Ships might attempt to disengage and leave the fight if it’s going badly for their side. The vessel’s pilot can use the Disengage activity to attempt to free the ship. Disengage might not be an option if the ship is securely tethered to another or is otherwise held in place.Disengaging PCs: If the PCs succeed, it’s best to end the encounter and let them escape. If the battle is a climactic encounter in an adventure or campaign, however, you might want to evolve it into sailing combat or a naval chase to keep the drama high.

Disengaging Enemies: Enemies should Disengage only as a last-ditch effort when they’re admitting defeat. If their attempt fails, have them surrender or otherwise accelerate the end of the fight. If the enemies succeed and the PCs truly want to play out the rest of the battle, it’s usually preferable to tweak the details to let the PCs easily catch up and defeat the foes, or to have them narrate how they secure victory. If you expect your players will not accept their foes escaping in defeat, it’s better to have the enemies surrender instead of attempting to Disengage in the first place.