Last Harbor Guide
Last Harbor best boat build
Theorycraft for the best Last Harbor boat build: cannon placement, sail ratios, cargo math and the PvP meta by hull size.
Boat building in Last Harbor is not a single answer — it is a trade-off tree. Every slot you spend on a cannon is a slot you don't spend on storage. Every upgrade you put into speed is a slot you don't spend on armor. This guide covers the meta builds we expect to see at launch, by playstyle.
The PvE solo build
For solo PvE, the meta build is a Tier-2 hull with a reinforced sail, a Tier-2 engine, one deck cannon (forward), one harpoon launcher (broadside), a spiked boom, and maximum storage. You sacrifice broadside firepower for the ability to carry a full expedition's worth of loot.
The PvP chaser build
For PvP, the meta build is a Tier-3 hull with a heavy sail, a top-speed engine, three deck cannons (two broadside, one forward), a harpoon launcher and a spiked boom. Storage is minimal. The trade-off: you are fast and deadly, but you cannot carry a full scavenge load and you will be sunk if a single cannon hits your hull.
The co-op workhorse build
For 4–6 player co-op, the meta is a Tier-3 hull with maximum storage, two deck cannons, a harpoon launcher, a spiked boom, a Tier-2 engine, a reinforced sail and a machine shop on deck. The workhorse is slow, but it can carry a full crew's worth of loot and survive a 30-minute raid window.
Cannon placement theorycraft
Two broadside + one forward is the standard. The forward cannon is for single-target priority; the broadside cannons are for area denial. Never place a cannon where a sleeping crew member's bed would block the arc of fire.
Sail ratio theorycraft
Sail area is a function of mast height and sail material. A heavy sail on a Tier-2 mast is faster than a reinforced sail on a Tier-1 mast. The sweet spot for most builds is a reinforced heavy sail on a Tier-3 mast — it gives you wind pickup without the durability penalty of a fully heavy sail.