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Sailing is the first new skill added to Old School RuneScape in nearly two decades, and it makes this massive world even bigger by introducing everything that comes with owning a boat—fully explorable oceans, dozens of new islands to discover, fresh activities, new monsters, and a whole lot more. This OSRS sailing guide walks you through everything you need to know about the skill: what it really is, how to unlock it, and how to push it all the way to level 99.
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Sailing is a members-only Utility skill released on 19 November 2025, making it the first new skill added to Old School RuneScape in eighteen years. It adds a complete ocean layer to the game, letting players captain their own ships, explore new waters, and access content that simply didn’t exist while staying on land. After completing the Pandemonium quest, you receive your first vessel and unlock ports, navigation tools, and the core mechanics that define the skill.
At its core, the OSRS Sailing skill blends navigation, shipbuilding, and exploration into one progression path. You’ll steer across multiple oceans, dock at new islands, deal with sea hazards, encounter ocean events, and take part in activities such as sea charting, port tasks, shipwreck salvaging, Barracuda Trials, and deep sea trawling. Each ship can be upgraded with new parts and onboard facilities, expanding what you can do at sea and unlocking stronger, higher-level activities.
Sailing also introduces over two dozen new islands filled with unique rocks, trees, creatures, and brand-new gathering methods. Resources collected on land and at sea can be processed into upgrade components, new foods, potions, and tools such as blowpipes. Naval combat is part of the package too, allowing you to fight sea creatures with cannons and keep your vessel afloat by repairing it during battles. You can also hire crewmates to run facilities and support specific activities.
Overall, Sailing functions as a wide progression system that ties together navigation, ship upgrades, travel, and gathering into one continuous loop. It gives players new ways to explore Gielinor, new materials to work with, and new ways to support other skills while advancing from basic starter ships into powerful, fully-equipped vessels. Let me know when you want to move on to the Level 1–99 section.
Sailing is a members-only skill, so the only true requirement is having active membership. Once you’re on a members world, unlocking the skill is fully tied to one novice quest: Pandemonium. This quest acts as the Sailing tutorial, teaches the fundamentals, and awards your first ship. Here’s exactly what to do, so you don’t have to keep searching OSRS how to unlock sailing anymore.
To start, travel to Port Sarim. Port Sarim sits on the southern coast of Asgarnia, with Falador to the north and Draynor Village to the east, while Rimmington and Mudskipper Point lie to the west and south. Once you arrive, head to the docks on the eastern side of town and walk to the second-southernmost pier. There you’ll find Will and Anne next to their salvaging boat. Speak to either of them to begin Pandemonium and start the Sailing unlock process.
Pandemonium quest walkthrough (step by step):
The rewards for finishing Pandemonium are straightforward but important: you unlock access to the Sailing skill itself, gain your own raft as a permanent ship, receive the Captain’s log for tracking sea OSRS sailing charting tasks, and get a small bundle of starter items including Sailing experience, sawmill coupons, repair kits, and a spyglass. You also gain permanent access to The Pandemonium as an ocean hub.
Once that’s done, Sailing is fully unlocked. You can board your raft from any port using its gangplank, start sea charting from level 1, pick up courier tasks from notice boards in Port Sarim and The Pandemonium, and begin working toward your first major upgrade at level 15 when the skiff becomes available.

Now, the following is an OSRS sailing leveling guide split into milestones for your convenience. By the time you finish Pandemonium, you’ll already be Sailing level 5 and have your first raft, your Captain’s Log, and access to The Pandemonium and Port Sarim. From here, the real leveling begins. Sailing progresses in small steps tied to key unlocks like new boats, new quests, and new minigames, so the fastest route is built around hitting each milestone efficiently. The sections below walk you through every optimal method from level 5 all the way to 99.
Once Pandemonium is complete and you’re sitting at level 5, you’ll begin your OSRS sailing 1–99 journey. The quickest and simplest way to reach level 12 is by running courier tasks between Port Sarim and The Pandemonium. These starter deliveries teach the port-task loop, provide consistent experience, and unlock a second task slot at level 7, which speeds everything up quite a bit.
