quick guide to getting your first fleet of six ships, comments appreciated before i actually post it in guides section.

[spirit6-minecrafting]

you start out with a cog,(really weak small ship).

follow the quest line, when you get to Nantes, adjust your ship to 100 cabin space and buy 99 sausages.

talk to the guy in the residence, he'll ask for the sausages. talk again to give them to him, you get funds and a galley, (read more cargo space). 2 ships now

head to Plymouth, buy stuff, sell in London, buy things and sell in Plymouth
repeat several times and buy another ship, (I usually get a medium galley) in Calais. 3 ships

Get the bishop, and leave London with max sailors, as you will have a fight on the way back, stop at Plymouth and get more goods
Get back to Nantes, residence is now where Magellan is, you will get sent back to Amsterdam.

Fill up any empty space with fruit brandy and elderberries then sell everything (unless it has a red arrow, meaning you're selling at a loss.) at Gijon, buy as much of everything there and unload it at Plymouth. then head to Amsterdam.
Get the medicine, then head to Nantes. i usually go get about three million before proceeding with the quest line. Meet up with Magellan
At this point, you can get the Santa Ana clipper by investing 1 M in Tunisia. I think you can invest at any time, but can get the ship at this point.

Istanbul wants you to attack Venice and you get another clipper and some artillery blueprints, that's five ships already.

By this point you should have enough to buy another ship or two. I would suggest another melee ship. (Medium Galley is a good choice. Don't forget to arm your ships with Mortars or at least Carronades, it's easier to wipe out crew than sink ships usually, and definitely easier to deal with galleys that way.

This is my first guide, I hope you like it.