Waterspouts, Sail Damage, Ship Towing

[[Free Republic of Texas] 2]

I would like to suggest only one or two waterspouts during storms at sea for an entire zone rather than being surrounded by them no matter where you are in the grid!

With the following provisions:

A waterspout should do actual sail damage to your ship...everything from torn sails and reduced speed/power, to de-masting your ship.  At the same time, the ship should take on water up to a critical amount -- not sinking, but to the point of barely able to move and must be bailed or pumped out.  All effects randomly weighted based on how close you come to the eye of the waterspout.  Every ship in the grid could take some minor sail damage just for going through the storm...only way to avoid would be to lower sail and ride it out.  Lower percentage sail equal less sail damage.  Keep going full sail at your own risk,

To help the unlucky storm survivors, allow a make-shift crafting skill to fashion sails from torn sail cloth and wood under the repair skill tree.  Make use of the grappling hook to be able to tow a ship (also useful in boarding actions! Yarr!) and create a new ship mounted pump for removing water from the ship.  Add sail cloth and wood to the flotsam loot tables heavily weighted to drop after storms and emergency sails to the smithy table with the other core ship building components.