Frequently Asked Questions

Sailcasted is a celestial navigation training platform using inverted positioning. Each day, the system knows the exact position of a virtual sailboat, calculates the theoretical angles of celestial bodies, and sends you these observations by email. Your job: find the boat's position by calculation — with HO 249 tables, a nautical almanac, and paper. Exactly like using a real sextant at sea.

No. Sailcasted simulates the sights — you receive the altitudes already measured with realistic noise injected. You need your HO 249 tables, a nautical almanac, a plotting sheet, a ruler and a compass. The goal is to practice sight reduction and line of position plotting.

Between 30 and 60 minutes per observation depending on your level. The submission window is 48 hours — you don't have to do the exercise the same morning.

The day is marked as unsubmitted and the passage continues the next day. Your average delta is calculated only on submitted days. Missing a day doesn't block the passage.

Tier 1: one solar observation per day, threshold ±30 nm. Tier 2: two observations for an intersection fix, threshold ±15 nm. Tier 3: twilight navigation stars, threshold ±10 nm. Tier 4: Moon, planets and eclipses, threshold ±8 nm. Each tier unlocks after 7 consecutive days under the required threshold.

HO 249 is a set of tables that solves the spherical navigation triangle. By entering with the assumed latitude, LHA and the body's declination, you directly obtain the computed altitude (Hc) and azimuth (Zn). It's the standard method in Canada (Sailing Canada / TC) and the UK (AP 3270 = HO 249 under the RYA name).

HO 249: whole-degree entry, ±1' — Sailing Canada and RYA standard. HO 229: interpolation possible, ±0.1' — taught in France (FFVoile), the US (US Sailing) and Japan. For recreational use, the difference is irrelevant: human sextant error greatly exceeds 1'. Sailcasted supports both.

Sailcasted's philosophy — like the Sailing Canada exam — is based on paper tables. A calculator is accepted only for verification after the calculation is completed by hand.

A line of position is perpendicular to the body's azimuth, plotted at the intercept from the Assumed Position. A single line gives a line of possibilities. Two intersecting lines give a fixed point.

From a sailboat deck, the visible horizon is slightly below the theoretical horizon because of eye height. For a 3.5 m deck, the correction is approximately -3.3'. Always subtractive, applied first.

No. Sailcasted prepares you for the exam but doesn't replace it. The Sailing Canada exam is a 3-hour closed-book written exam administered by a certified instructor. Open Badges document your practice but carry no regulatory standing with Transport Canada.

Yes. Sailcasted supports AP 3270 tables (= HO 249 under the RYA name). The skills practiced directly match the RYA Ocean syllabus. Select 'RYA' as your target certification when you register.

Sailcasted Open Badges are planned for a future version. They will follow the IMS Global 3.0 standard. They will not be TC or RYA certifications, but practice attestations. In the meantime, your progression (tier, average delta, days completed) is visible in your dashboard.

12 months from the date of purchase. One-time purchase — no subscription, no automatic renewal.

Yes, as many times as you like within the 12-month window. Observation data varies slightly with each new passage.

Full refund within 48 hours of purchase if no observation has been viewed. After 48 hours or after viewing an observation, refunds are no longer possible. Special cases: support@ebbdesk.com.

Yes. You can purchase a passage or bundle as a digital gift card — the recipient receives an activation code by email.

Submit a request via the /instructors page. The process is manual — we establish a direct relationship with each certified instructor. You receive a personalized welcome email within 48 hours. Basic access is free for all certified instructors.

Sailing Canada, RYA, FFVoile, US Sailing, Australian Sailing, DSV, RFEV, FIV, JCI, ISAF, or recognized equivalent in your country.

First check your spam folder — our emails come from logbook@sailcasted.com. Also verify your passage is active in your dashboard. If the problem persists for more than 24 hours, email us at support@ebbdesk.com with your registration email and passage name.

Access links are valid for 48 hours. If your link has expired, the submission window is closed — the passage continues normally the next day. If the link isn't working even though it's recent (less than 48h), contact us at support@ebbdesk.com.

Activation generally takes less than a minute. If after 5 minutes nothing appears, check that the email in Stripe matches your Sailcasted account. If the problem persists, send your Stripe receipt to support@ebbdesk.com.

Email: support@ebbdesk.com — response within 24 to 48h (business days). Live chat: button at the bottom right of every page — if offline, your message arrives by email. Form: sailcasted.com/en/contact. For a blocked paid access, mention 'URGENT' in the subject.