Every new captain in Windrose gets their first ship for free by completing the opening tutorial, which takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes. You start as a dockhand in Port Marigold, and the story walks you through basic sailing, steering, and firing cannons before handing you the keys to a starter sloop.
The tutorial ship is the Marigold Sloop, a small but capable vessel with two cannon ports and a crew capacity of eight. It is not fast or tough, but it is more than enough to complete early contracts and start earning gold. Do not skip the tutorial to buy something else, because the sloop comes with a full basic loadout of cannons, sails, and provisions at no cost.
Once you own the sloop, it appears in your ship list at any dock. You can rename it for free once, and additional renames cost a small gold fee. Treat it well, because it will carry you through the first several hours of gameplay.
- Tutorial length: 45-60 minutes
- Reward ship: Marigold Sloop
- Crew capacity: 8 sailors
- Cannons: 2 ports (4 cannons)
Your First Ship From the Tutorial
Every new captain in Windrose gets their first ship for free by completing the opening tutorial, which takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes. You start as a dockhand in Port Marigold, and the story walks you through basic sailing, steering, and firing cannons before handing you the keys to a starter sloop.
The tutorial ship is the Marigold Sloop, a small but capable vessel with two cannon ports and a crew capacity of eight. It is not fast or tough, but it is more than enough to complete early contracts and start earning gold. Do not skip the tutorial to buy something else, because the sloop comes with a full basic loadout of cannons, sails, and provisions at no cost.
Once you own the sloop, it appears in your ship list at any dock. You can rename it for free once, and additional renames cost a small gold fee. Treat it well, because it will carry you through the first several hours of gameplay.
- Tutorial length: 45-60 minutes
- Reward ship: Marigold Sloop
- Crew capacity: 8 sailors
- Cannons: 2 ports (4 cannons)
Buying Your Second Ship
After the tutorial, most players want to upgrade quickly. The fastest path is to grind trade and bounty contracts until you have around 1,500 to 2,000 gold, then visit a shipwright in any major port to purchase a larger vessel.
The cheapest purchasable ship is the Saltbox Cutter at 1,200 gold. It is faster than the starter sloop and has slightly more cargo space, making it ideal for early trading runs. If you prefer combat, save up 2,000 gold for the Ironwind Brig, which has more cannons and a tougher hull.
| Ship | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Saltbox Cutter | 1,200 gold | Trading, speed |
| Ironwind Brig | 2,000 gold | Combat, bounties |
| Driftwood Schooner | 3,500 gold | Balanced, exploration |
When you buy a new ship, your old one is not lost. You can own multiple vessels and switch between them at any dock. This lets you keep a fast trader and a combat ship ready for different situations.
Earning Gold for Your Ship Quickly
If you want to skip the grind and buy a better ship fast, focus on the most efficient early game money makers. The goal is to hit 1,200 gold for your first upgrade within a couple of hours.
Fastest early gold sources:
- Trade contracts: Buy low at one port, sell high at another. Spice and rum runs pay well early.
- Bounty contracts: Hunt down named pirate NPCs. Each pays 150 to 300 gold.
- Salvage: Loot floating wreckage after battles for sellable materials.
- Fishing: Sell caught fish at market ports for steady passive income.
The single most efficient method for new players is the trade loop between Port Marigold and Saltmere. Buy spice at Marigold, sail to Saltmere, sell it for a profit, then buy rum on the return trip. Each round trip nets around 200 gold and takes about 15 minutes, so you can afford a Cutter in under two hours.
Understanding Ship Ownership and Storage
One question new players often have is what happens to their ships and cargo when they switch vessels. Windrose handles this cleanly so you never lose progress.
Each ship you own is stored at the dock where you last moored it. Switching ships is free and instant at any port where you have a vessel. Cargo, however, is ship specific, so you must manually transfer goods between ships using the cargo management screen.
Your crew also needs to be reassigned when you change ships. Sailors stay in your roster, but you must assign them to a vessel up to its crew capacity. Bigger ships need more crew to operate at full efficiency, so plan your hiring accordingly.
Key takeaways: Ships are permanent once owned, cargo must be transferred manually, and crew rosters are shared across all your vessels.