Every ship carries a boat, and a captain in a boat can do what no ship can: go aboard a struck enemy and take it as a prize, or come back to a ship left behind.
The boats
There are two ship's boats:
- The launch, carried by the First Rate, the Seventy-four and the Frigate: a 32-foot pulling boat with twenty men and twelve oars.
- The jolly boat, carried by the Brig, the Cutter and the Brigantine: an 18-foot boat with four oars, six men, and a quicker turn.
Both are unarmed. Each has a page in the shipyard, and you can take either one out in Sea Trial from there.
Lowering the boat
Press B to lower your ship's boat and go down into it. The ship has to be making under 2 knots, so take the way off first. Lowering takes ten seconds, and the boat comes down alongside on the lee side. Press B again during that time to stop it. Getting under way or drifting off stops it too, and a line on the screen says why.
While you're away in the boat, a captain takes the ship. It lies to and waits for you, and if an enemy comes within reach it fights whichever broadside bears from where it lies.
Rowing
A boat is rowed, not sailed, and the wind doesn't move it. W and S step the stroke through back water, hold water, easy and full. A boat left at hold water lies still, and when it has no way on the crew toss their oars upright. A and D work the rudder as on a ship, and backing water reverses the helm as sternway does. At full stroke the launch makes about 4 knots and the jolly boat nearly as much.
Nothing fires on a boat. The guns pass it over and shot passes through it, so a boat can cross a battle unharmed, and a friendly boat never fouls anyone's line of fire.
Going aboard
From a boat, come alongside a ship, within 20 metres of its side with both of you under 2 knots, and press B. Going aboard takes fifteen seconds. You can go aboard:
- your boat's own ship, which hoists the boat in;
- any ship of your side you have commanded before, such as one you left for a prize;
- an enemy that has struck, which makes it a prize (below);
- another player's ship of your side, in a room, as a passenger (below).
The boat comes aboard with you, and the ship it belongs to gets its boat back on deck.
Taking a prize
An enemy ship that has struck is a derelict, and the other side can take it. Row across, come alongside and press B. When you go aboard, the prize comes over to your side: its white flag comes down, its morale is back to full, its surviving crew are yours, and you command it.
The ship you left doesn't drift away. It stays in your squadron, lies to while there's nobody to fight, and answers your signals: see Squadron and Signals.
Two limits:
- A ship that has struck is never its own side's to board, so you can't rescue a struck friend.
- A captain whose own ship struck can take no prize until back in command of a ship.
Passengers
In a room, you can row up to another player's ship of your side and go aboard as a passenger, without asking; its captain gets a line saying you've come aboard. You ride in the ship and see what it sees, but you give no orders. Press B to lower your boat again and leave. If the ship you ride in is taken as a prize, or its player leaves the room, its passengers are put over the side in their boats at once.