OK Osoerde has a bunch of ships that I deemed to be merchant irrespective
of the language used (i.e. "navy")

I have read and reread that *expletive deleted* card from the CoS set. To
have all or most most of the Osoerdian ships be military craft is ludicrous.
But the language used forces me to accept that as a real possibility. And
then I read the card on the types of ships. Under the entry on Zebecs it
says that Brechts and Anuieans make their ships do both roles. Sh****t !

What this means is that the design is a merchant hull, sea-worthy, not
as fast as a "real" warship with more decks amd fewer cargo holds. This
is because you can't put troops in a hold for any length of time but you
can put cargo on a empty deck. Not stowed real well of course and the
use of space is somewhat inefficient but it will work, kinda/sorta in a
half-assed way.

These are the kind of ships you build when there is no pressure to optimize
and bespeaks a lack of need to maintain a real standing navy. That means not
much sea trade, no traditional sea-born enemy to bedevil you, and no urges
for foreign adventurism from the top.

AFAIK this has not ever been done with a sail-era ocean going, deep draft,
vessel. IIRC specialization in ship design was occuring within 50 years
after the invention of the sextant. Ergo my earlier remarks. I assumed too
much. Grumble,mumble,snarl,frackentance.