OSRS Sailing Guide

Our complete OSRS Sailing Guide is your one-stop source for everything about Old School RuneScape first new skill. In this guide, you’ll learn how sailing works, how to build and upgrade ships, and how to train the skill efficiently using both one-time and repeatable activities. We’ll walk you through ship types, XP methods, and even the introductory quests Pandemonium and Prying Times.

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OSRS Sailing Release Date

Old School RuneScape finally received a release date for Sailing update — November 19, 2025, at 10:00 UTC. The time of the release may differ due to timezones, so keep it in mind.

OSRS Sailing Roadmap

The Sailing updates during 2026 will continue to expand Gielinor’s oceans with new quests, bosses, and exploration content. While exact specifics will be revealed throughout the Winter and Summer Summit livestreams, the roadmap currently provides a good indication of what players can expect across the year.

📌 Remember that these plans are subject to revision as player responses come in.

OSRS Sailing Basics

Sailing is an upcoming skill in Old School RuneScape focused on shipbuilding, navigation, and exploration. It’s one of the most wanted updates, as the majority of players voted for its addition to the game.

Sailing will become available with one of the biggest content updates. Players will gather logs and other resources to construct hulls at shipyards, then outfit vessels with upgrades like cannons for ranged combat. Sailing is also designed to be Free-to-Play friendly.

As a result, many sailing’s originally promised features have already been released in other ways. For example, the new Zeah continent, Zenyte gems and jewelry, Augury/Rigour prayers, Fossil Island, and mermaid statues all stemmed from sailing’s concept:

• Zeah (the new Kourend continent);
• Zenyte gem jewelry and related content;
• Gemstone Caverns (similar to the Catacombs of Kourend);
• Random dungeon caverns (like Chambers of Xeric);
• Augury and Rigour prayers;
• Fossil Island content;
• Mermaids and nautical-themed features.

By the way, don’t forget that OSRS PvP is still a thing! You can become the Last Man Standing with the assistance of our pro players and become the first PvP-champion captain in the game.

OSRS Sailing Crew

You can have an Old School RuneScape crew that will assist you during your voyages. You can hire up to five crew members, and the best part is that you can choose either from ten available NPCs in Gielinor, or invite your friends!

The OSRS Sailing crew is not simply a company to stay by your side, it’s also a team of professionals who will help you to manage facilities and ensure that everything goes as planned.

OSRS Sailing Mechanics

Sailing in Old School RuneScape involves commanding player-built ships on the ocean. In practice, you’ll construct different boat types at ports (e.g., Port Sarim, Port Khazard) by using various logs and ship components. Each ship can be equipped with combat upgrades, notably cannons of increasing metal tiers, allowing players to fight from the deck.

Key OSRS sailing activities include:

• Building and upgrading ships — gathering logs at docks and assembling hulls, masts, sails, and cargo holds at shipyards.
• Arming your vessel — installing cannons (and potentially other weapons) on the ship, which can be fired during sea battles
• Sailing and exploration — navigating your ship across the ocean to reach special islands and sea-dungeons that were previously inaccessible.
• Combat at sea — engaging in PvP or PvM from your ship. Early concepts explicitly mention ship vs. ship combat, akin to the Wilderness

OSRS sailing offers a hybrid gameplay loop: you sail from port to port, use your vessel to engage enemies or other players (naval PvP similar to Wilderness combat), and explore new islands that cannot be reached by land. In short, Sailing will combine crafting (shipbuilding) with navigation (plotting courses and steering) and combat (using ship-mounted weapons) for a unique high-seas experience.

The OSRS Sailing interface includes ship-building menus and sea maps; as you level up, you’ll unlock larger ships and more components (e.g., starting from simple small boats and eventually building galleons or warships).

OSRS Building Ships

You will start your Old School RuneScape sailing experience with small, basic vessels and gradually unlock more advanced ships as you level up. Higher sailing levels let you explore tougher regions and command faster, better-equipped ships.

📌 You can own up to five sailing boats when you reach the required Sailing level.

