diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 66d38f2a9..1c6507e5d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -40,3 +40,4 @@ Thumbs.db
 .gdb_history
 *.cfg
 *.cmd
+tmp/
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.c b/src/kernel/ship.c
index a01326bdd..305a0143e 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.c
@@ -282,6 +282,20 @@ static int ShipSpeedBonus(const unit * u)
     return 0;
 }
 
+int crew_skill(const ship *sh) {
+    int n = 0;
+    unit *u;
+
+    n = 0;
+
+    for (u = sh->region->units; u; u = u->next) {
+        if (u->ship == sh) {
+            n += eff_skill(u, SK_SAILING, sh->region) * u->number;
+        }
+    }
+    return n;
+}
+
 int shipspeed(const ship * sh, const unit * u)
 {
     double k = sh->type->range;
@@ -290,14 +304,19 @@ int shipspeed(const ship * sh, const unit * u)
     attrib *a;
     struct curse *c;
 
+    assert(sh);
+    if (!u) u = ship_owner(sh);
+    if (!u) return 0;
+    assert(u->ship == sh);
+    assert(u == ship_owner(sh));
+    assert(sh->type->construction);
+    assert(sh->type->construction->improvement == NULL);  /* sonst ist construction::size nicht ship_type::maxsize */
+
     if (!init) {
         init = true;
         stormwind_ct = ct_find("stormwind");
         nodrift_ct = ct_find("nodrift");
     }
-
-    assert(u->ship == sh);
-    assert(sh->type->construction->improvement == NULL);  /* sonst ist construction::size nicht ship_type::maxsize */
     if (sh->size != sh->type->construction->maxsize)
         return 0;
 
@@ -442,18 +461,3 @@ const char *ship_getname(const ship * self)
 {
     return self->name;
 }
-
-unit *get_captain(const ship * sh)
-{
-    const region *r = sh->region;
-    unit *u;
-
-    for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
-        if (u->ship == sh && u->number
-            && eff_skill(u, SK_SAILING, r) >= sh->type->cptskill)
-            return u;
-    }
-
-    return NULL;
-}
-
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.h b/src/kernel/ship.h
index f123242df..c8fb5dfe7 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.h
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ extern "C" {
     const char *ship_getname(const struct ship *self);
     void ship_setname(struct ship *self, const char *name);
     int shipspeed(const struct ship *sh, const struct unit *u);
-    struct unit *get_captain(const struct ship *sh);
+    int crew_skill(const struct ship *sh);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/ship.test.c b/src/kernel/ship.test.c
index 6d0c1b0cb..ce3b02ffb 100644
--- a/src/kernel/ship.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/ship.test.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <tests.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <assert.h>
 
 static void test_register_ship(CuTest * tc)
 {
@@ -367,6 +368,69 @@ static void test_stype_defaults(CuTest *tc) {
     test_cleanup();
 }
 
+static void test_crew_skill(CuTest *tc) {
+    ship *sh;
+    region *r;
+    struct faction *f;
+    int i;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    test_create_world();
+    r = findregion(0, 0);
+    f = test_create_faction(0);
+    assert(r && f);
+    sh = test_create_ship(r, st_find("boat"));
+    for (i = 0; i != 4; ++i) {
+        unit * u = test_create_unit(f, r);
+        set_level(u, SK_SAILING, 5);
+        u->ship = sh;
+    }
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 20, crew_skill(sh));
+    test_cleanup();
+}
+
+static void test_shipspeed(CuTest *tc) {
+    ship *sh;
+    ship_type *stype;
+    region *r;
+    struct faction *f;
+    unit *cap, *crew;
+
+    test_cleanup();
+    test_create_world();
+    r = test_create_region(0, 0, test_create_terrain("ocean", 0));
+    f = test_create_faction(0);
+    assert(r && f);
+    stype = test_create_shiptype("longboat");
+    stype->cptskill = 1;
+    stype->sumskill = 10;
+    stype->minskill = 1;
+    stype->range = 2;
+    sh = test_create_ship(r, stype);
+
+    CuAssertIntEquals_Msg(tc, "ship without a captain cannot move", 0, shipspeed(sh, NULL));
+
+    cap = test_create_unit(f, r);
+    crew = test_create_unit(f, r);
+    cap->ship = sh;
+    crew->ship = sh;
+    CuAssertPtrEquals(tc, cap, ship_owner(sh));
+    set_level(cap, SK_SAILING, stype->cptskill);
+    set_level(crew, SK_SAILING, stype->sumskill - stype->cptskill);
+    CuAssertIntEquals_Msg(tc, "ship with fully skilled crew can sail at max speed", 2, shipspeed(sh, cap));
+
+    set_level(cap, SK_SAILING, stype->cptskill + 5);
+    CuAssertIntEquals_Msg(tc, "higher captain skill should not affect top speed", 2, shipspeed(sh, cap));
+    set_level(cap, SK_SAILING, stype->cptskill);
+
+    CuAssertIntEquals(tc, 2, shipspeed(sh, cap));
+
+    set_level(crew, SK_SAILING, (stype->sumskill - stype->cptskill) * 11);
+    set_level(cap, SK_SAILING, stype->cptskill + 10);
+    CuAssertIntEquals_Msg(tc, "regular skills should not exceed sh.range", 2, shipspeed(sh, cap));
+
+}
+
 CuSuite *get_ship_suite(void)
 {
     CuSuite *suite = CuSuiteNew();
@@ -381,5 +445,6 @@ CuSuite *get_ship_suite(void)
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_other_after_leave);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_same_faction_after_leave);
     SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipowner_goes_to_empty_unit_after_leave);
+    SUITE_ADD_TEST(suite, test_shipspeed);
     return suite;
 }
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index af1347bd1..b60e15ac9 100755
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -2797,17 +2797,17 @@ void sinkships(struct region * r)
         ship *sh = *shp;
 
