Not sure what to research first in the Upgrade Tree? Start with the Fishboat skills that the main quests ask for. This guide lists the 5 upgrades to research first (total cost 11), why that order works, the boat parts they unlock with their materials, and what to research next.
Best upgrades to research first (main quest order)
How the 5 skills below were chosen: first, the skills that main quest objectives ask you to research or install, in quest order; then the skills you must learn before them, in prerequisite order. Only Fishboat skills have a cost, so the list comes from that branch. Costs are counted from the start of the game.
| # | Skill | Cost | Running total | Part it unlocks (ratings) | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Hull Protection | 2 | 2 | Hull Protection Speed −1, Protection 10 | Main quest “Scraps of Knowledge”, “Hull Protection” (install 2) |
| 2 |  Upgraded Engine | 2 | 4 | Upgraded Engine Speed 12 → 15 | Main quest “Scraps of Knowledge”, “Upgraded Engine”, “Install the Upgraded Engine” |
| 3 |  Small fish hold | 2 | 6 | Small fish hold Storage 13 2 are fitted from the start, out of 3 hold slots | Needed before Plated Hull Protection |
| 4 |  Afterburner | 2 | 8 | Afterburner Boost 5 | Needed before Plated Hull Protection |
| 5 |  Plated Hull Protection | 3 | 11 | Plated Hull Protection Speed −1 → −2, Protection 10 → 25 | Main quest “Too Tough to Bite...” (install 2) |
Upgraded Engine requires Hull Protection, so the two blueprints of “Scraps of Knowledge” can only be researched in that order. All 5 skills together cost 11.
Why research them in this order
As you progress through the main quests, their objectives ask you to research Fishboat skills and then craft and install the parts. The quests and their objectives, in quest order:
- Main quest “Scraps of Knowledge”
- Open the upgrade tree and research the "Upgraded Engine" blueprint
- Open the upgrade tree and research the "Hull Protection" blueprint
- Main quest “Hull Protection”
- Craft "Hull Protection" at the Lathe Workbench
- Install "Hull Protection" on the motorboat
- Main quest “Upgraded Engine”
- Craft the "Upgraded Engine" at the Lathe Workbench
- Main quest “Install the Upgraded Engine”
- Install the "Upgraded Engine" in place of the old one
- Main quest “Too Tough to Bite...”
- Install Plated Hull Protection on the boat
Only Fishboat skills have a cost (the upgrade resource you get from Scraps of Knowledge). Fishing and Tools skills are learned with blueprints instead, so the order above only covers the Fishboat branch.
Prerequisites of Plated Hull Protection that no quest asks for (research them first): Small fish hold, Afterburner.
Boat parts you unlock and their crafting materials
Researching a skill unlocks the recipe for its part: craft the part, then install it on your boat. The parts from the 5 upgrades above and the materials for one of each:
| Part | Slot | Crafting materials | Needed for quests |
|---|---|---|---|
 Hull Protection | Hull sides | 2 | |
 Upgraded Engine | Engine | 1 | |
 Small fish hold | Fish hold | — | |
 Afterburner | Afterburner | — | |
 Plated Hull Protection | Hull sides | 2 |
“—” means no quest asks for the part: you only need to research the skill.
What to research next (by boat rating)
For each rating, the skill whose part beats the best part you can make after the 5 skills above, for the lowest extra cost (ties go to the higher rating). Ratings are per part, the same values as in Boat Upgrades; Fuel range is a guide value.
| Rating | Skill | Extra cost | Rating change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed |  Heavy-Duty Engine | 2 | 15 → 17 |
| Handling |  Balanced Propeller | 2 | 1 → 5 |
| Boost |  Advanced Afterburner | 2 | 5 → 8 |
| Protection |  Armored Hull | 11 | 25 → 50 |
| Storage |  Medium fish hold | 3 | 13 → 20 |
| Lighting |  Spotlight | 3 | 6 → 10 |
| Fuel range |  Riveted Fuel Tank | 3 | 360 → 720 |
Fishing and Tools upgrades: blueprints for the main quests
Fishing and Tools skills (other than the starting ones) are learned with blueprint items instead of Scraps of Knowledge. The ones the main quests use, and how to get each blueprint:
- Wind-Up Tin: used in the main quest “The First Lure”. Unlocked as a reward of the main quest “About the debt...”.
- Rainbow Fin: used in the main quest “Bait for Predatory Fish”. Unlocked as a reward of the main quest “Searching for a carburetor”.
- Serrated axe edge: used in the main quest “The Rigging Bench”. The Vendor sells the blueprint for 200.
- Crude Lockpick: used in the main quest “Craft Lockpicks”. Unlocked as a reward of the main quest “Catch a Mutant Fish”.
The other blueprints and where to get them are in the table of Torn Pages & Upgrades; what each skill unlocks is on Fishing Upgrades and Tool Upgrades. Quest rewards may change with updates.
Total cost and how to get Scraps of Knowledge
The 5 upgrades in the order above cost 11 in total.
Costs are amounts of the upgrade resource you get from Scraps of Knowledge, not a number of Scraps of Knowledge.
Scraps of Knowledge can be picked up at 34 spots on the map. The Vendor also sells them for 200 each. The map of every pickup spot and the other ways to get them are in Torn Pages & Upgrades.
Summary and related tools
- Research Hull Protection → Upgraded Engine → Small fish hold → Afterburner → Plated Hull Protection first (main quests and their prerequisites): total cost 11.
- After that, pick the next upgrade by the rating you want to raise (see the table of candidates).
- Fishing and Tools skills use blueprints; the ones the main quests need are listed above.
Tools and guides on this site:
- Upgrade Tree: pick a target skill to see the order and the total cost
- Boat Upgrades: ratings and materials of every boat part
- Fishing Upgrades / Tool Upgrades: every blueprint skill and what it unlocks
- Torn Pages & Upgrades: map of all 34 pickup spots of Scraps of Knowledge and the Upgrade Tree costs
- Crafting Recipes: materials for the parts and baits you unlock