I agree, naval battles are very strange right now... i hate fighting them until they are fixed in a patch. Last time i played as United Provinces, at least i think it was united provinces, i abandoned all use of any ship whatsoever except for Fluyts, which are simply amazing in battle, AND can dock at trading posts too!

Brigs and sloops get disbanded at the start of every campaign and i never recruit them afterward... what's the point?

In my first campaign as Britain i made several smaller fleets headed by a 4th rate admiral with brigs and sloops, these fleets were for pirate hunting duties. They were all destroyed.

Also, be careful when you're in the Atlantic close to the new world and all the little islands east of it that Spain/France/GB own, there's a mega pirate fleet that sails around there, a full stack of 20 ships, all of them 4th rates and galleons. They will destroy you, no matter what you bring to the battle.

Which is strange, considering that when you capture the pirate ports the only things you can built are brigs, sloops and indiamen... Makes me wonder where they acquired such a beautiful fleet of such quality ships!