Winter's long, brutal, and so cold a breath makes you wish for death. But it's honest. I don't trust a pretty day in April to hold, but winter - that's easy. It does what it will.
The one I spent the most time on was the Volkvolny. A schooner; not the largest in her class but she was fast. We guarded the coastline, ran errands for the king. Privateered, politely.