Captain: A Captain's role on the ship differs depending on the nature of the ship. On navy ships, the captain is the ultimate authority. On many pirate ships, however, the captain's authority is defined by the ship's charter. Some charters allow the captain to act as a general, taking authority only when the ship battles with another ship, while others give the captain the same authority he holds on a navy ship. The captain often isn't the most experienced sailor on board (see ship's master below), but he is usually the man with the best command skills. He usually has a number of officers under his direct command.