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GTA 5 The Merryweather Heist: Offshore or Freighter

How will you complete The Merryweather Heist?

The Merryweather Heist is one of the few heists that doesn't require a crew in GTA 5 , and the first time we have Michael, Franklin, and Trevor working together.

The plan is to steal a secret device from Merryweather and, therefore, there are two approaches to completing this heist: Offshore and Freighter .

Below you'll learn about the best approach for The Merryweather Heist , along with Offshore and Freighter approach walkthroughs .

On this page:

Should I choose Offshore or Freighter?

Getaway tips, offshore walkthrough, freighter walkthrough.

When it comes to the Offshore or Freighter choice in The Merryweather Heist, it only affects how the trio collects the device because no money is made. In short - pick which option sounds more interesting to you.

That said - there are different Gold Medal objectives to meet for each approach, and we explain the best crew and getaway options later in the page.

If you choose Offshore, Trevor suggests that Michael increase his flying skills. This request is optional, and the heist can be completed without any additional grinding.

If you choose Freighter, Trevor calls Franklin and tells him to increase his shooting skills. This request is also optional.

This heist is straightforward and doesn't require too much strategy to make your getaway.

If you take the Offshore approach, Franklin has to make sure that all targets are shot down as quickly as possible. If you take the Freighter approach, your skill with a sniper rifle will determine if you survive.

Choosing Offshore requires the completion of two missions before The Merryweather Heist: Cargobob and Minisub.

When you're ready, Trevor must steal a cargobob so they can transport the Submersible to the ocean.

Using the Submersible, Trevor looks for the device along the ocean floor and picks it up. Michael then uses the cargobob to lift the Submersible with the device attached to it.

As Michael flies back to shore, they are attacked by Merryweather mercenaries via land, air, and sea. Michael must continue flying while Franklin protects the cargobob by shooting at Merryweather helicopters and land vehicles.

If successful, Michael will fly the cargobob and the Submersible back to the airfield in Sandy Shores. At the airfield, they are met by Lester and Floyd. Lester tells them that they have to send the device back. Trevor reluctantly agrees, and the crew earns no money from the heist.

Choosing Freighter requires only one mission to be completed before The Merryweather Heist can start: Minisub.

In this approach, the trio plans to blow up a freighter so that they can loot the secret device from a shipping container.

This approach begins with Michael boards the freighter and places sticky bombs throughout the deck. While Michael is setting the bombs, Franklin protects him from a high vantage point with a sniper rifle.

After Michael successfully plants all the sticky bombs, Franklin is attacked by Merryweather troops and a helicopter. He must survive the onslaught before they can blow up the freighter. Using the night vision view during the gunfight will help you to see all the gunmen.

Once the bombs are detonated, Michael dives into the ocean to locate the device. Trevor then uses the Submersible to collect the device and take it to a safe spot along the shore.

As they exit their vehicles, they are met by Lester and Floyd. Lester tells them that they have to send the device back. Trevor reluctantly agrees, and the crew earns no money from the heist.

Whichever route you choose - best of luck completing The Merryweather Heist in GTA 5!

Looking for more GTA 5 tips and tricks? Don't forget to check-out our list of GTA 5 cheats , spaceship parts locations and military base locations .

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GTA Online: How To Complete The Superyacht Life Missions

The Superyacht Life Missions are a complex series of quests in GTA Online. Here's everything players need to know about them.

Quick Links

What is a superyacht life, mission 1: overboard, mission 2: salvage, mission 3: all hands, mission 4: icebreaker, mission 5: bon voyage.

Unlike most entries in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Grand Theft Online allows players to breathe life into their characters and explore Southern San Andreas as their own crime lords-to-be. Now outside the confines of the stories of usual Grand Theft Auto protagonists, GTA Online players are left to their own devices to make a name for themselves with a rising criminal empire. That, or just go have explosive mayhem with their friends.

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Thankfully, players who want a genuine GTA experience can rely on missions to give them a semblance of sanity in the game’s setting. One such quest is “A Superyacht Life,” which in itself is a series of six missions that players can pursue with up to three friends. What makes “A Superyacht Life” one of the most memorable quest lines in the hit online installment, and how can players complete it?

Available through the Los Santos Summer Special update released in 2020, “A Superyacht Life” is a questline given to a player or up to four players. This questline is primarily set in the Galaxy Super Yacht , an expensive GTA Online vehicle that players will eventually own.

Similar to other questlines in GTA Online , the ones provided in A Superyacht Life revolve around an interconnected plot point. Players must assist the quest-giver, Captain Brendan Darcy, in various duties involving the usage of the Galaxy Super Yacht. These include undersea missions, cargo retrieval, and even fulfilling the goals of high-end clients.

Accessing The Quests

Players can access "A Superyacht Life" from the Bridge of the Galaxy Super Yacht. From here, they should head to the Captain’s Workstation to load the current mission available to them.

Alternatively, players may be able to use their smartphone to call Captain Brendan Darcy and then choose a Request Job. The current available mission in the series should be made accessible to players. Both these options are available as long as players haven’t completed the questline in full.

When players access this mission, a distressed Captain Darcy informs the player that someone has stolen the yacht’s jetskis (another expensive GTA Online vehicle ) as well as important documents related to both the Captain and the players. The documents specify that they are “permanent residents of international waters.”

First, head to the Vespucci Canals, the last known location of the joyriders. The waterworks can prove tricky ground to eliminate the thieves at first, but the area provides both decent cover and a lot of openings to shoot opponents.

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The Captain will then inform players that the thieves were part of a Puerto Del Sol yacht club, which means players have to exact revenge against them. To do this, they need to head to the yacht club and sink the 10 boats located there. Players need to do this fast, as one of the boats may attempt to sail away from danger. This second objective is tricky, as this part of the mission is done with a Wanted level that doesn’t lower. The yacht club also has medium-level Security Guards. Moreover, the mission is only completed once players lose their Wanted level as well.

