How to find the Fortnite loot boat in Chapter 3 and sail the sea in style

If you want to know where to find the Fortnite loot boat location in Chapter 3 Season 1, you're not the first. The return of the Pawntoon is a point of interest for many veteran Fortnite players, as the area holds all kinds of loot and can be used to effectively give yourself an amazing start to the game. However, finding the loot boat isn't easy, so we've put together this guide on the Fortnite loot boat location so you can find the Pawntoon without issue.

Fortnite loot boat location

Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 — (Image credit: Epic Games)

If you want to find the Fortnite Pawntoon, aka the loot boat, in Fortnite Chapter 3, you can discover it in the ocean surrounding the island - as in, all of it. As far as we understand it at the moment, the Pawntoon has a chance to spawn literally anywhere in the ocean around the island, though it won't appear in rivers and lakes inside its borders. Unfortunately, there's not really any way to narrow it down beyond that, at least until more is discovered about what it is that causes the loot boat's spawning patterns. It's not even guaranteed that it'll be in the map at all, so those scouring the seas might come up fruitless.

Still, there's a system to searching at least, so if you're desperate to discover the Pawntoon loot boat, do the following:

Once you spawn, head to the nearest coastline (it doesn't matter which one, they're all as likely to reveal the loot boat as any other).
Check out to sea looking for the Pawntoon. It looks like a classic pirate ship, a broad wooden sailing ship with its sails raised. It might be some way out to sea, so really scan the horizon (the distance seems to vary).
Swim out if you see it. If not, start systematically moving around the coast, checking the sea at all times. Keep going, watching in-land regularly to make sure that other players aren't sneaking up on you.
Once you find it, simply swim out and board it. The back of the boat is open for easy access.

Fornite loot boat contents

The loot boat has a variety of contents, and itself can be broken up for raw materials. There's Henchmen Chests, a Supply Drop, and more besides. It's a really good find regardless of the point in the game, allowing you to get some of the best Fortnite new weapons while you play, though its clear value means you'd better be the first player to see it.

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.