Courier tasks are picked up from notice boards at both ports. At level 5 you can only take one task at a time, so the loop is simple: accept a task that sends you to the opposite port, grab the cargo from the ledger table, load it into your raft, sail to the destination, unload it, and claim your XP reward. Once you reach level 7, you can hold two tasks at once, which nearly doubles your hourly experience without making the method more complicated.
The XP here isn’t massive, but it’s steady and dependable. You’ll be on the helm often, trim your sails when gusts appear for bonus XP, and get comfortable navigating the Bay of Sarim. Every completed delivery grants Sailing experience, some coins, and basic supplies like logs and nails, which help later once shipbuilding upgrades start mattering. Even if your tasks aren’t perfectly aligned, the back-and-forth naturally carries you to level 12 in a relatively short session.
Below is what you can generally expect while running early courier tasks:
By the time you reach level 12, courier tasks will have served their purpose. The Prying Times quest unlocks immediately at this point, and its reward jump makes it the natural next step before moving on to higher-level methods.
Reaching level 12 unlocks the Prying Times quest, and completing it right away is one of the biggest early shortcuts in Sailing. The quest is short, easy, and built to open up additional charting tools for later progression. The real value is the reward: the 800 Sailing experience it grants pushes you straight past level 15, skipping several slower levels.
To begin the quest, head to Catherby with a steel bar, a redberry pie, a hammer, and your Captain’s Log. The steps are straightforward and only take a few minutes, which is why it’s essential for an optimal 1–99 route. Once complete, you obtain the crowbar—an important tool for certain sea charting tasks—and unlock more complex charting options in the early oceans.
This fast bump to level 15 matters because it unlocks your first real boat upgrade: the skiff. The skiff has more facility slots, can equip a salvaging hook, and opens the door to a noticeable improvement in experience rates. With the raft behind you and the skiff available, Sailing starts to feel much more flexible, with both active and AFK-friendly methods becoming viable.

With level 15 unlocked and the Prying Times quest completed, your next step is to purchase a skiff and install your first salvaging hook. This is where Sailing begins to open up properly, offering both AFK-friendly training and faster, more active options. The bronze salvaging hook is built inside a facility hotspot on your skiff using bronze bars, planks, nails, and a rope.
Salvaging is simple: sail to a shipwreck, stop alongside it, and deploy the hook to collect salvage for small but consistent experience. Early wreck sites—especially those southeast of The Pandemonium—respawn quickly and keep travel time low, making this bracket smooth and repeatable even if you’re only half paying attention.
If you want better XP, you can use knife-and-log tick manipulation to increase the number of pulls per hour. It’s more effort, but it can greatly improve your rates. The AFK approach remains consistent, though, which is why many players stick to it for this range.
A quick overview of what to do at this stage:
Between relaxed salvaging and occasional repositioning, you’ll reach level 20 comfortably. This bracket is mainly a bridge into longer routes and stronger upgrades, helping you transition into the next tier without friction.
At level 20, you gain access to the Catherby delivery route, which becomes the most efficient short-term option before your next quest milestone. Port tasks reward more experience as travel distance increases, so delivering between Port Sarim, The Pandemonium, and Catherby produces better XP per run even on a basic skiff.
The method stays simple: you’re still completing courier tasks, but now you specifically aim for longer routes. Catherby routes are especially strong for this short window. You can also use the boat recovery service to reposition your ship if you teleport to Catherby without it, as long as your cargo hold is empty.
A quick overview of what to do at this stage:
Once you hit level 22, you immediately unlock Current Affairs, the next quest-based XP boost, and the next natural step in the leveling path.
Reaching level 22 unlocks the Current Affairs quest, and completing it immediately is the most efficient move. Like Prying Times, it’s short, beginner-friendly, and designed to smooth early Sailing progression by awarding another chunk of free experience. When you finish Current Affairs, you receive 1,400 Sailing XP, which pushes you from level 22 to level 24 right away.
This quest also matters because it unlocks two key tools for sea charting: the current duck and improved charting options inside your Captain’s Log. Charting isn’t a primary XP method until later, but these unlocks are required to handle certain regions more efficiently.