         if (!sh->type->construction || sh->size >= sh->type->construction->maxsize) {
-            if (fval(r->terrain, SEA_REGION) && (!enoughsailors(sh, r)
-                || get_captain(sh) == NULL)) {
-                /* Schiff nicht seetüchtig */
-                float dmg = get_param_flt(global.parameters,
-                    "rules.ship.damage.nocrewocean",
-                    0.30F);
-                damage_ship(sh, dmg);
-            }
-            if (ship_owner(sh) == NULL) {
-                float dmg = get_param_flt(global.parameters, "rules.ship.damage.nocrew",
-                    0.05F);
+            if (fval(r->terrain, SEA_REGION)) {
+                if (!enoughsailors(sh, crew_skill(sh))) {
+                    // ship is at sea, but not enough people to control it
+                    float dmg = get_param_flt(global.parameters,
+                        "rules.ship.damage.nocrewocean",
+                        0.30F);
+                    damage_ship(sh, dmg);
+                }
+            } else if (!ship_owner(sh)) {
+                // any ship lying around without an owner slowly rots
+                float dmg = get_param_flt(global.parameters, "rules.ship.damage.nocrew", 0.05F);
                 damage_ship(sh, dmg);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/move.c b/src/move.c
index a9ed36b3e..7d6f69371 100644
--- a/src/move.c
+++ b/src/move.c
@@ -469,18 +469,9 @@ static bool cansail(const region * r, ship * sh)
     return true;
 }
 
-int enoughsailors(const ship * sh, const region * r)
+int enoughsailors(const ship * sh, int sumskill)
 {
-    int n;
-    unit *u;
-
-    n = 0;
-
-    for (u = r->units; u; u = u->next) {
-        if (u->ship == sh)
-            n += eff_skill(u, SK_SAILING, r) * u->number;
-    }
-    return n >= sh->type->sumskill;
+    return sumskill >= sh->type->sumskill;
 }
 
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -778,7 +769,7 @@ static void drifting_ships(region * r)
 
             assert(sh->type->construction->improvement == NULL);      /* sonst ist construction::size nicht ship_type::maxsize */
             if (captain && sh->size == sh->type->construction->maxsize
-                && enoughsailors(sh, r) && cansail(r, sh)) {
+                && enoughsailors(sh, crew_skill(sh)) && cansail(r, sh)) {
                 shp = &sh->next;
                 continue;
             }
@@ -1767,7 +1758,7 @@ static bool ship_ready(const region * r, unit * u)
         cmistake(u, u->thisorder, 15, MSG_MOVE);
         return false;
     }
-    if (!enoughsailors(u->ship, r)) {
+    if (!enoughsailors(u->ship, crew_skill(u->ship))) {
         cmistake(u, u->thisorder, 1, MSG_MOVE);
         /*		mistake(u, u->thisorder,
                                         "Auf dem Schiff befinden sich zuwenig erfahrene Seeleute.", MSG_MOVE); */
diff --git a/src/move.h b/src/move.h
index f35012b07..7674c43d7 100644
--- a/src/move.h
+++ b/src/move.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ extern "C" {
     void run_to(struct unit *u, struct region *to);
     struct unit *is_guarded(struct region *r, struct unit *u, unsigned int mask);
     bool is_guard(const struct unit *u, unsigned int mask);
-    int enoughsailors(const struct ship *sh, const struct region *r);
+    int enoughsailors(const struct ship *sh, int sumskill);
     bool canswim(struct unit *u);
     bool canfly(struct unit *u);
     void travelthru(const struct unit *u, struct region *r);
diff --git a/src/spy.c b/src/spy.c
index a440ab3aa..d993a9ab7 100644
--- a/src/spy.c
+++ b/src/spy.c
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ int setstealth_cmd(unit * u, struct order *ord)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int crew_skill(region * r, faction * f, ship * sh, skill_t sk)
+static int top_skill(region * r, faction * f, ship * sh, skill_t sk)
 {
     int value = 0;
     unit *u;
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ int sabotage_cmd(unit * u, struct order *ord)
         r = u->region;
         if (u2->faction != u->faction) {
             skdiff =
-                eff_skill(u, SK_SPY, r) - crew_skill(r, u2->faction, sh, SK_PERCEPTION);
+                eff_skill(u, SK_SPY, r) - top_skill(r, u2->faction, sh, SK_PERCEPTION);
         }
         if (try_destruction(u, u2, sh, skdiff)) {
             sink_ship(r, sh, u);