If you want support for PotC and especially the Build mods, you've come to the right place.
We're definitly very much active here and still working on making our modpacks better.
Although these days the usual response to questions about Build 13 is some variant of "Use Build 14".
Very true. But that's for a good reason, because our Build 14 work is JUST PLAIN COOL!
I believe so. It's difficult to see what effect the Sailing skill has, but an officer with good Cannons and Accuracy skill definitely improves the effectiveness of my guns, while an officer with good Trading skill does affect prices. Some abilities also work; if one of my officers has the Trusted ability, I can sell illegal goods without needing the services of a smuggler. And some don't; having an officer with the various defence and repair abilities does not appear to do anything.
What doesn't work is the supposed career of the officer. The officer's Cannons skill will work whether he's listed as Gunner or some other occupation.
And to confirm Grey Roger's statement that many answers involve some variant of "Use Build 14":
We definitly agree that the officer skill contribution is confusing at best, nor does it make very much sense.
That is why Aconcagua is currently working on a New Officer System that'll make this much clearer and more sensical too.
First of all, the officer skills and abilities that are contributed will be clearly defined per officer type.
Secondly, you'll be able to see an overview of the combined skill effect of the player + all officers in the interface.
Each officer will contribute only those skills that are actually relevant to his role.
You can change officers' roles if you want them to contribute their other skills.
Each officer will contribute his skills and not just the three 'active' ones that you can select in the interface.
This way, you will be able to use the three slots solely for boarding/shore officers and you don't need to do officer-swapping anymore.
Aconcagua is making very good progress and a lot of it is working very well as per my last tests with it.
All his updates will be included in Build 14 Alpha 9.5 Patch 4, which should soon be released.