Age of sail simulation?

[fw66]

I would definitely buy a game based on this sort of thing

I know you're asking for specific games, but I'm afraid I don't know any, but I've always thought that sh3's engine would be great for modding something like this due to its campaign system and the fact that it models wind speed/direction, crew morale etc..

The campaign could be set in the napoleonic wars, or perhaps a little earlier.
You could choose a navy (eg French, British, Spanish), start as captain of a sloop and get sent on cruises to patrol certain areas capturing/sinking vessels - much like in sh3

Scripted events could also take place (like the battle of the Nile, Trafalgar etc) and you could be summoned to join scripted fleets via the radio message system (obviously modded to look suitably 18th/early 19th century as if receiving orders from a ship carrying dispatches)

the renown system would work well with ship and weapon upgrades too.

Of course, even a very simple version of this would be an enormous amount of work, but it's an interesting thought and one that I frequently daydream about!