Great insight, Captain...and thank you.
Aye! I have tried to do what you suggested concerning ramming then, using my broadside. The mistake I keep making (&...I will have to practice some more), is that after I initiate a ramming...I am not fast enough yet to hit the brakes on my ship to engage in a effective broadside. * The cannons go off but the angle of my ship sometimes falters. In other words, some cannonballs make damage but I've noticed, not all of them...
What is effective way to ram? I know this is a silly question but, is it better to do so directly head-on to another ship's nose - or - is it better to ram a ship's port & starboard side?
EDIT (Mar 12, 2011 at 8:26 PM):
Also, if you are sailing a War Frigate or War Galleon & you are "too close" to a Light Sloop...your broadsides miss terribly if you are in close contact with them. What do you suggest using these type of ships? I mostly sail with a War Sloop while SVS but, the question just now came to me about the other war ships.