The Port Sarim to Karamja trade route is the bread and butter of early Sailing leveling. It's safe, the winds are predictable, and the requirements are low (Level 1 Sailing). The community wiki claims you can get upwards of 40,000 XP per hour running rum and bananas. But is that theoretical max efficiency or a realistic number for the average player? We set out to find the truth by running this route non-stop for 10 hours.
The Setup
We used a Level 10 "Sloop" hull with Basic Linen Sails. No weight-reducing gear, no stamina potions—just a raw account to simulate a beginner's experience. You can model this setup in our XP Planner.
The Route: Buy Rum at Port Sarim → Sail to Karamja (Musa Point) → Sell Rum → Buy Bananas → Sail back to Port Sarim → Sell Bananas. Repeat.
Hour 1-3: The Learning Curve
The first few hours were rough. We kept getting stuck in "irons" (headwind) near the Wizards' Tower. This highlights the importance of understanding Wind Mechanics.
- Hour 1 XP: 22,000 XP
- Hour 2 XP: 25,500 XP
- Hour 3 XP: 28,000 XP
We realized that hugging the coast is a mistake. The wind currents near the shore are turbulent. By sailing slightly wider into open water, we maintained a steady "Crosswind" status.
Hour 4-10: Optimized Runs
Once we established the "Wide Arc" strategy, our rates stabilized. We also started using the "Quick-Dock" mechanic (right-clicking the port anchor from 5 tiles away) to save tick time.
- Average XP (Hours 4-10): 34,500 XP/hr
- Peak XP (Hour 8): 36,200 XP
Why You Can't Hit 40k
The 40k/hr figure assumes you have perfect wind RNG and zero tick loss on banking. In reality, random events (like the Sea Troll) and wind shifts will slow you down.
To actually hit 40k, you need the Navigator's Hat (obtained from the Tempoross minigame), which gives a passive +5% XP boost to port tasks. Without it, 35k is the realistic ceiling.
Final Thoughts
Don't beat yourself up if you aren't hitting the wiki rates. Port Sarim is a solid 35k/hr method that profits about 50k gp/hr. It's great for levels 1-30. After that, move to the Catherby routes for better gains.