Do not sail around aimlessly. On turn 1 or 2, sail to an empty outpost space (orange/red zones near your start) and build. Why?
So the next time you hear "pirate," don't look to the Caribbean. Look north. Look to the ice.
The theme of piracy in the North Sea is a core mechanic in several popular games:
If you have 2 harbors close together (e.g., one on your route to another), you can:
Pirates Of The Northsea in Scheveningen (Nederland) - Escapetalk.nl