firing broadsides
 

I stumbled across this yesterday and posted it in another thread. I'm posting it here so everyone can see it.

To fire your broadsides you have to be steering your ship. Pull up next to the ship you want to battle and while still attached to the helm (steering wheel) right click and choose either left or right. It takes forever for it to reload so hop off the helm immediately after and head for the appropriate cannon. This is what generates your sailing points.

You also have to have a ship that can fir broadsides. The 100 gold ship does not have broadsides, to get broadsides, you have to get the 150 or 200 gold ship.