concern. "Don’t worry about the extra cost; I’m sure Mr. John can manage it. Instead, Bhargav, what dimensions do you think would be suitable for this ship?"

Bhargav Reddy pulled out a sheet of paper and began making calculations.

"Hmm, let’s start with the dimensions—15, 6, and 3 meters. We’ll apply the principles of naval architecture, using Brahmagupta’s theorem to determine the right angles and hull shape. For structural integrity, I’ll factor in the longitudinal strength using the longitudinal framing method.

Aryabhata’s constant will help adjust for dynamic stability, and Brahmagupta’s formula will be used for optimal weight distribution and buoyancy."

"Alright I got it, the length must be anywhere from 50 to 60 feet (15 to 18 meters), the beam must be anywhere from 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters), and the depth must be anywhere from 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters)."

Puneet Shetty did his own calculations in his mind and nodded. "Alright, this can work."

Balakrishna nodded in agreement.

"Balakrishna, I am thinking of a square-rigged ship. What do you think?"

"Well, square-rigged ships are suitable and efficient in upwind and downwind situations, so it should be perfect."

"What about the masts?"

"Two should suffice, and for the material of the sails, we can use canvas."

Puneet went on to draw a rough sketch on a piece of paper while Balakrishna was writing down all the necessary modules to be designed.

Lifting his head, Puneet asked, "Alright, let’s go to the main component of the ship, the cargo hold. Bhargav, you were there when the Bheema Class construction took place. What direction should we take with this design?"

"Right, according to me a single cargo hold is definitely advised since it will not only save us some time in construction but can also be hassle-free."

"However, since Mr. John requires it for grain transportation, let’s make the cargo hold a double-isolation hold so that moisture cannot seep into the hold even if part of the hull is damaged."

"On top of the cargo hold, we can add some filters and ventilation ducts to prevent the grain from moulding and spoiling."

"And finally, we can make the cargo door bigger so that the cargo can be unloaded or loaded very quickly."

Puneet and Balakrishna quickly wrote down the information and simulated the components in their minds, making sure that it was a suitable design.

"Alright, that can work," Puneet added.

"Right, Balakrishna. For the crew, do we need to do anything extra?"

"Mr John did not specify anything, so let us settle for a crew size of 10 to 13, with a simple bunk-style accommodation, a dedicated cooking area, a bathroom area, clean water storage, and a small infirmary. This facility should also meet the standards set by the Bharatiya Standards organisation (BSO)," Balakrishna informed.

Puneet accepted the opinion and entered the details.

"Alright, Bhargav, so what speed range and cargo specifications are we expecting from this design?"

Bhargav once again took out a clean piece of paper and started doing calculations.

Balakrishna took out a piece of chalk from behind his ear and began to scribble on the desk.

A few minutes later Bhargav was done

"The cargo capacity can meet the requirements of 500 tonnes, and the ship’s displacement will not exceed 700 tonnes. The speed is hard to calculate, but all I can say is it could be between 5 knots and 7 knots."

Balakrishna, who had been calculating until now, added, "The optimum range of the ship in excellent and favourable conditions could be anywhere from two to three months, and in unfavourable conditions, it could be anywhere from one month to a few weeks." Then, remembering something, Balakrishna asked, "Do we need to add the safety features?"

The eyes were on Puneet Shetty, as it was his decision. "I heard the government is going to standardize the safety features, so it is best that we add them beforehand to avoid the hassle later."

"So we’re adding them then," Bhargav decided. "Let’s include the basic features of lifeboats, navigation equipment, and emergency supplies. Is there anything else missing?"

Puneet and Balakrishna looked at their notes and shook their heads.

Bhargav stood up from his seat, dusting off his shirvani as he prepared to leave. "Alright then, after you finish the finalized design, call over Mr. John Brown. In the meantime, I will apply for the BSO tests. We will need to go through BSO 62250 for the seaworthiness test, BSO 62150 for the functionality test, BSO 62050 for the crew safety test, and BSO 62350 for the materials quality test."

Puneet went through the newly issued BSO certification book and confirmed the tests that needed to be conducted. "Alright, Bhargav, you do that."

After six hours of continuous work, Puneet Shetty and Balakrishna Pujari completed the design of the grain transportation ship, codenamed Khaki Class Grain Transporter.

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5th July 1657

John Brown received an invitation letter from the Southern United Marine Design Bureau, stating that the design of his merchant ship had been completed.

Being new to the nation, John Brown did not dare to go too far from his borrowed home. Fortunately, he felt safe enough in Mumbai to get a good night’s sleep, and the constant sound of the police patrolling the streets left him at ease. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

He also enjoyed the food a lot, despite its spiciness, as he prefers spicy food.

A carriage was arranged for John Brown, so he did not have to go through the hassle of finding one himself.

"Hello, my dear friend John. I hope you have rested well," Ashwin Ambani, who came to invite him, said with a large smile on his face.

"It was very pleasant, Ashwin. I had a very good time, so please take me to see the design. I cannot wait."

"Haha, alright, come, come. I bet you will be very satisfied."

John Brown finally took the design of the merchant ship in his hand and inspected it. The design was for a two-masted, medium-sized merchant ship. Unfortunately, John Brown, being a typical merchant, did not fully understand the industrial and modular designs provided by the design bureau.

However, he looked at the specifications and the outline of the ship, and though he was very satisfied, he noticed something.

"The ship is not built with compartmentalization. Does your shipyard not know how to do it?"

Ashwin was taken aback by the question. ’Does this guy want compartmentalization for such a small ship? Didn’t he say that he only wanted to transport Grain? so what’s the use of compartmentalization in this scenario? What a waste,’ He was troubled, but he did not voice it out.

"Ah, John, of course, we do know how to build a ship with compartmentalization, as the patent has been sold to all Bharatiya shipyards. But are you sure you want compartmentalization for your ship?"

John was confused. "Is there anything wrong with compartmentalization?"

Ashwin was unable to understand whether John was truly a genius or a clueless person. "John, your requirement is for a cargo ship with a carrying capacity of 500 tonnes. For such ships, if you build with compartmentalization, the overall displacement will increase by at least another hundred tonnes.

Additionally, the living quarters for the crew will have to be compressed even further, which will border on the safety regulations set by the Bharatiya Standards Organisation. Furthermore, the cost of construction will increase by another 40%. For these reasons, we did not consider compartmentalization for this small ship. However, if you insist on it, we can do it, but the cost will go up."

John, having heard the reasons, fell into deep thought. He had only considered the advantages of compartmentalization after witnessing the war in the Ionic Sea. But now that Ashwin mentioned it, he had to consider the drawbacks as well. "Are all the Bharatiya merchant ships using designs without compartmentalization?"

"Not all, but the majority of Bharatiya merchant ships are not built with compartmentalization. Most merchants travel from one state to another, so they are usually close to the coast. Even in very rare cases where a ship is in distress, there are often passing ships that can offer assistance. Therefore, compartmentalization is normally not popular among the merchants of Bharat.

However, there are some rare ships built with compartmentalization, used to transport precious goods like silver, gold, or certain luxury spices. In such cases, the value of the goods outweighs the cost of the ship itself, so compartmentalization is used."

John was relieved. ’So, normal merchant ships can also traverse the Indian Ocean. That’s good to know. Well, I’ll consider compartmentalization if I’m dissatisfied with these ships.’

Coming to a decision, John stated, "Well, let’s proceed with the design without compartmentalization."

"However, Ashwin, I’ve noticed that the design includes various safety features and crew accommodation benefits. Are these necessary? European ships don’t usually have these features," John said hesitantly. "Is it okay if we remove them?"

To be Continued...