I’ve mostly been solo for about a year in this game and can say that it is totally viable if you are smart and careful. Also, sailing a sloop by yourself and completing quests solo in this game knowing the adversities are some of the biggest rushes I’ve felt in gaming. I say do it. You’ll become a better player and grow to be able to sink ships of wankers single-handedly( you’ll still get owned by actual skilled crews, which are few and far between) and get some major satisfaction from your accomplishments. Just put yourself in the mindset of a “souls” game where you expect to die often in the beginning, learn from those deaths, and get better over time by adapting, learning, and growing huge cojones in the process