Sailing is almost here in Old School RuneScape, and players are already planning their first trips across Gielinor’s oceans. This guide provides an easy-to-follow path from Level 1 to 50+ Sailing, along with important preparation, early upgrades, and efficient routes once the skill launches. Whether you want to rush levels, explore freely, or simply know what to expect on day one, this guide will help you get started.

Pre-Release Preparation

These activities don’t give Sailing XP directly, but they greatly speed up early progression. You can do them before launch, during the prep patch, or whenever you’re taking a break from leveling.

1. Turn Flax Into Linen and Canvas

Linen and canvas are required for early mast and sail upgrades, so having a stockpile ready helps a lot. The best places to process flax are:

  ·Museum Camp – spinning wheel and loom right beside each other

  ·Al Kharid – loom close to the bank

Prepare plenty of flax and process it early.

2. Prepare Hop Patches for Cotton & Hemp

Auto-weed your six hop patches ahead of time. These will be used for cotton and hemp once seeds become available. Key patches include:

  ·Ardougne (easiest access and fastest to reach)

  ·The other five hop patches around Gielinor

Where will seeds come from? We don’t know yet, but you can prepare by:

  ·Trading mole parts for seed nests

  ·Saving seed packs from farming contracts

  ·Using spirit seeds for seed packs

  ·Pickpocketing Master Farmers on release

Hemp becomes important around Level 35–40 for upgrades like the teak mast, so don’t stress too much about this step.

3. Gather Lead Bars on Pandemonium

Early upgrades require lead bars. Aim for around 25–50 bars to get ahead, though 100 is ideal. Bring:

  ·Mining enhancers

  ·Superheat Item to smelt and bank bars on the island

Even a few inventories will give you a strong early-game boost.

4. Craft Large Hull and Keel Parts

If you already have planks and metal bars, craft:

  ·Large hull parts

  ·Large keel parts

You’ll need them soon after unlocking your skiff.

Levels 1–15: Port Tasks and Early Charting

Start With the Pandemonium Quest

You’ll likely get a couple of early levels just from completing the quest. Bring:

  ·8 planks

  ·32 bronze nails

Build the Basic Cargo Hold immediately. This unlocks port tasks—your main XP source from Level 1 into the mid-levels.

Port Tasks (Level 1–7)

Your first goal is a Pandemonium → Port Sarim task. Avoid tasks that require you to return to Pandemonium before delivery—they’re much slower. At Level 7, you unlock two tasks at once, which greatly boosts efficiency.

Charting for Passive XP

From Level 1 onward, you can:

  ·Click charting points of interest

  ·Use the spyglass on sparkly water spots

Don’t go out of your way for these, but always chart while traveling.

Expanding Your Ports

Key unlocks:

  ·Level 7: Two tasks at once

  ·Level 10: Musa Point

  ·Level 12: Prime Times → unlocks crate charting

By Level 15, you’re ready for bigger content.

Levels 15–30: Build Your Skiff and Choose a Training Method

At Level 15, build your skiff immediately. It’s faster, has more capacity, and supports seven facilities.

You now have two solid training paths:

Option A: Continue Port Tasks + Charting

You can now access higher-level routes from ports like:

  ·Musa Point

  ·Land’s End

  ·Hosidius

Use the shipwright to move your boat if needed.

Option B: Shipwreck Salvaging

Build a Bronze Salvaging Hook and head to:

  ·South of Pandemonium

  ·South of Land’s End

Great if you want:

  ·Chill, semi-AFK gameplay

  ·Two-tick salvaging for high XP

  ·Collection log medallion pieces

Drop salvage for fastest XP, or sort it later.

Key Level Milestones

  ·21: Iron salvaging hook

  ·22: Current Affairs quest → unlock current charting

  ·24: Oak hull + oak mast (needed for Barracuda Trial)

  ·26: Fisherman’s shipwrecks (north Pisc & south Catherby)

  ·27: Steel salvaging hook (requires lead bars)

  ·28: Three port tasks at once

  ·30: Barracuda Trial → extremely good XP

Levels 30–45: Trials, Better Salvaging, Faster Sailing

Level 30+: Barracuda Trial

Fantastic XP if you enjoy it. There’s a learning curve, but it’s worth mastering.

Level 35: Barracuda Shipwrecks

Located right beside the trial. Great XP if you prefer salvaging over trials.

Level 36: Teak Upgrades

Unlock:

  ·Teak hull

  ·Teak mast (requires hemp)

These upgrades greatly increase speed and improve trial performance.

Level 38: Depth Charting

Extra charting XP while exploring. Good passive XP but not a main method.

Level 39: Steel Keel

Useful if you focus heavily on maneuvering (especially during trials).

Level 40: First Crew Member – Jobless Jim

Crew helps with:

  ·Carrying cargo

  ·Salvaging

  ·Sail upkeep

Note: Crew cannot join you in the Barracuda Trial.

Level 42: Salvaging Station

Requires a schematic from the collection log. Helps organize salvage but may require cargo upgrades.

Level 45: Tortuga Quest

Unlocks Tortuga Island, which you’ll eventually need for the woodcutting camp and higher-level upgrades.

Levels 50+: Unlocking the Sloop and Endgame Sailing

Level 50: The Sloop

This is your main ship until 99. Benefits include:

  ·Huge facility capacity

  ·Potential for double salvaging hooks

  ·Excellent for charting, trolling, salvaging, and mixed setups

Post-50 Content

Now the ocean really opens up: Explore New Islands. You’ll have multiple quest islands available—great for exploration and charting XP.

Upgrade Your Ship

Focus on:

  ·Better holds

  ·Stronger masts

  ·Stronger hulls

  ·Dual salvaging hooks for top-tier XP

Level 53: Large Shipwrecks

Found south of the Great Conch. Fantastic XP with two hooks or crew.

Level 55: Second Barracuda Trial (Jubbly Jive)

Another fun, high-XP challenge.

Final Thoughts

Sailing adds exploration, skilling variety, and discovery to Old School RuneScape. Whether you prefer port tasks, salvaging, charting, or trials, there are multiple efficient routes to Level 50 and beyond or Select RSorder to complete your upgrade goals and purchase the required OSRS Gold service!