[quote=@Zapdos]
In the meantime, what is the "power level" we're going for with our characters here? For example, it wouldn't make sense to have an expert swordsman in a crew full of novices. 
[/quote]
That depends on a great many factors aobut your character. How old are they? What's their background? What was their childhood like? Were they tutored by someone, or self-taught? Do they have inherent talent or a natural affinity for <insert desired skill here>?

Of course, nobody is going to make a be-all-end-all character who can swing a cutlass with one arm and fire a gun with the other at the same time, all while performing a series of backflips and grabbing onto an errant sail-line and flying off all while laughing heartily.

If you want to play as a grizzled, experienced veteran, you can do that. If you want to play as a fresh-faced, squeaky-clean novice who is still developing, that's fine too. My only criteria is that you make your character reasonable. Don't be a Jack/Jill-of-All-Trades who [i]excels[/i] at every single aspect of life. Balance your [b]Pirate Parameters[/b] and have some weaknesses or short-comings. Try working in some kind of tangible, exploitable flaws. The Captain has plenty of those after all, and she isn't a master in anything.

Hope that gives you an idea.