Very Important Lessons (VIL's)

[Basil Dreadflint]

Quests!
On each island, Tortuga, Port Royal, and Padres, you can pickup the Tattoo, Jewelry and Clothing quests. Do them in the island order that I listed, Get all for a single island at once, (cause they overlap), and get them as soon as you can take them on. They are great rep producers, and make you level weapons at the same time.

[Basil Dreadflint]

If you are plundering in multiple ships, don't have 2 or more ships attack the same enemy. ALthough I can't prove it, it seems that if 2 or more ships attack the same enemy, they get lower cargo. I.E. Cargo crates vs. treasure or royal chests. It fills the hold with lower value plunder.

Likewise, once your hold is full, stop shooting, except in self defense. If you damage ships, then port, when you come back out, you have lost the rep from the pre landing stage. And again, I can't prove it, but the quality of the cargo seems to be less.