If you don't want to play on the PvE-only servers, you can always go to the lower east corner of the map, with all the volcano islands. I almost never encounter people around there.
Or you could play late night-early morning, when less people are awake in your region.
I think that's the game for you. My friends and I like to hang out, search for treasure, solve puzzles, and work together to bring down ghost ships. We don't have any interest in sinking a real players ship, or running from a group of teenagers shouting slurs at us while they try to sink ours.
I think last season they introduced "safer seas" where you can experience the game without others players interrupting your crews fun. Might be worth to check out