A harbormaster in Boston
A harbormaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbor or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities.
Colonial era[]
During the Golden Age of Piracy, the pirate Edward Kenway could sell the goods he had acquired through plundering other ships, picking up cargo, or looting chests. They could be sold to harbormasters in Havana, Nassau, Kingston, Great Inagua, and various other islands around the Caribbean, for reales. Different materials would fetch different prices, with sugar and rum being the most valuable. Kenway could also repair his ship, the Jackdaw, refill its ammunition, or even upgrade it using blueprints he had found during maritime voyages and treasure hunts.[1]
During the Seven Years' War, the Templar Shay Cormac had also the ability to sell certain goods like tobacco for money and buy upgrades for his vessel, the Morrigan. Harbormasters also provided Shay with ammunition and parts for the ship, such as sails or wheels. Most harbormasters were located at the forts throughout the River Valley and the Atlantic Ocean.
During the American Revolution, the Assassin Ratonhnhaké:ton could also purchase the following equipment for his ship, the Aquila, from harbormasters in New York, Boston and the Frontier. During this period, the various upgrades were priced as follows:[2]
- Wooden Hull Reinforcements: £13,000
- Iron Hull Reinforcements: £25,000
- Extra Cannon: £2,500
- Heat Shot: £19,000
- Grape Shot: £17,000
- Improved Rudder: £11,000
- Piercing Round: £9,000
- Naval Ram: £8,000
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