As you may have guessed already, sinking ships has more than a little to do with those "Sink Ship" letters written across the playfield. You can collect your letters in many ways, and as soon as you're in single ball play with "Sink Ship" all lit, the locker will be open to load the cannon to sink a ship. Shooting the locker loads the cannon, gives a quote "Send 'em to Davy Jones!" and lights the broadside shot, which isn't trivial from the cannon. Hitting sinks a ship, missing puts you back a step to trying to shoot the locker. For your first ship, 4 "Sink Ship" letters are spotted, and then one less letter is spotted after each ship sunk. Letters can be collected in advance and will be held over, so with one good multiball you can light two or even more ships to be sunk at once. The first ship is worth 20 million, the second 30 and the third 40. I imagine this trend continues to a point and then maxes out, but I don't know where. Sinking the second ship will light special on the left (Pirate's Cove) and right orbits. There is a position on the high score table for most ships sunk, and sinking the same number of ships as the previous holder will win it.