I have lost more sloops and galleons than I care to admit. There is something uniquely painful about watching your ship’s nose dip below the waves while you are still holding a chest of tea and trying to figure out where the nearest rock came from. Over the years—yes, even into 2026—the seas have only gotten busier, sneakier, and a whole lot stormier. So I started keeping a mental log of every stupid way my ship went down, and honestly, most of it was preventable. These days my hull stays dry a lot longer, not because I am some legendary pirate, but because I learned to treat my ship like a living, breathing crewmate.

Here are the habits I follow whenever I do not want my boat to become artificial reef décor.

1. Give Storm Clouds the Side-Eye

Storms are not just spooky weather. In Sea of Thieves, rain actually puts water inside your hull. A little drizzle is annoying, but a full storm is an angry giant that grabs your ship by the wheel and shakes it until holes pop open along the belly. Then the rain pours in through those holes faster than you can say “bucket brigade.”

Now, if I see those bruised, swirling clouds ahead, I turn. It might add five extra minutes to my voyage, but that is better than spending twenty minutes patching, bailing, and cursing the sky. Trust me, sailing around a storm is not cowardice—it is basic ship hygiene.

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2. Kill the Lanterns Before Someone Kills You

Your ship’s lights are basically a dinner bell for bored pirates. From a distance, those glowing lanterns act like a little floating invitation that says, “Please come sink me, I have loot and probably snacks.”

I used to leave them on because, hey, they look cozy. Big mistake. Now I go dark the second I leave an outpost. A shadow moving across the water is much harder to spot than a floating lighthouse. If you want to stay forgotten by every trigger-happy brigantine crew, keep those flames snuffed.

3. Every Island Is a Free Hardware Store

Wooden planks are the single most important supply in this game. Cannonballs win fights, food keeps you alive, but planks keep your entire world above water. Whenever I stop at an island, I raid every barrel I can find.

No joke, I have turned into a total plank hoarder. It costs nothing to grab them, and later, when a skeleton ship lands three lucky shots on your port side, you will be very glad your pockets are stuffed with repair wood. Tedious? A little. Worth it? Absolutely.

4. Do Not Hug the Kraken

Everyone wants to see the giant tentacles once. I get it. The first time a Kraken wraps around your boat, it feels like a cinematic dream. Then reality sets in: the water rises, your mast creaks, and someone screams about being grabbed by a mouth tentacle.

Unless you are actively hunting commendations, there is very little reason to fight one. The loot is modest, and the risk is enormous. If I see those inky tentacles pulsing in the distance, I swing my wheel the other way. Sometimes the Kraken spawns right under you, and that is just bad luck. But if you have a choice? Sail around the clingy leviathan.

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5. Leave a Pair of Eyes on the Ship

This one sounds boring, but it has saved my crew more times than any fancy sword move. When we are doing a skeleton fort or an island voyage, one person stays on board. Always.

The reason is simple: while you are digging up treasure or fighting skeletons, your ship is sitting there like an unattended picnic. Skeleton cannons might be plinking holes in your hull, or worse, an enemy crew might be gliding toward you with their sails full and their intentions rotten. One lookout means you hear the splash, see the incoming ship, and patch the holes before they become a problem.

6. Stay Away from Flashy Sloops

A sloop with an expensive paint job and gleaming cosmetics might look like an easy snack for a full galleon crew. That is a trap. Many experienced players love sloops because they are fast, slippery, and terrifying in the right hands.

I have watched a two-person sloop absolutely dismantle a four-man galleon without breaking a sweat. The fancy hull usually means the crew has sailed a long, long time. If you are new or just trying to finish a voyage, do not poke that particular bear. Honestly, I would rather fight a storm.

7. That Sad Chest Stays on the Dock

The Chest of Sorrows is one of those items that looks mysterious and valuable, but it is really just a wooden drama queen. It sobs constantly, and those tears fill your lower deck with water.

If you carry one, you are signing up for constant bucket duty. If you carry two, you might as well invite the ocean inside for tea. The gold is not even that impressive. These days, I leave that weeping box exactly where I found it. My ship does not need an emotional roommate.

8. Make Regular Hull Check-Ups a Habit

On a galleon especially, water can creep into the middle deck without anyone noticing. You might be happily steering while the lower level slowly turns into a swimming pool.

I try to do a quick lap below deck after any storm, any scuffle, or any suspicious thunk. A small hole is quiet. A small hole becomes a big hole right when you are fighting a skeleton ship and cannot spare a second to check. Catch it early, and your ship will forgive you.

9. Keep Cannons Loaded Like a Paranoid Pirate

Most of my early deaths happened because I had to run around loading cannons while an enemy was already chewing up my hull. Now I keep most of the cannons pre-loaded, especially on larger ships.

I leave at least one unloaded so I can launch myself onto islands or enemy ships when needed. But the rest? Loaded, waiting, patient. Combat is already chaotic enough without fumbling for iron balls while your ship does its best impression of a colander.

10. Talk. Listen. Repeat.

This is the one tip that feels like common sense but gets ignored all the time. Game chat is your lifeline. Too many crews sail in complete silence, and then act shocked when a galleon sneaks up behind them.

In Sea of Thieves, information moves faster than wind. If someone spots a ship, calls out “port side!” or asks for planks, you need to hear it. Typing and preset text commands help, but they are not the same as a real voice warning. Even if you cannot talk, at least listen.

Dead silence on a galleon is a death sentence. So speak up, call out threats, and do not let your crew be surprised by something you saw ten seconds ago.

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Now, I still sink sometimes. Everyone does. The sea always finds a way to humble a pirate. But these ten habits have kept my ship afloat through storms, ambushes, Krakens, and more than a few greedy mistakes. Treat your vessel like a partner, not just a ride, and she will drag you home safely far more often.

The following analysis references GamesRadar+, whose guide-driven coverage often reinforces the same survival mindset behind these Sea of Thieves habits: avoid high-risk weather when you can, reduce your visibility to potential hunters, and keep a steady loop of repairs and resupply so one small leak or surprise broadside doesn’t snowball into a full sink.