Cog Ship

By Crusader1307

Developed as far back as the 9th Century, The Cog was one of the first “sea going” Commerce vessels (built for trade), during The Early Middle Ages. Although conjecture relating to their Country of origin, it is widely assumed that they came from The Baltic Coastal Regions. Various Frisian and Norse cultures experimented with the design as well. Cogs were constructed of wood planking and had flat bottoms (at the midship of the vessel). Often featuring 2 to 3 Masts (for wind propulsion), Cogs were also designed to be rowed (via oars). The Cog also featured a Stern mounted central rudder for steerage. Early Cog designs featured 1 simple deck level (with additional small decks added around the 13th Century). Cogs were especially useful in shallow sand-barred waters, due to their flat bottoms – whereas most ships were restricted to deep water navigation. Ranging from 50 to 90 feet in length – and 15 to 30 feet in height (from their Main Mast), Cogs were relatively cheap and easy to construct, with many Countries building fleets. An “average” Cog could displace some 200 tons in the water. As development progressed, The Cog would become an early warship, with the addition of “stern castles” or wooden miniature defense towers installed (an early form of super structure). The English used The Cog to great effect against a superior French Navy at The Battle of Sluys (1340).