Sailing in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) has long been a dream for players eager to explore the vast, uncharted waters of Gielinor. While sailing had been a topic of speculation and hope for years, 2025 marks a major milestone as Jagex has officially introduced the long-awaited skill to the game. The update has brought an entirely new dimension to OSRS gameplay, blending the thrill of naval exploration with a variety of new mechanics, quests, and challenges.

Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or a newcomer to OSRS, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the new Sailing skill, how to level up, the various rewards, and how to make the most of your maritime adventures in Gielinor. This will allow you to obtain more OSRS gold in the game.

What is Sailing in OSRS?

Sailing is a brand new skill in Old School RuneScape. It allows players to traverse Gielinor's oceans and seas, discovering new islands, completing quests, and gathering exclusive resources. The skill is centered around the concept of navigation, ship maintenance, and exploration, offering both solo and cooperative gameplay.

The introduction of sailing opens up a vast range of opportunities, from training the skill itself, to utilizing it in combat, trading, and even treasure hunting. Players can now sail ships to new lands, encounter dangerous sea creatures, or unlock hidden rewards and treasures.

How to Start the Sailing Journey

To embark on your sailing journey, players must first unlock the ability to sail. This requires completing a new introductory quest, "The Navigator's Call", which introduces you to the world of maritime travel and sets you on the path of becoming a seasoned sailor.

Requirements:

Level 10 Agility - Necessary to board ships and move around on the decks efficiently.

Level 30 Crafting - Needed to craft various parts of your ship and maintain it.

Level 50 Fishing - Required to fish for new sea-based resources, a fundamental part of the skill.

Once you've completed the quest and acquired the necessary skills, you'll be able to build and customize your own ship at one of several shipyards around Gielinor. You'll also be introduced to the first basic sailing mechanics, such as controlling the ship's speed and direction, as well as how to dock at ports and harbors across the oceans.

Training Sailing

Sailing can be leveled up in a variety of ways, with each method offering different challenges and rewards. As you level up, you'll unlock new abilities, ships, and locations to explore. The primary ways to train sailing are:

1. Exploration and Navigation

Exploring the oceans of Gielinor is the heart of the sailing skill. As you progress through the skill, you'll unlock new destinations, each offering unique rewards, resources, and challenges. These islands range from calm, serene locations with peaceful NPCs to dangerous, uncharted lands filled with hostile creatures and ancient ruins.

To train your sailing via exploration, you'll need to:

Sail to different islands: Each island has different requirements (such as ship durability, your sailing level, or a specific item) to access.

Complete exploration-based tasks: These could include charting new routes, gathering resources from the islands, or discovering rare sea creatures.

Ship upgrades: The better your ship, the further you can explore and the more efficient you become at sailing. Upgrade your ship by crafting new parts like sails, hulls, and cannons, which will increase speed, cargo capacity, and durability.

2. Combat and Sea Battles

As part of the new skill, players can engage in ship-to-ship combat. As you explore the seas, you may encounter hostile pirates or sea monsters that you must defeat to gain experience points and rare drops.

Some of the new combat mechanics include:

Ship Cannons: Equip your ship with cannons to fire at enemy ships or sea creatures during naval combat.

Crew Management: Recruit NPCs or other players to join your crew, each of whom can provide unique bonuses, such as faster loading times for cannons or better ship repairs.

Naval PvP: Take on other players in open-world naval combat, where you'll battle to control the seas.

Sailing combat is a mix of real-time strategy and action. Positioning your ship for optimal cannon shots, managing resources like food and ammunition, and keeping your crew motivated and efficient will be key to dominating the waves.

3. Fishing and Resource Gathering

Fishing is an integral part of sailing, as you'll need to gather resources like fish, seaweed, and treasure to progress. Higher levels of sailing unlock more exotic and valuable fish, which can be used to craft special potions or sell for profit.

At higher levels, you can:

Fish for rare resources: Like pearls, ship parts, or seaweed used to upgrade your ship.

Catch legendary sea creatures: These creatures drop valuable resources and sometimes even special trophies or items that can be traded.

4. Treasure Hunting

With the addition of sailing, treasure hunting has also received a major overhaul. As you explore new islands and uncharted waters, you can search for buried treasures and shipwrecks, which contain both valuable loot and rare rewards.

To enhance your treasure hunting:

Use a map or compass: Certain maps, obtained through quests or special NPCs, will lead you to buried treasures.

Treasure hunting skills: As you level up, you gain the ability to uncover deeper and more valuable treasures. These treasures can be used for personal use or sold to obtain cheap RuneScape gold.

New Ships and Customization

One of the most exciting aspects of the sailing update is the ability to build, customize, and upgrade your own ship. There are multiple types of ships, each with different uses:

The Skiff: A small, fast ship used for light exploration and fishing.

The Brigantine: A medium-sized ship ideal for combat and crew management.

The Galleon: A large, powerful ship capable of carrying more crew and cargo and equipped with more cannons for intense naval battles.

Customization options allow you to change your ship's appearance, speed, cargo hold, and weaponry. Ships can also be upgraded with special features, such as reinforced hulls or advanced navigation tools.

Sailing Rewards

As you level up in Sailing, you unlock a variety of new rewards and features:

Exclusive Islands: New areas to explore with unique quests, NPCs, and monsters.

Sea-based Pets: Adorable sea creatures that accompany you on your adventures.

Ship Cosmetics: Custom skins, sails, and figureheads that allow you to personalize your vessel.

Seafood Recipes: Unlock cooking recipes that can only be made with rare sea ingredients.

Legendary Ships: Obtain mythical ships with extraordinary abilities that allow you to access secret areas or battle terrifying monsters.

Conclusion

The introduction of the Sailing skill in OSRS is a game-changer, offering a vast new frontier for exploration, combat, and resource gathering. Whether you're charting new islands, battling sea monsters, or hunting for treasure, the skill provides an exciting and dynamic addition to the world of Gielinor. As the skill continues to evolve in 2025 and beyond, players can expect even more updates and content that will expand the maritime experience.

So, grab your compass, set sail, and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime!