In Ether 6:4 we find that when the Jaredites had prepared "all manner of food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal or fowl that they should carry with them . . . they got aboard of their vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea."
According to Richard Gudmundsen, the biggest problem in a year's journey is fresh water for the humans and animals. For example, one cow would consume many gallons of water each day. Rain water is the solution to this problem. The top is designed to catch rain water. If it was not contaminated with too much ocean spray, the port on the side of the pump column would be opened so that a water vessel held inside the pump through the port, could be filled with rain water plunging from the roof catch basin through the top valve, (which would open due to the weight of the water). Fish and grain would be the staple diet of the humans. Uncooked, the fish would provide the necessary vitamins to prevent scurvy.
There were eight barges built each with the "length of a tree," (perhaps 40 to 50 feet). It is doubtful that more than one family could be housed in such a vessel along with their livestock. This would suggest that there were no more than 80 to 100 people in the entire group, i.e. perhaps 10 to 12 in each barge. The types of cattle/animals taken on the trip are unknown. Certainly they would be far different from the highly bred domesticated animals we know today. However, the following table is a coarse estimate of the required stores for a year's voyage. (see illustration below)
The milk output of each cow is hard to estimate. While modern cows produce about 80 pounds of milk per day, ancient cattle would probably not produce more than 30 or 40 pounds per day. However, for 12 people, there would still be perhaps 2.5 pints of milk per person available for both drinking and butter/cheese production. Twelve laying hens should easily produce enough eggs for 12 people. Hatching chickens would be able to keep the population at least constant, as would the natural increase of the cattle and sheep.
The period 90 days is an estimate of the maximum time between rain showers which would allow replenishment of the water stores. The total weight of cargo is thus about 36 tons, or a ship sea displacement of 1056 cubic feet. For a ship length of 50 feet, and a beam average of 25 feet, the required cargo displacement depth, (the depth the hull would sink into the water to just carry the cargo), would be 0.8 feet. The craft itself might weigh another 30 tongs or so which would yield a total (hull+cargo) ship displacement of only about 18 inches. The total food/water cargo volume of 1,331 cubic feet and a deck area of 1000 square feet would require a deck-space-height of only a few feet including crawl space.
Such a craft with no keel would be blown easily over the sea by the wind. For a voyage duration of 8256 hours, and a total distance of 15,000 miles, the average wind driven ship speed would have to be 1.82 mph. This would easily be achieved by wind speeds of the order of 20 mph blowing against the "peaked" side of the structure.
The human living quarters area would be about 625 square feet in size. This is only 50 square feet per person, but under the circumstances should be adequate. The animals would require pens and cages to keep them under control. Regular exercise could be provided the large animals by providing an animal-powered grinding mill for grinding the grain on board so that it could be mixed with milk and honey for human consumption. The small animals might be allowed to roam free part of the time. Refuse would have to be collected daily and heaved overboard from time to time through a special hatch. Drop-line fishing through the pump would be done continuously so as to catch whatever fish they might encounter while traveling through fishing grounds.
Again it should be emphasized to the reader, that the construction and design shown is pure speculation by the author, as no scriptural information is known to exist. The reason that the speculative study was performed, however, is to show that such a vessel as described, and that such a voyage with no fire cooked meals, is indeed feasible. It should be pointed out that essential vitamins are decomposed by heat. By having the people eat the food without cooking it, the Lord prevented beri-beri from afflicting them. [Richard A. Gudmundsen, Scientific Inquiry Applied to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, pp. 99-103]
Ether 6:4 When they had prepared all manner of good, that thereby they might subsist upon the water ([Illustration]): Chart: A Coarse Estimate of the Required Stores for a Year's Voyage. [Richard A. Gudmundsen, Scientific Inquiry Applied to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, p. 101]
Ether 6:5 They were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind ([Illustration]): Map VIII presents a simplified view of the ocean currents of the North Pacific. [Map IX] shows the course of the Tai Ki and how seriously it was affected by the storms encountered in the western North Pacific. As can be seen, the ocean currents provided only the barest of outlines for the course of a small boat across the Pacific. The severe North Pacific storms drive a small craft at their whim and have a dramatic effect on the ultimate course. However, [Map X] shows the typical wind patterns and storm tracks for the North Pacific that would be expected during a year-long voyage beginning in the East China Sea in autumn. . . . As can be seen from comparing Maps VIII and X, these storm tracks virtually parallel the North Pacific currents that wend their way from China to America. [Randall P. Spackman, The Jaredite Journey to America, pp. 155-158, unpublished]