OSRS Sailing Helm Upgrade Guide
© gamerblurb.com | Published on 11/19/2025 at 1:57 PM CST (USA)
Your helm controls how your boat handles in the ocean, and this guide shows you when to upgrade it, how it works, and if it is worth the materials during your Sailing grind.
When You Can Upgrade The Helm
You unlock helm upgrades as soon as you switch from your raft to the skiff. The skiff lets you visit a shipwright and open the upgrade menu. Inside that menu you will see the core parts of your boat including the hull, mast, sail, keel, and helm. Upgrading the helm improves steering control and makes your turns feel smoother in tight areas.
How The Helm Upgrade Works
The helm upgrade uses basic materials from courier tasks, salvaging, and sea charting rewards. You trade those materials to the shipwright and confirm the upgrade. The helm boost helps when you navigate tight docks, narrow sea routes, and Barracuda Trials. It does not increase your raw speed but it reduces how often you overshoot turns or drift into rocks.
Many players delay the helm upgrade because the early game does not demand tight handling. You can reach level thirty and the first trial with a standard helm. Once you start using deeper seas and faster routes the upgrade becomes much more noticeable.
When You Should Upgrade
You can upgrade the helm when you buy your skiff but you do not need to rush it. Most players upgrade the hull and sails first since those affect speed and durability. The helm becomes more valuable when you do:
Tight docking routes
Faster Barracuda Trials
Deep sea trawling where alignment matters
Salvaging in crowded wreck areas
Bounty tasks that need quick turning
If you wait until level thirty your XP will not suffer. You can do helm upgrades whenever you have extra materials after your main parts are handled.
Final Blurb
The helm upgrade in OSRS Sailing is helpful once your routes get tighter and faster. You can skip it early, upgrade it later when your boat feels harder to handle, and enjoy smoother turns as you move into high level content.
FAQ
When does the helm upgrade unlock
When you switch from your raft to the skiff at level fifteen.
Is the helm upgrade required early
No. Most players delay it until level thirty or later.
Does the helm upgrade increase speed
No. It only improves handling and turning.
Should I upgrade the helm before the hull
No. Hull and sails give more value early on.
Does the helm help with trials
Yes. It helps with turning and control during tighter routes.
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