Hull reinforcement is slotted into the Hull Armor slot at the dry dock. The naming convention uses a Mk series, with Hull Armour (Mk I) confirmed on the demo build and a tiered progression implied for later unlocks.
On this page
Mk I numbers
| Slot state | Armor | Top speed |
|---|---|---|
| Empty Hull Armor slot | 25 | Full trawler speed |
| Armored Hull Protection (Mk I) | 150 | Roughly 3 knots |
The empty slot is not a free choice. It is the default state, and it ships with the boat. The Mk I module is the first thing you buy for the slot, and the moment you install it the speed line in the slot bar drops because the boat now drags a heavier hull through the water.
A second slot in the same family — fish storage — increases cargo capacity so longer expeditions can carry more catch without returning to a settlement. Treat fish storage as part of the same stacking discussion as armor because they both compete for space and budget.
Trade-offs
- Armor up, speed down. Going from empty to Armored Hull Protection takes the boat from 25 armor at full speed to 150 armor at about 3 knots. A fully armored trawler cannot catch the surface marks the player chases, which is why early-game players run empty hull until they have learned the zones.
- Cargo grows. Fish storage compounds the armor trade-off: more cargo means more fuel burned per trip, but also more catch per hour in named zones.
- Currency tension. Hull upgrades cost torn pages from the Ship Upgrade Skill Tree, which shares the torn-page pool with engine unlocks and with bait recipes in the Fishing Skill Tree. Stacking hull too quickly starves the other slots.
Stack order
Install Hull Armour (Mk I) only after the rest of the slot is planned
Install Hull Armour (Mk I) only after you have a clear plan for the rest of the slot — speed loss is permanent until the slot is replaced.
Stack fish storage on the same expedition if the run plan is multi-zone
Stack fish storage on the same expedition if the run plan is multi-zone.
Plan engine and propeller slots behind hull
Plan the engine and propeller slots behind hull because a fast boat with no armor is stranded the first time a tentacle encounter closes in.
Upgrading hull first is recommended because it lets the boat survive mutated creature encounters on the way to the rarer fishing grounds. For the slot split and fuel trade-offs, see the DREADMOOR engine and propeller upgrade guide.
Continue the slot plan
Stack hull, then fish storage, then the engine and propeller slots so the boat survives rare-fish runs on the way to deeper zones.