
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,400
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Crescent City Cargo
- 2–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2021

Rules assistance for Captains of the Gulf
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Captains of the Gulf is a board game released in 2018 for 1–4 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jason Dinger and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Pick-up and Deliver, and Multi-Use Cards.
South Louisiana has a long, rich history of delicious Cajun dishes like gumbos and jambalayas. A big part of what makes these meals so great is the seafood in them that is fished from the Gulf of Mexico. The men and women who run the shrimp boats that fish that seafood have to be both hard-working and crafty, finding the optimum strategy to bring in the best catch. They are the "Captains of the Gulf". Captains of the Gulf is a thematic action selection game, full of flavor. In the game, 2-4 players each operate a fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico, hoping to make the largest profit over eight game turns. The players try to upgrade their fishing boat, add crew members, then move out to fish crabs, oysters, and shrimp, after which they need to deliver them to ports. Cards are multi-purpose; they are added to a player's mat on top (licenses), at the left side (crew), or at the right side (boat upgrade). Moreover, when you fish you need to play them out of your hand.
Captains of the Gulf supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Captains of the Gulf is 60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Captains of the Gulf for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Captains of the Gulf has a complexity rating of 3.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Captains of the Gulf belongs to these categories: Economic and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Pick-up and Deliver, and Multi-Use Cards. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Captains of the Gulf are: Jason Dinger. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Captains of the Gulf as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.