According to modern research, a fairly small craft, if well constructed, is more likely to survive a long sea voyage than is a large vessel. Surprisingly, seaworthiness has little to do with size. Perhaps this is a reason that Lehi and his small group included only one other family in their sea voyage. Although the earlier migrating Jaredites consisted of a few more families, that group came in eight vessels. [Paul R. Cheesman, "Cultural Parallels Between the Old World and the New World," in The Book of Mormon: The Keystone Scripture, p. 208]