A quick overview of what to do at this stage:
With level 24 unlocked, you gain access to new hull and sail upgrades that make your skiff faster and more responsive—crucial for the next courier block before larger salvaging and trial methods take over.
Reaching level 24 lets you upgrade your skiff with improved sails and a sturdier hull, both of which noticeably increase speed and handling. These upgrades make courier tasks more efficient, and this short bracket uses that advantage to bridge you to level 27. The faster your skiff becomes, the more rewarding longer routes are, including Catherby, Port Piscarilius, or extended loops along the southern coastline.
The gameplay loop is the same as earlier courier training, but each delivery takes less time due to improved movement speed. Trimming your sails during gusts also scales better at higher levels, meaning you’ll see small but real gains in XP per hour as you run routes. Since this bracket is mainly a push toward the steel salvaging hook, the goal is to complete tasks quickly and take advantage of smoother navigation.
A quick overview of what to do at this stage:
Once you hit level 27, your next major efficiency jump arrives. The steel salvaging hook becomes available, unlocking stronger AFK gains and giving you the first stable mid-level training method.
Level 27 is a major turning point because it unlocks the steel salvaging hook, which is the first truly strong AFK option in the Sailing skill. Moving from bronze to steel increases XP per pull and gives access to better shipwreck sites with stronger yields. If you prefer relaxed training, this is where Sailing starts feeling consistently rewarding.
To begin, build the steel salvaging hook on your skiff using steel bars, teak planks, steel nails, a rope, and lead bars. Lead can be purchased cheaply or mined on The Pandemonium, making this upgrade approachable even for newer accounts. Once built, sail to the level-26+ shipwreck sites northeast of The Pandemonium or along the coastline toward Deepfin Point. These wrecks last longer per cycle and respawn in a predictable pattern, which is perfect for extended AFK sessions.
The XP rate improves a lot here. AFK salvaging with the steel hook typically yields 10,000–12,000 XP per hour, while tick manipulation using knife-and-log timing can push well above 20,000 XP per hour. Even if you don’t want to tick manipulate nonstop, some players use it briefly to speed through the final stretch to 30.
A quick overview of what to do at this stage:
Once you reach level 30, you unlock the first Barracuda Trial. This is the point where Sailing changes pace dramatically and moves into much higher experience rates.

Level 30 unlocks the Barracuda Trials, and this is where Sailing transitions into its first major high-XP training method. While I didn’t have the time to write a complete OSRS barracuda trials guide, this summary should suffice.
The Tempor Tantrum trial sits just south of The Pandemonium and functions as an obstacle-course challenge that rewards speed, accuracy, and route optimization. Even with a modest skiff, completing Swordfish, Shark, and Marlin ranks for the first time grants large bonus XP drops, pushing your levels forward quickly.
After the initial clears, Tempor Tantrum becomes a repeatable activity that generally offers around 20,000–25,000 XP per hour depending on your upgrades and consistency. Each run also tracks personal bests and unlocks cosmetic rewards, storm keys, and useful items like captured wind motes or fabric rolls for later ship customization. It isn’t AFK like salvaging, but it’s more engaging and remains the best active method until level 55.
Upgrading your skiff in this bracket has a noticeable impact. Better hulls, stronger sails, and improved acceleration directly affect completion times. These upgrades stack alongside your growing familiarity with the course, helping you hit stricter rank timers more reliably. If you still prefer AFK methods, you can return to salvaging, but the trials remain the fastest active path until the next tier unlock.
A quick overview of what to do to reach the middle point of OSRS sailing training:
Reaching level 55 unlocks the next trial tier, The Jubbly Jive, which brings another big jump in hourly XP and becomes your new primary leveling method.
At level 55 you unlock The Jubbly Jive, the second Barracuda Trial tier and a major improvement to your experience rates. These trials take place on a larger course with tighter rank timers, faster movement sections, and more crate pickups per lap. Because performance scales directly with your ship stats, upgrading your hull, sails, and helm becomes even more important here than before.
