I’ve just cloned my ship and it is following exactly the same movement commands as I give to my own. 
Interestingly enough, the sails don’t change when mine do but it does slow down and speed up harmoniously. It is also club hauling when I do, but more importantly it WILL NOT FIRE ITS FRIGGIN’ GUNS! It’s great, it’s like synchronised swimming but with a ship-of-the-line. I wonder if I’ll effectively double my experience as I sail about? I also presume that it’d take the same damage as well. I’ll also take a wild guess that their crew will drink as much grog as mine.

Interestingly enough, the sails don’t change when mine do but it does slow down and speed up harmoniously. It is also club hauling when I do, but more importantly it WILL NOT FIRE ITS FRIGGIN’ GUNS! It’s great, it’s like synchronised swimming but with a ship-of-the-line. I wonder if I’ll effectively double my experience as I sail about? I also presume that it’d take the same damage as well. I’ll also take a wild guess that their crew will drink as much grog as mine.