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The whole crew matching thing is an important part of the game. I almost always have it turned on. For privateering, that is disastrous, as most "randoms" are actually Spanish spies that rejoin one second after being kicked (even if ignored or reported.) I think the new style of excluding all newcomers from experienced crews, is a cruel mistake. I was once level 1. So were you.
Before privateering, it was rare to have a complete lunatic join by crew matching. (The day they released the new islands was a notable exception to that.) Usually, a clueless noob would be just that - clueless (but willing to learn.) You used to be able to TALK to someone shooting grappling hooks, to explain the green circles concept. Before ship-vs-ship, people would listen if you took the time to explain it.
While the crew matching thing is better than it was with manual crews only, there are serious defects that make it increasingly hazardous. People kicked don't STAY kicked. People ignored or reported can still join crew. SvS flag affiliation is ignored - you can become a "spy" accidentally.
For sailing, the concept of a crew is quite different than the POTCO concept of a crew. What might work a lot better, would be if a new "crew" was started every time you launch a ship. If you had a way of connecting with people from your last three (or four or five) crews, there would be the needed continuity. (Without it, we'd need larger friend lists.) With crew matching turned on by default with each launch, you'd never be waiting around to find a ship to board, to level up cannons. Problematic people could be kicked (or keel hauled, or made to walk the plank) and crew matching could be left on, if only the crew matching would KEEP them out of crew, once kicked.
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