The Grappling Hook is a special cannon round that fires a large hook attached to a heavy line. When the hook makes contact with crippled flagships, it grabs on - allowing the pirate vessel to reel in the wounded craft to be boarded. There is no level requirement for the grappling hook, and beginning pirates will have the ability to use them and there is no limit to how many can be fired. Multiple hooks may be landed on the flagship to be boarded - the more hooks landed, the quicker the ship is pulled in. Although useful for reeling in beat up flagships, grappling hooks can do no damage to the hull or sails of any ship. However, it does give you reputation when you fire at a ship's sails.
To use a Grappling Hook, be stationed at a cannon and press 8 or click 
.