A pulley system that allows you to Reach any point of the ship from the rigging, grab it and zip down, as a zip line essentially. Mechanical, but could have some Magic Component.
Similarly a self-latching zip line from friendly ship to enemy ship from the rigging would be cool.
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One of the coolest devices we got during our Skull and Shackles campaign was something that most people probably wouldn't think of. A magical item that simply teleported (without error) you back to the specific ship it was synced with. It was just a handy little item that could get you back to the ship in the case of an emergency. Not offensive in anyway, and a possible plot hook if someone should capture/kill the person with the item. The item required one week in game time being spent aboard the ship to sync it.
Also, our item was a compass that was broken, in the sense that the needle always pointed to the ship it was synced with.
A set of shipwright's tools which cast the spell Salvage once per month.
A skeletal ship's figurehead which casts skeleton crew once per week on the ship it is mounted on. It forgoes the need for bodies, and can provide the necessary amount of crew for any size ship, performing all the basic duties required to keep a ship in sailing order.
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How about a table that once per day can produce a Hero's Feast?
No need to carry rations, and it removes all sicknesses and diseases, perfect for those who get seasick.
And trust me, if you've ever had to live off of rations for any length of time, you know how welcome a real meal is!
How about a "bag of wind." A magical bag that has gust of wind and permanency cast on it. Just open it and point it at your sails. It would give the ship an advantage on any point of wind.
For boarding, how about magically enhanced grappling bolts for your ballistae? You could also salvage an animated capstan from one of the sunken ships that pulls in your grappling shots automatically.
Some type of magic to repair damage to the hull would be good, too.
Too much magic, I've found, can kind of negate the fun elements of nautical combat, so be careful what you give your PC's. There are spells that can sink a ship in a single shot...
Any kind of armor that allows you to freely swim and not be hindered by the armor weight.
Items that improve swimming skill.
Items that allow for water breathing.
Emergency life bouys that automatically find individuals and brings them back to the ship.
Brooms of sweeping, brushes of scrubbing (improve cleaning skill, decrease time to clean, or work on their own).
Needles of sewing for sail repair.
Magical star maps that assist in navigation, or move to show the current sky with moving references to known harbors (magica GPS system!)
Magica cots that give good rest for less time.
Magica Barrels that prevent food and water spoilage.
Storage areas with extra dimensional spaces for storing more cargo that the ship would seem to be able to hold. Could be used for legitimate business or have hidden areas for smuggling.
Weather control on the deck, so the crew doesn't get cold or wet in harsh conditions. Alternatively, weather control in a 1 mile radius so there's always good wind but not so bad it's damaging the ship. (May have annoying consequences when at port).
Magical cooking supplies; small bottles of never ending spices (may be worth a lot more than you think, considering how valuable salt was in the ancient world).
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a barrel of nautical monkeys...dressed in striped shirts and bandanas...act as a crew and the ship counts as fully crewed for 3d6 minutes..regardless of actual crew complement.
at conclusion of their duration all scurry back into their rum barrel.
A lookout platform that cast feather fall on any1 who leaves it... (just step off, and land softly on deck...)
Along those lines, a teleportation pad that teleports you to the crow's nest and back.
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ship's bottle - a large bottle that can be used to shrink\unshrink a ship with no lifeforms on(make sure the rats are gone before you use) and place it in\out-of the bottle(along with 1/4 bottle filled with water). can only be used on a ship that has it's name carved on the stone stopper of the obttle.
idk about the price. should use shrink object as a spell and cost no less then a storge glove.
The Traitor's Cutlass. This devilish, intelligent +3 vicious cutlass is the bane of many a captain. This cutlass is inhabited by a strange intelligence that whispers nightly to the man who wields it. When it is in the hand of a crewman, it whispers to him about the weaknesses of the men and officers above him, and it encourages the crewman to lead a mutiny, or otherwise dispose of the weak men above him. When in the hands of a captain, the Traitor's Cutlass whispers to him of the first mate, of the bo'sun, of the cooks, of the cabin boy, and how they plot to usurp the captain ... and only stern, cruel steel can end those plots. In either case, the cutlass eventually drives its bearer mad.
That's certainly an interesting item, but that sounds more like a cursed item. I don't think that Mathius was after such.
Pennywit, I love the conch idea.
More:
A magical book that automatically records what happened on the ship by date and hour.
Magical sets of rope that auto-knot or auto untie with a command word.
Normal Star Maps that show the locations of (secret?) magical places, such as magical teleportation areas that send entire ships to other parts of the world (sort of like magical shipping lanes).
Star maps that show the locations of underwater cities, such as sea-elf cities.
Helmets of underwater breathing - for going to said cities.
I really like the clockwork clerk, though I'm not sure I like the monkey part (I'm not big on monkeys). However, one could substitute a parrot or really anything that fits.
How about...
