I'm not talking about resetting, I mean those players that full sail away from your boat until they sink or you scuttle. I see a lot of suggestions to add a shrinking circle, but that would even bring it's own issues.
For now, here's how I learned how to deal with "Perma-runners" in HG:
Sail Management
You desperately need to make sure you are in wind at all times. If you can't get wind, you'll need to set your boat to travel the fastest it can.
No Fear
Remember, there's a reason they're running. Don't be afraid to take a few shots from their cannon to get yourself into an ultimately better position
Harpoons & Locking
When you're close enough and if you're able to keep up with them, you want to harpoon them as soon as you can get a stable turn. This ensures you remain in angle while you're setting up the next steps
Scattershot
If you have no chains or you think you're close enough to them, switch to scattershot. Scattershot pellets deal 1 point of mast damage, exactly like a cannonball. If all 3 connect, that's an instant demast plus extra damage
Remove The Target
Open fire with cannons on the top deck of their sloop. Chances are, they'll want to catch their mast so they can keep running. However, knowing this, you can fire cannonballs and Blunderbombs in that area to force their mast to fall.
After that, just light them up. No remorse, fill them with as many holes as you can.
Repair & Board
Once you're confident they're too busy to fire back, go repair your boat, then fire 10 more cannons & go over if you have no holes. Even if you can't get the kill, being on their ship should be enough to secure the sink.
Practice
Its annoying, but it will take time to learn to defeat perma-runners. It took me 2-3 attempts with this method to finally get it consistently, so be ready to make some resets and plan your supplies accordingly
Most Importantly!!! Take a break!
Genuinely? Touch grass; if you're not allergic of course. Your mental state and mindset are two of the most important tools in Hourglass. If you can't think, you can't fight at full capacity. Sometimes, taking 15 minutes to grab a drink of water and sit out in the sun is the refresh many people need, but few take.