Each OSRS ship can be personalized and upgraded through onboard facilities — like fishing stations, cargo bays, cannons, or crow’s nests. Ship stats such as speed, size, handling, and layout flexibility will vary by design. Currently, three ship classes are planned, each offering different advantages for sea travel and combat: Small, Large, and Colossal.

Building your first ship feels much better when you have a cool gear set on. We can deal with Pest Control for you, and you’ll get a full Void Knight set. Aye, aye, captain, and what a nice set you are wearing!

OSRS Ship Combat

Ship combat in Old Shool RuneScape is one of the most exciting features among the in-game activities. However, it’s not for the weak: timing, mobility, and targeting are more important than raid-level mechanics. Prepare yourself for hostile wildlife encounters and not scripted boss phases.

In OSRS, you can mount guns on your vessel — a Cannon base is the standard option. Shoot by ship firing reticle and lead in motion targets. Avoid close combat when monsters rush; up close combat encourages boarding and nasty tradeoffs. If your boat is damage, you can apply Repair Kits on a Shipwright’s Workbench in the vicinity of shipwrights to repair it.

✏️ Fit a Cannon for reliable damage, watch your angles, and plan repairs into your route. Ship Combat is a grind-friendly extension of normal combat, not a new hardcore system.

OSRS Sailing Gameplay

Sailing in Old School RuneScape is designed as a calming, hands-on activity that works in much the same way as other gathering or crafting cycles. You gain Sailing XP by interacting with facilities on your ship — trimming sails, adjusting the helm, or managing crew actions. Each action rewards you with a bit of XP and occasionally a minor gameplay reward, like a speed bonus.

It’s not just a case of doing the same thing in order to level up to 99, however. Sailing introduces four fundamental training approaches and one hybrid approach that combines Sailing and Fishing XP so you can decide what best fits your gaming style — active, semi-AFK, or totally AFK grinding.

OSRS Sea Charting

Explorers will love Old School RuneScape sea charting. Using your Captain’s Log, you can chart and log newly discovered areas of the ocean. Each new find earns you XP bits once only and can uncover special Sailing upgrades when an area has been fully mapped.

Find something unusual on the water? Make your way over there and record it in your log. This is a mindset of discovery rather than repetition, so make the open waters of Gielinor your own adventure map.

OSRS Barracuda Trials

The Barracudas are a racing team of sailors who thrive on the rush of speed and accuracy. They hold Barracuda Trials, timed competitions that put your Sailing ability to the test. At launch, there are three official courses in OSRS Barracuda Trials:

• The Tempor Tantrum;
• Jubbly Jive;
• Gwenith Glide.

Finishing these trials in a relatively short period of time rewards with hordes of Sailing XP and stylish cosmetics. They’re the high-skill end of the Sailing grind, difficult but worth it for fans of mastery and competition.

OSRS Deep Sea Trawling

Far from shore in the Old School RuneScape, you’ll discover rare fish that can’t be found in shallow waters. Build a Trawling Net facility on your boat to catch them. This activity gives both Sailing and Fishing XP, making it ideal for hybrid training.

Each catch contributes fresh exotic fish to your stock, which can subsequently be converted into strong food or Herblore materials. It’s a more relaxing but very lucrative means of training two skills simultaneously while covering the depths of the ocean.

OSRS Salvaging

During your voyages on OSRS, you’ll see salvage sites scattered across the ocean. They are shipwrecks or debris fields. But don’t think it’s some kind of trash; instead, it’s a true treasure — AFK-Friendly XP. To train Sailing here:

• Sail up and dock near the site.
• Use your Salvaging Unit to start extracting items.
• Your character automatically salvages until your inventory fills up.

To extend the AFK time, store loot in your ship’s storage unit and keep salvaging. Once you’re done, visit a salvage station at the nearest port to refine plundered items for extra rewards.

As you level up, more advanced salvage spots become available, offering better loot and better XP per hour — ideal for passive progress.

OSRS Port Board Tasks

Every Old School RuneScape port features a Notice Board, your main hub for repeatable sailing missions. Current mission types include:

• Cargo Runs. Load up cargo at one port, sail to another, and offload it for XP and items.
• Bounty Hunts. These are likely to involve tracking and defeating dangerous sea creatures or island beasts for additional Sailing XP and loot.