The Captain's Beard, this magical beard requires a pirate to first shave himself clean to be properly attached. After being attached the beard commands respect from all the ships crewman, they must make a DC 15 will save to disobey any direct order or a DC 11 to disobey any order given by an appointed officer of the ship. The Captain's Beard increases the effective charisma score of the wearer by 4 for the purpose of how many ship he can command in a squadron, and adds a +2 bonus to bluff and intimidate while the captain is aboard his ship or dealing with his crew.
Pirates Charming Tattoo this boisterous tattoo is usually placed on the the back, chest or arms and can take on any number of nautical themes. It is transfered from person to person by touching the corpse of the deceased who possessed it. If often shifts form to present a scene from its current owner's life at sea, but may also depict the scene of other daring adventurerers who had worn it before. The tattoo makes you popular with anyone who could be attracted to you, giving you a +2 to diplomacy if you show it off to them. With courtesans and other such ladies of the night you get a bonus to haggle on price as your machismo seduces them. You can reduce the fee for the services to 0, and they will charge no higher than 75% of their normal rates. Please see Bargaining rule for more information. When used in this way the tattoo also provide protection from any diseases that might be contracted during the...activities. Any pirate with the tattoo must make a DC 15 will save in the prescence of a courtesan or is compelled to make a deal with her for her services.
A magical book that automatically records what happened on the ship by date and hour.
Would it by a dry retelling? Or was the magical book crafted by a wizard who's read too many romantic tales about life on the high seas?
The Captain's Beard, this magical beard requires a pirate to first shave himself clean to be properly attached. After being attached the beard commands respect from all the ships crewman, they must make a DC 15 will save to disobey any direct order or a DC 11 to disobey any order given by an appointed officer of the ship. The Captain's Beard increases the effective charisma score of the wearer by 4 for the purpose of how many ship he can command in a squadron, and adds a +2 bonus to bluff and intimidate while the captain is aboard his ship or dealing with his crew.
This reminds me that, according to folklore, Blackbeard would set his beard on fire to intimidate enemies. Also ... this thing would be really fun if one crew member had the Traitor's Cutlass.
I really like the clockwork clerk, though I'm not sure I like the monkey part (I'm not big on monkeys). However, one could substitute a parrot or really anything that fits.
I imagined it as a clockwork version of that undead monkey from Pirates of the Caribbean, but with the personality of Brainy Smurf.
Would it by a dry retelling? Or was the magical book crafted by a wizard who's read too many romantic tales about life on the high seas?
A magical book that automatically records what happened on the ship by date and hour.
Depends on the ship. If the ship is owned by an adventurer, it would be one that embellishes. If the shipped is owned by the merchant marines or some other group that requires a highly detailed log or record, then it would be bland and dry.
Also depends on the local laws of where the ship typically calls port. Some countries may require a more detailed log than others. A port in Cheliax may require particularly detailed logs.
A ships owner may want a scrying device on the ship so he can keep tabs of where it is. Or a device that allows him to communicate with his ship's captain.
Sometimes it's cheaper just to hire crew than buy magical items, so there may not be much in the way of magic, especially if there is risk of sinking or theft. And while magical items may exist to prevent sinking, it may be ouch of reach for a ship owner who is just starting out or is ony moderately successful.
A smuggler may want the opposite, things that prevent scrying, things that prevent magical detection. A clever smuggler may have several Magical cargo holds, with varying degrees of preventing magical detection (maybe an easy one to fool a city's spell casting inspector, and muh more difficult ones so they think the easy one was al there was).
A slave ship may want magical manacles, ones that are very difficult to break out of and also keep their slaves sustained with food and water, but not so much that they grow strong. May save on the cost of food and water, and allow more space for more slaves.
A ship that caries passengers will want magical items that provide more comfort. Magical rooms that keep a steady temperature, or are larger than they seem on the outside.
On the theme of magical books:
* A logbook that in which a ship's clerk records cargo, events, etc., etc. This logbook is magically tied to a second logbook, kept in the office of the ship's owner. If the ship is lost at sea, the owner's copy is used when adjudicating claims against his insurer. (Yes, this belongs in Actuaries & Accountants, not Skull & Shackles. But the modern insurance industry actually got its start by insuring cargo carried over sea routes).
Love it. We need more practical magical items in the world of pathfinder.
Never Ending Bottle of Rotgut
"Well it tastes awful, but it never runs out, and it brings you into a glorious drunken stupor...if you can manage to deal with the side effects. I've only been blinded once."
This brown glass bottle of suspicious liquor tastes horrible but never runs out. The alcohol affects those who imbibe normally, with a few exceptions. Each consecutive day that liquor is drank from the bottle the imbiber must make two fort saves, one against exhaustion, one against blindness. The DC for exhaustion starts at 7 and increases by 1 for each consecutive day it is consumed. If the check is failed you are unaffected until morning, where upon waking you find yourself exhausted. You must get complete rest for 8 hours to remove the exhausted condition after which you are not fatigued, though magic that cures exhaustion cures this normally. The DC for blindness begins at 1 and increases by 1 for each consecutive day a drink is taken. If you fail the save you are affected as per the spell blindness upon waking, the rotgut in this bottle leaving its mark. The bottle can produce up to one gallon of this foul liquor per round.