The pirates are the ships that try to sink you as you sail around the islands. You get your first ship (a raft) at Fort Ridley when you provide a clue to the Governor.
Go past the covered bridge, then down to the river. Pick up a doubloon from the left side. Buy the chicken feed at the General Store, and give it to the boy with the chickens, who will give you one. Take the chicken to the farmer at the right of the bridge, who will give you a blue candle, which can read the writing on the faded parchment in the Governor's house. Now you can use the broken mirror (upper right shelf of the General Store) to signal a ship from the fort's telescope.
(Until you read the parchment, the only ship in the telescope is a pirate ship.)
Save up your doubloons and you can buy a better ship from the Ship Shape shipbuilders at Dragon Cove.
The only ship you go on is your own. You begin with the raft and you buy larger ships as you can afford them.
You can copy a belted or sheathed sword (not a held one) from several of the characters on Skullduggery Island. One of them is the surly pirate in the Cannonry at the Pirate Outpost.
Your Life gauge shows whenever a pirate ship or a sea creature is nearby.
Kill pirates of course!!
Just dock in an island and your ship (or raft) will fully heal.
by the top floor
the cannoneer is 20,000 doubloons.
On the left hand side next to skulldegery
The trader is right at the end of the dock.
After you collect all 5 map pieces, the new island (Skullduggery) appears near the Pirate Outpost. But there is nothing you can do there right away. You have to continue to accumulate doubloons, so that you can buy a ship that can beat Captain Crawfish. You need the largest ship, the Phoenix warbird, and the skilled crewmen: the Shipwright and the Cannoneer. Once you defeat captain Crawfish, return to Fort Ridley and the governor will give you the directions to the buried treasure on the small island.
The cannons on your ship!
You go into any harbor.