The Jubbly Jive is the second tier of the Barracuda Trials in OSRS Sailing, and it marks a noticeable jump in both difficulty and required preparation. This guide walks you through everything you need to complete the Swordfish, Shark, and Marlin ranks—including the upgrades your skiff needs, how to navigate the course efficiently, what each flag means, and how to manage your toads and windcatchers for the fastest times possible. Having enough RuneScape gold can greatly help you complete the challenge.

Required Sailing Level & Boat Upgrades

Before you can attempt the Jubbly Jive Trials, you must meet the following requirements:

Minimum Sailing Level: 55

At level 55 Sailing, you can access the Jubbly Jive challenge itself, but the boat requirements are the true gatekeeper.

Boat Upgrades Needed

To make your skiff eligible for the challenge, you must upgrade it to:

Mahogany Hull

Mythril Keel

Mythril Helm

Mahogany Mast & Canvas

These upgrades provide the durability, speed, and maneuverability necessary to handle the tricky swamp-filled passages of the Jubbly Jive.

Windcatcher Requirement (For Marlin Rank)

To complete the Marlin tier—the final and toughest version of the Jubbly Jive—you must have a Windcatcher installed on your ship.

To build it, you need:

A Captured Windote, obtained by completing the Shark version of the Jubbly Jive within the required time.

Once you acquire the Windote, return to any port, craft the Windcatcher upgrade, and install it before attempting the Marlin trial. Without it, the final challenge is impossible to complete on time.

How to Reach the Jubbly Jive Trials

You’ll find the Jubbly Jive south of Castle Wars, but reaching it from most ports requires a long trip across the Barracuda circuit.

Recommended Shortcut: Empty Ship Bottle

To skip the long journey:

Obtain an Empty Ship Bottle (GE or salvaging if you’re an Ironman).

Go to the port where your ship is currently docked.

Use the bottle to store your ship.

Travel to Corsair Cove or another nearby port.

Release your ship and sail directly to the Jubbly Jive.

This trick saves several minutes and prevents unnecessary detours.

Swordfish Rank Guide

The Swordfish tier is the introduction to the Jubbly Jive mechanics. Your goal is simple:

Collect all required crates.

Gather toads from the northern boat.

Use toads to lure a single Jubbly through the correct flag route.

Basic Tips

Avoid the green swamp gas pools—they instantly slow your ship to a crawl.

Trim your sails frequently to maintain speed.

Use the right-side route going up, then cut left toward the toad boat.

You’ll only need one batch of toads for this tier. After grabbing them, visit the four flags in order:

Orange

Teal

Magenta

White

As long as you stay clear of hazards and keep moving, hitting each flag once will guide the Jubbly back to the starting point well within the Swordfish time limit.

Shark Rank Guide

Shark rank increases the complexity:

38 crates to collect

Two Jubbies must be lured

Course hazards become much tighter

Fortunately, the toad boat gives you 12 toads, which allows for smart pre-baiting.

Key Strategy: Pre-Baiting Flags

Before you lure the first Jubbly, use the extra toads to pre-bait flags:

Yellow

Red

This ensures that when the second Jubbly spawns, it will automatically move along the correct route without requiring extra passes.

Flag Order

For the first Jubbly:

Orange

Teal

Magenta

White

For the second:

Yellow (pre-bait)

Red (pre-bait)

Blue (manual)

Teal → Magenta → White (same as the first)

The inner routes in this tier are significantly tighter. Hitting a swamp gas pool is extremely punishing, so take wider paths where possible and prioritise safe angles over speed boosts.

A successful run will comfortably earn Shark rank as long as you avoid getting stuck inside the swamp pockets.

Marlin Rank Guide (Final Rank)

The Marlin tier is the most demanding version of the Jubbly Jive:

Three Jubbies must be guided

56 crates

You must revisit the toad boat twice

Full mastery of the Windcatcher mechanics is needed

Course hazards are unavoidable without Windcatcher usage

First Toad Trip: Pre-Baiting

Your first set of nine toads needs to be spread carefully:

Never throw at the green flag.

Pre-bait yellow and red.

Lure the first Jubbly through:

Orange → Teal → Magenta → White

After the first lure, switch to the inner route. This will set you up for the second pass.

Windcatcher Technique

Your Windcatcher (wind mote) lets you blast through swamp bubbles without slowing down. Use it on:

Long straightaways

Swamp-dense crate regions

The orange flag pre-bait, one of the trickiest throws in the entire course

Mastering the timing here massively impacts your success.

Second Toad Trip

Grab another nine toads, use Windcatcher again to break through the swamp lines, and begin guiding the remaining two Jubbies through:

Red

Blue

Teal

Magenta

White

If you maintain steady momentum and avoid major slowdowns, you should land the Marlin time with seconds to spare—just as intended.

Conclusion

The Jubbly Jive is a huge step up from the earlier Barracuda Trials, requiring precise routing, timing, and excellent ship control. Completing all three ranks—Swordfish, Shark, and Marlin—will push your Sailing knowledge and unlock the next Barracuda challenge, the Gwenneth Glide.

Once that’s unlocked, you’ll be able to push your Sailing levels from the 50s into the 70s and beyond using Barracuda Trials alone. Having enough RS gold can also be very helpful.

Good luck on the water, and may your Jubbies behave!