You can literally do whatever you'd like in the game. Sea of Thieve is a massive and sprawling piratical adventure. IGN's Cursed Treasure Chests guide has you covered in that regard. There are a handful of unique cursed treasure chests in the game and while they're quite rare to stumble upon, each can have a not-so-great effect on your sailing and it's important to learn how to combat each's effect.
