As the important upgrades are occurring and players find themselves travelling from one place to another with the only variable changing (ATM) on each trip is the weather.

Also aware that up the SAS development road there will be ship system and engine repair dynamics at play.

As much as man vs the sea is a compelling aspect of the game, I feel it should not be entirely relied upon too heavily be the the mainstay of the game in it's present EA state

So how to make it better ATM - with minimal diversionary workload for SAS programmers?

Lets take what exists:
- We have cargo (lets make some of it float and put a despawn timer on it)
- We have a hook that can grab stuff. (or use your hands "E" key)
- Mechanism for picking up buoys could be used to pick-up floating cargo
- Existing towing mechanism

What about sprinkling the map (random) on occasion with discoverable 'finds' POI's ?

They could be anything that floats or washes ashore, boxes, waste, special?
Collecting them would require coming up along side and grappling the item then placing as (in the harbour trash collection missions) onto the boat - or alternatively into inventory.
Better storage details can be worked out in later updates.

Once at a port the items could be sold at the Tackle shop.
(A placeholder for a potential future salvage store - to buy and sell used items)

When the Tier3 ships with cranes enter the scene, that will open up larger salvage opportunities, the point is to get it working ASAP and give players more content.
That IMO, will bring more randomness and a feeling of 'there's life out there' to SAS gameplayers.

The buoy pickup mechanic might be used to determine if you are close enough to add it to boat inventory. (so fishing vessels are already equipped for recovery of items)

The other gameplay aspect I didn't mention much was many men went to sea in search of treasure, the satisfaction of finding something is primal.

Edit: 11/26/24
Floating cargo or special item "pickups" should have a radar signature that is visible - although not constant unless investigated more closely.
Service ships could play a great role in salvage by pulling cargo or "special items" off of outcrops.