I realize this is a very old post, however, still having probs with loading trade ships. I build the trade post and set the destination, red pegs appear. now build the trade ship and it will only build a ship if it creates the pier it's self or will not let me choose ship at all? when I do build the trade ship it will not set the direction using the pier created ???? loading and moving people no prob SQS

I'm a little confused by your wording but I'll try to help however I can. Forgive me if I'm answering questions you didn't answer or stating the obvious, I'm just mentioning stuff that confused me.

As far as setting a course, MAKE SURE IT'S ON WATER! Don't laugh, it took me a week to figure out that even if you only skim the shore the boat won't make the trip.

I 'think' once you have the route set if you have select the trade ship and then select the departure dock. Took me a day to figure that out. :P

I know there are other better explanations in here on this so you may want to do a few searches regarding moving to islands, trade, transporting goods, etc.

Hi, TinyE thanks for the response. Sorry I was not very clear with my problem. What is happening is that after I build the trade ship I go to the landing dock, select the items I want to load then click the icon with the package to set the route but no red markers appear and I can not send the ship with cargo?? also it creates a different landing pier than the one created when I create the ship. they look like wooden walk ways from the water to the land? hope I did not just make this even more confusing?? Thanks for any Ideas SQS

I know exactly what you are talking about unfortunately it's been a while since I played and I can't remember exactly what I did.

Here is a trading tutorial I found on Google that specifically mentions the dock:

"Did you build a trade post?

1) When you have built it, click it. 2) Then click the ship symbol at the left in the top menu row. 3) Now, click on the water close to the trade post. A little bridge or whatever you may call it, will appear. 4) now you can set the trade route. Where do you want the goods to go? Click at first the package symbol on the right of the top menu row, then on the shore of the other island (but not on the water this time!) and you will see a red line of sticks from the trade post to its destination. 5) Set the goods that you want to be transported. If you did everything right, the settlers will carry them to the trade post now.

If the trade ship is at some distance, you need to approach it to the post. When it is clos enough it will do the work on its own."

just want to say thanks, TinyE for your link in getting trade ships to work. Still working on setting more than one trade route at a time. SQS