How to upgrade your boat in Windbound

Your boat is your only ally in Windbound. It enables you to traverse the treacherous waters surrounding island havens and keep you safe from water-bound enemies. As you progress through Windbound, you can upgrade your vessel. Doing so makes it stronger, faster, and allows it to hold items that you will find on your travels.

We have already detailed how to craft your first boat here. Once you acquire more materials and sturdier ones at that, you can build a better boat. Each upgrade can be found in the “Boat” and “Boat accessories” tabs of the crafting menu.

You can find out about each upgrade below, and what materials you will need to build them. Each requires an oar too, but you are given this item at the start.

Boat types

Bamboo canoe

• One grass rope – this is made from two Thick Grass. It can be crafted in the survival section of the crafting menu.
• Three bamboo – these can be found near sporadic, gray-colored trees. You can chop them down with your knife.

Wooden canoe

• Three wood – obtained from old, leafless trees. You need an ax to chop them down.
• One silk thread – these can be obtained by killing Silkmaws, which are purple ball-shaped enemies found on dense forest islands.

Grass hull

• Two grass rope
• Four thick grass

Bamboo hull

• Three bamboo
• One grass rope

Wooden hull

• Three wood
• One silk thread

Bamboo deck

• Four bamboo
• One grass rope

Wooden deck

• Four wood
• Two silk thread

Mast types

Grass mast

• One grass rope
• Two thick grass
• One stick – small, slim trees that are located on every island. Use your knife to chop them down

Bamboo mast

• One grass rope
• Two bamboo
• Three palm fronds – Giant, green leaves found on the ground. Use your knife to gather them

Wooden mast

• One wood
• One silk thread
• Two leather – obtained by drying out animal skin. You can read about how to make leather here

Boat protection

Anchor

• Two grass rope
• Two rocks – found on every island. Simply pick them up to add them to your inventory

Wooden hull armor

• Two wood
• Two grass rope

Scale hull armor

• One shell fragment – obtained from killing Pondwompers. Learn how to defeat them here
• Two grass rope

Metal hull armor

• Two grass rope
• Two crude metal – a rare item found on certain islands. Read more about how to get crude metal here

Bamboo hull spikes

• One grass rope
• Two bamboo

Wooden hull spikes

• One grass rope
• Two wood

Metal hull spikes

• One grass rope
• Two crude metal

Storage space

Bag rack

• One grass rope
• One bamboo
• One Plainstalker horn – obtained by killing a Plainstalker

Grass bucket

• Four thick grass

Bamboo bucket

• One grass rope
• Two bamboo

Wood chest

• Two wood
• One crude metal

Boat decoration

Plainstalker figurehead

• Two wood
• One Storm’s Eye gem – a rare item found on certain islands. Read more about them here

Gloomharrow figurehead

• Two wood
• One Leviathan’s Heart gem – a rare item found on certain islands. Read more about them here