New OSRS skill SAILING guide for beginners!
By Expos.GG Team · 2026-01-30
Sailing is Old School RuneScape's newest skill, released in late 2025 after betas starting June 2025, focusing on shipbuilding, navigation, and ocean activities from ports like Port Sarim. It combines crafting, exploration, and combat at sea, with F2P-friendly methods and rewards like unique islands, cannons, and skillcapes. Start with quests like Pandemonium for your first raft and 300 XP.
OSRS Sailing: Complete Beginner's Guide (2026)
Sailing is Old School RuneScape's newest skill, released in late 2025 after betas starting June 2025, focusing on shipbuilding, navigation, and ocean activities from ports like Port Sarim. It combines crafting, exploration, and combat at sea, with F2P-friendly methods and rewards like unique islands, cannons, and skillcapes. Start with quests like Pandemonium for your first raft and 300 XP.
Getting Started
Complete Pandemonium (no reqs): Talk to Will/Anne at Port Sarim docks, salvage south of Karamja, swim to The Pandemonium island, build cargo hold, deliver goods. Rewards: 300 Sailing XP, raft access. Follow with Prying Times (Sailing 10, Smithing 30, prior quest): Port tasks, forge crowbar with Thurgo, pry sealed crate. Rewards: 250 Sailing XP, 1k Smithing XP, crowbars.
Build ships at shipyards using logs (normal/oak/mahogany) for hulls, masts, sails. Start small (2x3 tiles, 1 floor), upgrade to large (4x6-6x10, 2 floors) or colossal (group, 3 floors). Equip cannons (bronze to rune), cargo holds, fishing spots.
Training Methods
Methods mix one-time bursts and repeatable XP, from AFK salvaging to intense Boatlethics races.
- Gust of Wind (Passive): Spot wind icons during sails, click sails for speed/XP boost or store in Windcatcher. - Exploration Missions (One-time): Spyglass marked sea spots from angles for big XP drops. - Duck Chasing (One-time): Drop/follow rubber duck to map currents. - Salvaging (AFK Repeatable): Dock at wrecks, auto-loot with Salvaging Unit, refine at ports. Good early-mid XP. - Port Board Tasks (Repeatable): Cargo delivery or bounty hunts (kill sea creatures) from notice boards. Consistent XP + gold. - Sea Charting: Map oceans (Ardent/Sunset) for bonuses; unlock at 22+ via quests like Current Affairs. - Boatlethics (High-level): Timed obstacle courses with storms/boosts—fastest XP but click-heavy, like sea Agility. - Barracuda Trials (38+): Efficient mid-game XP via trials/mermaid tasks.
1-50 guide: Pandemonium → courier tasks → charting (22-30) → mermaid tasks (38+) → full ocean charts (45+).
Progression and XP Rates Level Milestone | Method Focus | Approx XP/hr 1-22 | Quests + Courier/Charting| 20-40k 22-50 | Charting + Barracuda Trials | 50-80k 50-70 | Salvaging + Port Tasks | 80-120k 70-99 | Boatlethics + Colossal Ships | 150k+
Higher levels unlock faster ships (small: 1.5 tiles/tick; colossal: 0.5 but group utility), new islands like Great Conch/Tortuga for quests/monsters.
Ships and Upgrades Ship Type | Size | Facilities| Floors | Speed | Best For Small | 2x3-4x3 | 2-3 | 1 | 1.5 tiles/tick| Solo/AFK Large | 4x6-6x10 | 4-6 | 2 | 1.0 tile/tick | Solo/Mid PvM Colossal | 8x12-10x16| 8-10 | 3 | 0.5 tiles/tick| Groups/Raids
Outfit: Cannons for PvM/PvP (ship vs. ship like Wilderness), crow's nests for spyglass, storage for loot.
Rewards and Endgame - Uniques: Zenyte-like gems, nautical tools/potions, new Slayer monsters on islands. - Access: Volcanic dungeons, Tortuga quests, deep-sea bosses. - Skillcape (99): Ship-themed with emote; integrates with existing skills (Fishing boosts, RC via currents). - Utility: Boat teleports, faster travel, group crew (up to 4).
Tips for Efficiency - Use RuneLite Sailing plugin for wind alerts, wreck highlights, course overlays. - Irons: Prioritize charting/salvaging for resources. - AFK: Salvaging + gusts. - Profit: Cargo tasks yield gold/materials; refine salvage for bars/planks.
Expect 1-2m XP/hr at 99 with optimal Boatlethics/groups. Sailing expands the world map massively
