Hello! I'm Toad, the dev of the game, and here are a couple of tips to possibly help with the run!!

1. Turning Fast Travel on will let you skip the paddling segment (this setting is found in your journal).
2. Turning Crazy Harpooning on will make the harpooning phase harder, but will reward you with more corals (this setting is found in your journal).
3. You can lose as many hats as you want, and catch them all in one trip. To lose a hat, simply end the paddling segment at a fast enough speed!
4. You only need the line upgrades to beat the game, all other upgrades are up to you to decide which are quickest/best.
5. Every spot on the map is the same! Choose the spots closest to you. The further you go, the longer you need to paddle.