More mission types are expected at launch, but board tasks are shaping up to be a reliable and varied XP source for casual players.

OSRS Sailing Training

Leveling the Sailing skill in OSRS isn’t just about steering your boat from point A to point B. The alpha build already shows a solid variety of XP sources — from AFK-friendly salvaging to high-intensity racing routes. All Old School RuneScape sailing training methods can be split into two major categories: One-Time Activities and Repeatable. Below are all the confirmed ways to train Sailing as of 2025:

One-Time Activities provide you with an XP burst, but you can not repeat them. Some activities, like Exploration Missions, in fact, can “repeat”. It means that you’ll come across them several times in different locations, but once you complete the task in an area, you’ll never be able to do it again. The Repeatable Task can be completed multiple times, but gives moderate amounts of XP.

OSRS Gust of Wind

While cruising across the sea in OSRS, you’ll occasionally see a wind rune icon with a countdown in the top-left corner of your screen. Watch out: once the timer hits zero, a gust of wind will blow into your sails. You can either:

• Click your sails immediately to get a short speed boost (and a chunk of Sailing XP), or
• Store the gust using a Windcatcher, letting you use it strategically later.

This system adds a light, semi-passive layer of experience gain during normal travel, rewarding attentive OSRS sailors who stay engaged. This is a Passive Sailing XP, so just keep an eye on icons and enjoy.

OSRS Exploration Missions

Some Sailing XP comes from pure discovery and grants you a one-time XP burst. Exploration missions ask you to visit specific sea areas and use your spyglass to examine them from multiple angles. Once you’ve completed all the required viewpoints, the mission finishes, and you’re rewarded with a decent XP drop.

These are one-time tasks but serve a double purpose: encouraging players to uncover new parts of the world while making exploration feel meaningful, not just a sightseeing tour.

OSRS Boatlethics

Once you hit higher OSRS sailing levels, you unlock Boatlethics — time trial-style obstacle courses at sea. These high-intensity XP grinding races are:

• Filled with speed boosts, storms, and navigation hazards
• Timed challenges where you collect rum or cargo and return it to the start
• Extremely click-intensive, but gives top-tier XP for your effort

Think of these like Agility courses, but on waves instead of rooftops. They offer the fastest XP rates but require focus and fast reflexes.

OSRS Duck Chasing

Finally, there’s a quirky one-time OSRS sailing mission that involves mapping ocean currents. All it takes is finding a location marked on a map and using a rubber duck. Here’s how it works:

• Sail to a marked location.
• Drop a rubber duck 🦆 into the water.
• Follow it until it stops.
• Pick it up to complete the task.

It’s a lighthearted way to learn how water currents affect sailing routes. And yes, it gives a satisfying burst of XP, too.

OSRS Sailing Rewards

As you level Sailing from 1 to 99, you will unlock progressively more advanced ships and rewarding content. For example, early levels might unlock a small trading boat, while mid-levels could give access to large galleons capable of carrying more supplies.

The sailing skillcape (99-level reward) is expected to be a ship-themed cape; interestingly, the old April Fools’ version even allowed players to perform a ship emote with the cape. In the actual skill, the 99 cape will likely have a nautical theme and emote as usual. You can also get an Infernal Cape with the help of our team and enrich your cape collection with ease.

Leveling sailing will also unlock new sailing-exclusive items and resources. Based on developer outlines, expect to gather novel materials (different wood types or seaweed, for instance) that only spawn on the new Sailing islands.

Unique craftable items, potions, or tools (like better sails or upgraded cannons) are likely rewards for higher levels. Some initial ideas mentioned special fishing rods, rum, or cargo items, though those specifics may evolve. The overarching goal is that by max level, you can confidently helm any ship and complete all sailing-related content.

OSRS Sailing Quests

The addition of sailing to Old School RuneScape introduces entirely new content areas and quests. Before you begin your journey, you will need to undertake two introductory quests:

1. Pandemonium
2. Prying Times

Once you are done with them, you can start discovering new lands and completing other quests that we describe further. All in all, Old School RuneScape offers a great variety of quests, and you should definitely embark on this journey. But OSRS offers much more than just sailing quests, and if you want to deal with them all really fast, ask our team for OSRS Quests completion.

