Why can’t we steal the ships we capture?

I was never in the live beta and I was told from two Sources that the privateer could take ships like pirates can. I was going to be a pirate but all the people i knew who were going to play POTBS wanted to go british navy and if i was a pirate they could not really help me out. But when Mr Stone aka gaul stone tricked me!!! also another memeber told me porkys. Privateers cant take ships but it would be nice if they could as thats what privateers did. Well its just me crying but i would like to see it added.

well with pirates being able to capture ships they have nothing to lose in pvp.while we have everything to lose,they should have a penalty on captured ships.as its alittle unfair.it costs us like 25k for a ship plus all the building time etc that goes into it. and yeah privateers should beable to capture ships to.

In a way, we do.

The Nations (as opposed to the pirates) have the "Claim Prize Ship" ability which gives us pennants or commendations (depending on class). These, in-turn, can be traded in for a number of useful items, including ships, as well as raw materials, manufactured goods, exp books, respec's, outfitting's etc giving us much more flexiblity.
Admittedly, Pirates can actually Use the ships they capture, but they are limited in the same way we are, to the number of slots available in their drydock (+1- pirate ability). They also only have a durability of 1, so once they're gone, they're gone! including all the outfitting they so lovingly bought, at outrageous prices 'cos they don't have Freetraders to make them cheap - oh, and they're Pirates, after all

The Nations have to be Organised - a functioning economy, enough to replace our losses and an Organised Navy to take the war to them. This reflects the "ethos" of the two sides, organisation vs chaos. The Pirates are the Parasites that feed off us! They need to be exterminated (which is why we have a Navy after all )

just my two doubloons worth!

Their Claim Ship skill has a 2h Cooldown, alongside Pirate Economy is far harder then a Nation Economy.

Despite me not liking the idea of losing my own ship, i must admit it balances things.

PS: Your forums have been hijacked by Cap. 3rd Class Lockhart!

well i have read that pirates can capture a ship then use it ya.
but they also have Scavenge which if they are lucky to get a ship deed,if they get more of the same deed then they can be put together and get higher durability on them than 1.