Why Don't I Get My Share?!

[StellaInTheSky]

Am I not correct in understanding that on land if you are involved in a fight and there is a pouch/chest/skull chest dropped, everyone involved (i.e. everyone that inflicted damage on the enemy) can loot said drop?

That being said, if I'm correct then shouldn't that be the same concept when getting drops at sea? I've missed out on MANY drops when I've been out on public ships trying to earn Monica some extra gold. Several times there would only be a couple of us on the ship and therefore ample cannon time. We'd have a few pouches and chests and upon porting, when the 'plunder' screen appears, there is no area for the drops...only the breakdown of the crates, treasure chests and royals. I understand that if I am manning cannons on the starboard side and a drop comes from an enemy defeated on the port side I may not get a share of the drop. But if I'm the one hitting the ship as the drop happens why do I not get a share in the end?

Maybe I'm just misunderstanding something. But I kind of feel like I'm being cheated out of loot I earned...