XP gains in this tier are excellent and scale with how cleanly you run it. A consistent Swordfish run already beats Tempor Tantrum, while Shark and Marlin ranks push your XP per hour far higher. Well-executed Marlin runs frequently land in the 60,000 to 90,000 XP per hour range depending on boat speed and turnaround. Even if your runs aren’t perfect, Jubbly Jive generally outperforms salvaging and bounty-style tasks across this entire level range.
This tier also drops helpful upgrade items. Fabric rolls, storm keys, and captured wind motes can be used to refine your skiff and prepare for faster trial completions. Many players chain upgrades as they level, which naturally improves XP rates as their boat becomes quicker and easier to control.
A quick overview of what to do at this stage:
Once you hit level 72, you unlock the Gwenith Glide—the top-tier trial and the definitive method for pushing from midgame into the final stretch toward level 99.
Level 72 unlocks the Gwenith Glide, the final and most challenging Barracuda Trial tier. This activity is designed to carry you all the way to 99, offering the highest experience rates in the entire skill when done with a properly upgraded vessel. Compared to earlier trials, the course is longer, the timing windows are tighter, and mistakes are punished more heavily—but the XP scales to match.
Even a basic Gwenith Glide Swordfish run offers strong XP, but the real payoff comes from Shark and especially Marlin ranks. With a solid hull and strong sail acceleration, Gwenith Glide runs commonly exceed 100,000 XP per hour. With high-end upgrades like a crystal extractor, rosewood hull, and captured wind motes, experienced players can push well past 180,000 XP per hour, with top-tier setups landing around 225,000 XP per hour on optimized Marlin routes.
This tier also heavily rewards repetition and familiarity. Because the course demands sharper angles, faster reactions, and efficient crate routing, your consistency naturally improves as you repeat runs. Upgrades stay relevant throughout the grind; increasing speed or adjusting acceleration can noticeably improve run times and overall experience.
A quick overview of what to do at this stage:
Gwenith Glide is the natural endpoint of the Sailing leveling journey, offering the cleanest combination of speed, efficiency, and progression. With steady upgrades and consistent runs, pushing from 72 to 99 becomes smooth and predictable, marking the final milestone in the Sailing skill.

Sailing doesn’t only give experience—it unlocks systems, tools, equipment, and rare items that don’t exist anywhere else in Old School RuneScape. As you level, your ship turns into a mobile base, new regions open up, and powerful mechanical upgrades become available that permanently change how you travel and interact with the oceans. This section highlights the most important OSRS sailing rewards and rare drops you can only obtain through Sailing.
| Reward / Unlock | How to Get It | What It Is |
|---|---|---|
| Soup (Sailing Pet) | Random drop from Sailing activities (port tasks, salvaging, trials, encounters) | A rare turtle pet unique to Sailing; one of OSRS’ rarest early-skill pets. |
| Skiff & Sloop Boats | Skiff at lvl 15; Sloop at lvl 50 | Larger, faster boats with more speed, durability, facility slots, and crew space. |
| Hull / Keel / Mast / Helm Upgrades | Crafted at shipyards; requires Sailing + Construction levels | Permanent boat performance upgrades that improve speed, acceleration, and turning. |
| Salvaging Station | Requires lvl 42 Sailing + schematic from Chinchompa Island | Lets you sort and drop salvage directly on your boat, removing the need to return to ports. |
| Crystal Extractor | Build at lvl 73 Sailing after completing Gwennith Glide (Shark rank) | Generates Wind Motes every 60s (600 XP each), giving up to ~30k passive Sailing XP/hr. |
| Crewmates | Recruitable starting at lvl 40 Sailing | NPC helpers with stats for salvaging, sailing, and cannons; massively boosts efficiency. |
| Whirlpool Surprise (+3 boost) | Earned by completing Shark route on Temper Tantrum; then buy in Pandemonium bar | A +3 Sailing boost brew that allows boosting to build higher-tier ship upgrades early. |
| Keg Facilities | Build keg on your boat; fill with 25 brews | Stores unlimited brews like Whirlpool Surprise, Kraken Stout, or Horizon’s Lure. |
| Charting Reward Brews (Kraken Stout, Peril Dance Bitter, Trawler’s Trust, Horizon’s Lure) | Earned by completing increasing numbers of charted seas (5, 8, 50, 70) | Brews that buff Sailing, cannon damage, encounters, or Fishing XP; exclusive to charting. |
