autrison12 on Jun 8, 2016 wrote:

I have just entered Aquila (Long time since I bought crowns), and my nautical level is only 43. I can't get any good gear for any Aquilan origin ships, so I am stuck using my Marleybone Galleon. Is there any easy way to get nautical XP? All of the side quests I have been doing don't give much (definitely not enough to level up). So should I try grinding ships? I now have much more time to grind ships because school just ended.

-Careful Jeremy Burke, Level 63 Witchdoctor

PS: I just promoted my Old Scratch. Which Companion should I swap him out for, (Because of the spell power buff), El Toro, Kan Po, or Bonnie Anne?

Give the "Sailin'" task to any crewmembers you aren't using. Go back to Marleybone and hunt ships. In a few days these points will mount up.
I did Aquila before the Advanced Companions update, I was in a Marleybone Galleon - if you don't mind being boarded, you can hunt ships in Aquila, too. I recommend the Vultures, they are the easiest in those skies.
About Old Scratch
That is a very difficult question to answer, those are all excellent companions and they bring a lot to the battle. I would try a few battles with trading out those companions and see which set up works for you.

I try to keep my Nautical Level within 2 levels of my Pirate Level (preferably one more than my Pirate Level). The way I do this is by fighting all ships while traveling the Skyways unless I only get 1 Nautical Point per ship or they are too hard. If they are too hard, I go back to the last place I was fighting ships that I could beat and fight there till I go up at least 1 level or more. I also try to fight as many Boss ships (those with named captains) as I can and fight other ships till they regenerate. When my Health gets low (yellow level) and I can't heal with the Wheel's Healing Power, I go to a Windlane and wait there to regenerate Ship's Health. I usually do this while questing which makes it much easier than having to Farm for Nautical Experience.

Don't board the ships to fight them and, if you keep being boarded by them, then I think they are too hard to use my technique. In other words, BLOW them out of the sky. You get at least the same amount of Nautical Experience (if not more), that you get during boarding actions; you can get Scrip depending on which Skyway you are in; and you also have a chance of getting Ship Equipment which you can either use on your ships or sell at either the Bazaar or a Ship Vendor for Gold.

autrison12 on Jun 8, 2016 wrote:

I have just entered Aquila (Long time since I bought crowns), and my nautical level is only 43. I can't get any good gear for any Aquilan origin ships, so I am stuck using my Marleybone Galleon. Is there any easy way to get nautical XP? All of the side quests I have been doing don't give much (definitely not enough to level up). So should I try grinding ships? I now have much more time to grind ships because school just ended.

-Careful Jeremy Burke, Level 63 Witchdoctor

PS: I just promoted my Old Scratch. Which Companion should I swap him out for, (Because of the spell power buff), El Toro, Kan Po, or Bonnie Anne?

Hi there! I have the same problem as you. I have just entered Aquila on two of my pirates and their nautical level is around 44ish. What I am going to try to do this Saturday (possibly Sunday too depending on how far I get and how busy work is) around 2 -5pm central time is sink some Aquilan ships. I will bring my pirate on my other account who has an Aquila galleon to help. You are more than welcome to join if you are available. I am still using Mooshu skiffs lol. I will be in Avery realm. I plan on hanging around where pluton is or on the side near Achaea just to the right of Talos on the map.

Dandy Zenobia Xirigi
Scarlet Nightingale

autrison12 on Jun 19, 2016 wrote:

I have an even bigger problem now: My privateer, level 21 (doing Castillo Sapo as we speak) has nautical level 9! Even when assigning all companions to sailing (I didn't even gain one level overnight), and using all the other strategies I have seen, the ships in Cool Ranch are DESTROYING me. Is there possibly any other way to gain nautical XP?

If you never do any ship fighting, you'll never catch up at this rate. The SINGLE best way to raise your nautical level is to battle and sink ships. Even boarding and defeating the crew helps. However, if you cannot bring yourself to get good at sinking enemy ships, you should really do some of these side quests that reward you with Nautical XP:

http://www.pirate101central.com/forums/showthread.php?58294-Nautical-Know-How-Where-to-Get-Nautical-XP-if-You-HATE-Sinking-Ships&highlight=nautical+side+quest

Good Luck!

autrison12 on Jun 19, 2016 wrote:

I have an even bigger problem now: My privateer, level 21 (doing Castillo Sapo as we speak) has nautical level 9! Even when assigning all companions to sailing (I didn't even gain one level overnight), and using all the other strategies I have seen, the ships in Cool Ranch are DESTROYING me. Is there possibly any other way to gain nautical XP?

If you're confident in your hand-to-hand capabilities you can just go into broadside battle with the intention of allowing the enemy to board your ship. Sail up next to them and let them pound you and hit them with some shots that have a chance to leave damage tokens on their deck. With luck they'll start at reduced health and you only need to finish them off. You'll get Nautical XP, character XP, gold and drops... the only things you won't get this way are scrip and ship equipment. If you concentrate on enemies that count towards a badge or some you need for a quest you can kill several birds with one stone.