How to Complete OSRS Pandemonium Quest

OSRS Pandemonium is the first introductory quest during which you gain access to the sailing skill, your first raft, and some sailing XP. Here’s how to complete this quest:

1. Start the Quest. Speak to Will or Anne at the Port Sarim docks to join their salvaging venture.
2. Set Sail. Control the ship via the Helm. Sail south through the Bay of Sarim to just east of the Karamja Shipyard.
3. Salvage & Surprise. Deploy the salvaging hook to collect a medallion and an old cup. Show them to Anne — she’ll toss you overboard.
4. Arrive at The Pandemonium. Swim ashore and talk to ‘Squawking’ Steve Beanie.
5. Investigate Further. Speak to Ribs in the pub about the map. Then talk to Steve Beanie again about Will and Anne.
6. Build Your Raft. Go east to the docks. Talk to Junior Jim, grab a hammer and saw, then board your raft and build a cargo hold.
7. Pick Up Cargo. Sail north to Port Sarim, dock, disembark, and collect cargo from the ledger table.
8. Deliver Cargo. Sail back to The Pandemonium, dock, withdraw the crate, disembark, and deposit the cargo at the local ledger.
9. Wrap Up. Talk to Junior Jim to confirm delivery. Then speak to Steve Beanie again for a final update.

How to Complete OSRS Prying Times Quest

The second OSRS quest that teaches you how to sail is Prying Times. This quest has a list of particular requirements, but the rewards are slightly better. Here’s how to complete it:

1. Start the Task. Talk to ‘Squawking’ Steve Beanie in the Pandemonium pub and ask for work. He’ll add a Port Task to your Captain’s Log.
2. Pick Up Cargo. Sail to Port Sarim, disembark, and take cargo from the ledger table. Board your vessel and deposit the crate into your cargo hold.
3. Deliver the Cargo. Sail back to The Pandemonium, dock, withdraw the crate, and disembark. Deposit it at the ledger table, then report to the Port Master.
4. Check In With Steve. Head back to the pub and tell Steve, “I delivered that cargo for you.”
5. Customize Your Ship. Talk to Junior Jim to access the Shipyard. There, search the boat supplies and take a hammer, steel bar, and red berry pie. Exit via the portal.
6. Forge a Crowbar. Sail north to Port Sarim, disembark, and head southwest to Thurgo. Tell him you need help with a key. Give him the items to receive a crowbar.
7. Return to The Pandemonium. Board your ship and sail back south. Disembark and talk to Steve Beanie about the special key. He asks you to test it.
8. Find the Sealed Crate. Board your vessel and sail northwest from The Pandemonium to a nearby island. Locate the Sealed Crate and pry it open with the crowbar.
9. Fight (Optional). Drink the fish bladder stout inside. This spawns a Drink Troll. Defeat it or skip the fight by disembarking your ship.
10. Complete the Quest. Sail back to The Pandemonium, disembark, and return to the pub. Head behind Steve and open the Sealed Crate behind the pub.

OSRS World-Expansion Sailing Quests

One major island is “The Great Conch”, home to an isolated culture of Tortugans. Besides Tortuga, several small islands and dungeons are planned. For example, a volcanic Charred Island multi-combat dungeon has been teased by players. Many of these locations will have their own mini-quest lines or resource-harvesting activities.

Overall, Sailing content is delivered via story-driven quests and area expansions:

• Great Conch & Tortuga Quests. New questlines set on an island populated by Tortugan NPCs. Completing these will open the island to players.
• Deep Sea Trawling. Sea monster encounters or events (e.g., fighting Krakens or harvesting strange creatures) may appear during voyages.
• Small Quests. Aside from Tortuga, there will be shorter quests on other islands to expand world lore.

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All in all, as mentioned in our OSRS Sailing guide, this new skill promises a rich new gameplay loop. You can build and customize ships, sail to new lands, and engage in oceanic adventures. You will also collect materials, fight with cannons, and explore unique islands through quests. With training methods like deep-sea trawling and hybrid skilling, sailing will also integrate with existing skills like fishing. Good luck on your sea travel, and hit the like button if our guide was helpful!