Be a Pirate Ship Upgrades: How to Upgrade, What It Costs, and Which Stats Improve

Quick answer

You upgrade your current ship in Be a Pirate by reinvesting the coins and loot you collect out on the water into it. The stats you can improve are speed, health, and cannons, and upgrades are paid for with those same in-game coins.

• Upgradeable stats: speed, health, and cannons on the ship you currently own
• Cost: coins, earned from looting islands, sinking ships, and digging up treasure
• Before Kraken or boss events: upgrade defenses and go in with plenty of health

What you can improve on your ship

Upgrading is tied to the ship you currently own: the coins and loot you collect from sailing, from islands, and from sinking ships go straight back into that hull. Three stats take the investment:

• Speed — how quickly your ship moves across the sea
• Health — how much punishment your hull absorbs in a fight
• Cannons — your firepower when you meet another ship

Building all three up is what lets your current ship handle tougher encounters, which matters because every new area throws bigger targets at you.

The tutorial shows equipment being fitted: right after you buy the Dinghy at the Shipwright in Starter Port — with the "DINGHY UNLOCKED! Faster, sturdier and more cargo space!" banner — Old Finn bolts a swivel gun onto it under the objective "FITTING A SWIVEL GUN." The gun fires left with Q and right with E.

What upgrades cost

Upgrades are funded with plain coins — the same currency you earn while playing — so the real question is how fast you can build your balance:

1. Loot close to home. Sail near smaller ships and islands to collect basic loot and coins.
2. Sink weaker ships first. Prioritize blasting weaker enemy ships so you build strength safely before challenging larger targets.
3. Dig every treasure you spot. Legendary finds give big coin boosts that speed up your upgrades.

And on the spending side, the advice is just as simple: keep reinvesting every coin into the ship instead of letting the balance sit idle.

The loop that pays for it all

From loose coins to your next ship

1. 01

   Loot the easy targets

   Sail close to smaller ships and islands to collect basic loot and coins.

2. 02

   Reinvest in your current ship

   Put those coins into speed, health, and cannons so your hull can handle tougher encounters.

3. 03

   Dig for treasure

   Dig up treasure whenever you spot it — legendary finds give big coin boosts that accelerate your next upgrades.

4. 04

   Save toward the next unlock

   Keep reinvesting every coin toward your next ship unlock on the way to the game's full 24-ship lineup.

Every new ship becomes your current ship, and the same loot-and-reinvest loop starts over on a faster, sturdier hull.

When to upgrade what

Tips

01

Farm weaker ships first

Blast weaker enemy ships to build strength safely before you challenge larger targets.

02

Defense and health before big events

Watch for Kraken and boss events, and upgrade defenses plus bring enough health before engaging.

03

Never sit on your coins

Steady reinvesting is the fastest path — every coin parked is an upgrade you are not buying.

04

Match the sea to your power

Move through the seas in order so each new area matches your current strength.

Where to go next

Once your upgrades have the current ship where you want it, the next step is a bigger hull entirely — see how to get ships for the unlock path. Heading toward rougher waters? The combat guide and Kraken guide cover the fights your upgrades are preparing you for, and the treasure locations page keeps the big coin boosts coming.