1. Getting Your First Ship (Ketch)
Your first ship is the Ketch — a small but capable vessel. Unlock it by completing the "Need A Bigger Boat" quest line. Don't skip the tutorial quests — they give essential blueprints including the Ketch itself.
Once unlocked, press 'K' to summon your boat to any nearby shore. It spawns at the closest valid beach or dock. If nothing happens, you're too far from water.
2. Building a Wharf
The Wharf is your ship's home base. Build it at your beach-side base using wood and stone. It allows you to:
- Repair damaged ships
- Respawn destroyed ships (costs 20 Wood)
- Upgrade your vessel when you unlock better blueprints
If your ship gets destroyed: build a Wharf → pay 20 Wood → press 'K' to respawn it. Don't panic — ship loss is recoverable.
3. Upgrading Your Ship
Ship upgrades are unlocked through exploration and quest progression, not crafting menus. Explore new islands, complete quests, and scan shipwrecks to find upgrade blueprints.
Key upgrades include: larger cargo holds, faster sail configurations, reinforced hulls for deeper waters, and weapon mounts for combat.
4. Navigation Tips
- Use map markers to mark island locations, resource nodes, and points of interest
- Watch for storms — they damage your ship over time. Head to shore or ride them out with repairs ready
- Your ship has a storage compartment — use it to transport bulk resources between islands
- Always carry repair materials on board
5. Ship Combat Tips
Ships can engage in naval combat. Bring a repair kit before any voyage. Use mobility to avoid enemy cannon fire — stationary ships are dead ships. Ram smaller vessels to board them for loot.