How to Sail Your Ship and All Ship Types

Raise the anchor and adjust the sails of your ship to sail in Sea of Thieves. Learn how to sail your ship here, and see all the ship types available in the game before starting your journey through the seas.

How to Sail Your Ship

Step-by-Step Guide to Sailing
Use the Capstan to Raise the Anchor Lower the Sail Length to Adjust Sailing Speed Adjust Sail Angle to Catch the Wind Steer the Ship Using the Helm Lower the Anchor and Raise the Sails to Dock

Use the Capstan to Raise the Anchor

To begin sailing, interact with the capstan to raise your ship's anchor. Depending on the type of your ship, this will require a few revolutions before the anchor is fully raised. However, once the anchor is fully raised, your ship will start moving immediately.

Each ship has a different number of pegs on its capstan, indicating how many crew members are needed to raise the anchor faster. The Sloop has two pegs, the Brigantine has three, and the Galleon has four. This means that if you want to lift the anchor faster, you'll need to work together with your crewmates.

Be Mindful of Your Ship's Direction

Make sure you pay attention to where your ship is facing and the position of the helm (steering wheel) before raising anchor. After all, you wouldn't want to hit land before you even get to sail.

Lower the Sail Length to Adjust Sailing Speed

To adjust the speed of your ship, lower the sail using the directional keys. Fully lowered sails will give you the most speed, while raised sails will slow down your boat (perfect when approaching land).

Larger ships like the Brigantine and Galleon will have more sails to lower and raise. If you're playing solo or as a duo, stick to the Sloop since it will be easier to manage your speed with only one mast to attend to.

Adjust Sail Angle to Catch the Wind

To truly go full speed ahead, you will need to adjust the sail angle to catch the wind. Once your sails are fully lowered, angle the sail until it matches the direction of the wind. An animation and sound will play if your sails are successfully catching the wind.

However, there will be times when you'll have to sail against the wind. When this happens, you can still get a slight speed boost by fully rotating the sails to the left or right (depending on wind direction) to catch a bit of the wind you're sailing against.

Sloops Can Go Towards the Wind to Lose Enemy Pursuers

Out of the 3 ship types in the game, the Sloop is the fastest when sailing against the wind. If you find yourself getting chased by enemy PvPers in High Seas, try sailing against the wind to outrun them (especially if they're using a much larger ship than the Sloop).

Steer the Ship Using the Helm

Once the ship is in motion, you can steer it by turning the helm in your desired direction. To turn left, steer the wheel all the way to the left. Similarly, if you want to turn right, follow the same steps.

To head keep your ship heading straight in one direction, pay attention to the gold-studded handle of the helm. When it makes a clunk sound upon reaching the center of your screen, it means the helm is in the default position allowing you to go straight.

However, keep in mind that each ship also comes with a different helm. When using the Sloop, it only takes one full rotation to turn. The Brigantine takes one full rotation and a half, and the Galleon takes two full rotations to turn (making it the most difficult ship to turn).

Use the Harpoons to Maneuver the Ship

Another method of moving the ship is by using the harpoons. This allows you to change the direction of the ship, which is particularly useful for turning towards a specific direction or maneuvering away from docks.

Lower the Anchor and Raise the Sails to Dock the Ship

Finally, when you're near an island or simply want to pause sailing for a moment, first close the sails by adjusting their length. After that, drop the anchor again using the capstan to secure the ship in place.

Always make sure to dock your ship. Whether you're just looting sunken ships or visiting an island, docking prevents it from drifting away or hitting any obstructions that could cause damage during your voyages.

All Ship Types

Sloop

Party Size		1-2 Players
Cannons	2	Sails	1

The Sloop is the smallest ship in the game, accommodating only up to a max crew of two pirates if chosen. It features a single mast and an easy-to-reach map table which simplifies navigation compared to other ships.

Despite its size and crew limit, the Sloop can survive attacks from larger ships due to how nimble and maneuverable it is in combat. If you're afraid of PvP combat, running is an option on the Sloop since all you need to do is to sail against the wind to outrun your pursuers.

Brigantine

Party Size		1-3 Players
Cannons	4	Sails	2

The Brigantine is a ship of medium size that allows up to three players on board. With its two masts, it can sail faster than the Sloop when sailing with the wind, making it an ideal ship to use with a medium sized crew.

Despite its ability to travel quickly during voyages, it can easily sink due to its limited number of decks, which in this case is only one. This makes it necessary for a third person to focus on repairs during combat or when facing small accidents to ensure the ship doesn't sink quickly.

Galleon

Party Size		1-4 Players
Cannons	8	Sails	3

The Galleon is the largest ship available, capable of supporting up to 4 crew members on voyages. It has three masts, which, if aligned with the wind, can force the ship to move fast, making it the fastest ship available in the game.

However, due to number of sails and decks, the Galleon is also the hardest ship to handle. It will take an experienced crew of 4 working with impeccable teamwork to truly bring out the Galleon's true potential in combat.

Sea of Thieves Related Guides

Beginner's Guide to Sea of Thieves

All Tips and Tricks Guides