D&D 5E Cost of manning a ship (Ghosts of Saltmarsh, DMG)

[aco175]

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[BaronSteele]

Let me see if I have this right... According to the DMG (p. 190), sailors are expert hirelings who make 2gp per day. An ordinary sailing ship has a crew of 20 sailors, which means that the cost of manning a ship is 40gp per day. I guess that's reasonable, though it's a lot higher than I expected. I would have thought that sailors would be considered unskilled hirelings, in which case the cost of manning a ship would be 40sp per day.

For those of you in the know, do the DMG's wages seem reasonable to you? What about the fact that ordinary sailors (apparently) make the same amount of money as officers? (Maybe sailors should be unskilled hirelings, and officers skilled?)

Also, neither the DMG nor Ghosts of Saltmarsh explain what happens when a ship is docked. This is probably dummy-level stuff, but I really have no idea. Are crews usually permanent members of a ship, or are they hired on a voyage-by-voyage basis? In other words, when a voyage ends, does the crew typically stick around and wait for the next voyage, or do they go off and join other crews? If it's the former, then are they still getting paid when the ship is docked?

Thanks!

The 2 gp would be an average for an entire crew. So while an unskilled may earn less, officers would earn mare and make the cost per sailor hire. I would say a DM may make a noted Captian or officer with unique specialized skills cost more, but that is a roll playing option vs a rule.