| Diving Content | Unlocked at lvl 38 Sailing | Underwater exploration with mermaid riddles and one-off XP; exclusive Sailing mechanics. |
| Great Kunch Island Access | Complete Troubled Tortugans (lvl 45 Sailing) | Unlocks a new region with Tortugans, griffins, coral nurseries, and unique resources. |
| Bounty Task Drops | Kill assigned sea creatures | Unique items like narwhal horns, shark jaws, hammerhead fins, etc., used for turn-ins. |
| Ship Renaming | Visit Sleeve McDagle at Tear of the Soul (lvl 61 Sailing) | Allows changing your ship’s name permanently using a cider. |
| Portable Weather Station | Progress through charting tasks | Facility that records weather and contributes to 100% chart completion. |
| Mermaid Riddle Rewards | Solve riddles during Diving/Charting tasks | Unique one-off XP sources and lore-style rewards tied to underwater content. |
So, there are plenty of new and cool things to work on for sailing across the open seas, especially that OSRS sailing pet soup, the cute turtle.

Sailing becomes much smoother once you understand how ship systems, crew roles, upgrades, and ocean mechanics actually work together. The skill offers a lot of freedom, but many conveniences and optimizations aren’t obvious during early progression. This section gathers the most useful tips from experienced players, streamers, and early-release discoveries to help you save time, avoid common mistakes, and upgrade your ship efficiently as you level.
Sailing rewards preparation. Small improvements—like knowing where to stand during salvaging, which crew member to assign, or which upgrades matter most—can noticeably increase your XP per hour. Other features, like the keg system, crystal extractor, and early schematic unlocks, provide huge advantages once you know they exist. As you push toward higher-level content like Barracuda Trials, these optimizations become increasingly important.
Here are some of the most useful Old School RuneScape sailing tips to keep in mind:
These tips noticeably improve efficiency in every training method. Whether you’re AFKing shipwrecks, optimizing courier loops, or grinding Barracuda Trials, applying these tools early makes Sailing feel smoother, faster, and far more rewarding on the road to 99.
The Old School version of RuneScape has officially evolved from “just the nostalgic version” into its own project that gets exclusive, massive updates. Sailing is not only the first new skill in 18 years—it’s an enormous content expansion that brings brand-new oceans, seas, islands, and countless things to see and do. From simple hauling contracts to sea charting, naval combat, and a variety of ocean activities, there’s a huge amount of sailing-adjacent content packed into the update. In this guide, we wanted to show what’s actually inside this content drop and provide a simple, structured leveling path for the skill. Once you’re done, you’re free to roam the seas with your crew, discover new lands, and live the life of a true sea dog!
Sailing grants you full access to ship ownership and customization, allowing you to construct, modify, and upgrade different types of vessels. It opens up entirely new ocean zones filled with islands, sea encounters, and specialized activities such as salvaging wrecks, bounty hunting contracts, and Barracuda Trials. The skill also introduces ship-based facilities, recruitable crew members, underwater exploration systems, and an exclusive pet. Overall, Sailing expands movement, progression paths, and alternative training methods across Gielinor.
You gain access to Sailing by completing the Pandemonium quest located in Port Sarim. This quest functions as an introduction to the skill, teaching you core mechanics like navigation and ship handling while awarding your first raft and level 5 Sailing. Once the quest is finished, you’re free to begin leveling through port delivery tasks, sea charting, and other early-game Sailing activities.
Sailing experience can be earned through multiple training activities, each suited to different levels and playstyles:
Experience rates increase as you unlock stronger boats and trials, with Barracuda Trials providing some of the fastest XP in the skill.
Sailing introduces exclusive rewards that cannot be obtained through any other skill:
Additionally, bounty hunting grants access to unique monster drops, and certain activities unlock powerful boosts such as Whirlpool Surprise to enhance performance at sea.