After a successful encounter with thieves, the Captain sends players to their second Grand Theft Auto mission . "Salvage" resembles a more modern take on sea exploration, albeit with a dash of wanton violence. The Captain informs a player of a distress call that has come from a sunken supply ship, the Olifantus, not too far from them. Should they make it in time, they will be able to retrieve the cargo and the loot for themselves.

Retrieving Supplies

Players are first directed to a dredge barge just south of the yacht. Go underwater towards the shipwreck and slowly retrieve the supplies. Players can’t stay underwater for too long, though. They are able to rise and swim back courtesy of Rebreathers, around 10 of which are provided. Players may also use their own scuba suit for this portion of the game.

Dealing With The Kkangpae

The Captain, via a call, congratulates the player after their retrieval of the cargo. Unfortunately, the sound of glass breaking can be heard, as well as the implication that part of the cargo has been stolen. Players have to go back to the ship, only to see it hijacked by the Kkangpae. They will also notice some enemies riding Dinghies circling their yacht. The confrontation with the Kkangpae is tricky, as players find themselves surrounded. There is no time limit for rescuing the Captain though, so players can take their time.

After eliminating the Kkangpae, players will receive a call from an unknown number with the Captain on the line. He will explain that the Kkangpae took him and the bartender hostage as revenge for the yacht destruction in the previous mission. Players will be directed to a peninsula near Cape Catfish, with one area designated as a hostage site. Be careful during this portion of the mission, as the player's travel towards the peninsula will have them encounter various Kkangpae. Not only that, they need to steer clear of the hostage site, as the Captain and bartender will be executed once players are seen at a particular distance. Eliminating the hostiles stealthily will complete the mission.

The adventures of the players and the Galaxy Super Yacht take a wilder turn fitting the Grand Theft Auto name courtesy of the third mission. When players accept their mission, the Captain tells the player of a business deal they have to salvage involving the Pacific Country Club. Apparently, an unknown party has started setting club members' cars on fire, and it’s up to players to stop this. Despite its straightforward nature, the mission has a particular complexity that players need to consider.

Stealing The Tula

First, go to the LSIA to steal a Tula (an aerial firefighting plane) from the coast guard before the fire department is able to respond to the situation. When players arrive at the airport, around 10 Coast Guard members are patrolling the area. Players will notice stealth visibility cones in their minimaps, all from the Coast Guard members. Players need to steal the Tula quietly, as getting spotted will give players 2 Stars in Wanted levels.

Once players do steal the Tula, they will notice a new part of the HUD: a “Water Remaining” gauge. Players need to land on water periodically to refill it, and should do so until they have around eight water gauges. This serves as “water bombs” to wipe out the fire in the garage. After filling up the bars, players will get a text message warning them to stay out of this problem.

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Putting Out Fires

Players will notice eight burning cars when they arrive at the country club, all of which they have to extinguish. This becomes challenging as Kkangpae try to destroy the Tula from the ground. The added challenge here is that players only have five minutes to save all these vehicles.

When players finish this segment, the Captain will tell players that they need to go to the Pipeline Inn nearby to save yet another set of vehicles. This time around, players need to save six more vehicles within another five minutes while enemies try to destroy the Tula. After putting out all the fires, the Captain will tell players to bring the Tula back to the yacht for disposal. The mission ends when the player lands the Tula near the yacht.

Despite the difficulty of the mission, failing and restarting does get players next to the Tula without any enemies present. This allows them to simply load the Tula with water and proceed with the rest of the mission.

In the fourth mission, the Captain has begun formulating a plan for exacting vengeance against the Kkangpae for the previous mission’s kidnapping. This becomes a more action-packed take on the questline, akin to more standard missions in the title.

First, players have to go to the Fridgit Cold Storage warehouse inside the Cypress Flats. The mission will tell them to destroy all AC units that maintain the temperature of the gang’s products. During this part of the mission, the Kkangpae will attack players from Frogger choppers from the skies and from other rooftops. Players new to GTA Online need to be careful here, as they might be overwhelmed.

Next, players are asked to steal Benson, a product that the gang is currently preparing to deliver. The Captain will then tell players to deliver the product to the buyer themselves. During the process of delivery, the Kkangpae will still try to chase and attack the players from various directions and from different vehicles. The buyer is located in Del Perro’s Hedera Hotel, in an alley behind the structure. The mission is completed after players exit the vehicle.

Bon Voyage takes place during a heavy thunderstorm. At the start of this mission, the Captain tells players that the heavy rain has shut down both yacht’s engines and generators. Even the power onboard will go down, and the helicopter aboard the expensive GTA Online yacht explodes while waves of enemies slowly arrive.

The yacht usually has anti-aircraft systems, but the lack of electricity means they’re non-functional. Only the players are able to defend the yacht. This is perhaps the most difficult confrontation in the questline. Enemies will be coming from multiple fronts: enemies already onboard, those arriving from the sea, and those rappelling down from choppers.

There will be three waves of enemies of progressing difficulty. Unfortunately, players won’t be able to enter the interior of the yacht. However, players will continuously see Body Armor and Health pack pickups on the top deck just outside the bridge’s entry to give them the occasional boost.

After the second wave, the Captain will realize that the attackers are once again the Kkangpae. When players reach the third wave, the Captain will finally get power back on the yacht and activate the defenses. This gives players an offensive boost, as the Captain will be able to handle threats from the skies. After players clear the remaining threats from the boats and on the ground, they will finally complete the mission.

Grand Theft Auto Online was released for the PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS3, PC, and Xbox 360.

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