How tf do I stop skeleton ships from constantly sinking me

So i'm a new player, having started playing a week ago, with no friends who play this game so i play solo with a sloop. Can someone please tell me HOW IN THE EVERLOVING HELL DO I STOP SKELETON SHIPS FROM COMING OUT OF NOWHERE AND SINKING ME ON SIGHT?!

I swear they are way too powerful, because everytime i fix one hole, they make five more. Everytime i try to board, i get blasted by like four blunderbusses directly to the face. Not to mention that they ALWAYS use those cannonballs which disable my own cannons, which is my one way of doing any substantial damage. Sunk within five minutes of the start of the fight.

Please, can someone tell me how to either avoid them, or how to properly defend against an entire GALLEON as a sloop?