Most pirates started their career as smugglers and reavers at the beaches. With the help of small shipping boats, they boarded ships in remote bays where they restocked supplies. Often whole villages made a living from such acts of banditry. At some point they decided that they had become strong enough to take over the ships and raid the seas. Another source of pirates were the mutinous crews that took over ships and who were hunted by the navy anyways.