Any tips for starting crews?

[Risket Xero]

I've only been playing for a few days. Mostly when I get off work and a few times during work haha I'm a graphic artist so I'm at a computer all day. I also work fast so I end up having a lot of spare time. I'd say most of my play time has been during work.

Anyway, I still only have a basic (free) account. I'll randomly get bored with something and then never touch it again. So I want to wait and see if I max out everything I can and I'm still interested in the game, then I'll upgrade. But I'll join random crews just to go out and plunder for a while. There are some crews where it just seems like a free-for-all. Everyone's just doing what they want, shooting at anyone they see and the captain isn't paying attention to their damage. I still have low levels but I'm pretty good on the cannon. I can also maneuver my ship so that I can take out a Ghost Ship and other much bigger/stronger ships without getting hit once. I'll stay behind them and alternate sides while the other sides' cannons are reloading. Then I head towards one side and turn so that all my cannons are aimed right behind them.

Yesterday I joined a crew where the captain seemed to forget it was their ship we were on. We all got on the ship and the captain went over to one of the cannons and was just waiting. So I went to the crew chat and asked, "Are we waiting for more or should I take the helm?" ....there was no answer and they stayed on the cannon shooting at things too far to even hit. So one of the other crew members just went and took it over and we went off. After we got back to port me and the one who took over the helm went off on our their ship.

I also hate it when there aren't enough cannons. I like to get right in there but sometimes all the cannons are full on one side and there's nothing going on on the other side. I also use my compass a lot while on the cannons. If I just took down a ship and there's another in the distance heading towards us but my compass shows a closer ship on the other side, I'll go for that one first. I've had people on my own ship who just stay on one side when the battle is on the other side of the ship.