What is the most important idea of the second paragraph of Of Plymouth Plantation? The ship encountered good weather and fair sailing at the beginning of its journey. The sailors decided to caulk the decks and upper works of the ship after it was damaged in a storm. The Pilgrims and ship's officers discussed the damage to the ship and decided to continue the voyage. The crew used a large iron screw the passengers had brought from Holland to repair a beam that broke during a storm.