Choosing The Levels?

[Ameila]

I was just sailing this morning on my new war sloop, when I saw a boardable barracuda. I had just signed on, so the little box on the bottom right corner had my sword in it. So before boarding, I kill the mercanary (the only one i saw) with my cannons. Then, i board it. There were about five hired-guns with venom daggers, that sadly, killed me.
So i went sailin again with my voodoo doll (my highest lvl weapon) in the box and boarded again, with about five mercanaries! again, i die.
THEN I thought about it. And had my nades, (my lowest lvl weapon) in the box.
Again, I board it. but this time there were five lvl seven thugs?!? I saw a pattern.
Could even the highest level flagships work to your advantage?
Hope it works for ye!