Realistic observations. Feedback in nautical miles. Measurable progression — from your kitchen table.
You're preparing for your certification. Or you're an experienced sailor and the sextant is gathering dust. The problem is the same: without being at sea, there's no way to practice sight reduction on realistic data. Textbook exercises are static. Software simulators are artificial. Sailcasted sends you real observations, computed from USNO/JPL ephemerides — as if you were on board.
Each morning, a logbook excerpt arrives in your inbox. Celestial body, UTC time, observed heights, correction data.
Reduce the observation with your tables (HO 249, AP 3270 or HO 229). Plot your line of position. Determine your fix. On paper, like at sea.
Submit your estimated position. The platform calculates your error in nautical miles against the actual position. No grade — a raw delta.
No software to install. No GPS. Just your tables, your pencil, and your reasoning.
You're preparing for Transport Canada, RYA Yachtmaster, STCW or USCG. Sailcasted complements your classroom training with daily practice on realistic data.
You know how to navigate but skills fade. A 7-day passage is enough to restore your accuracy. Then progress to stars and the Moon.
You've never touched a sextant but celestial navigation fascinates you. Tier 1 only requires the Sun and HO 249 tables — accessible to everyone.
At Tier 1, you only see the Sun. Maintain ±30 mile accuracy over 7 consecutive days, and the sky opens: the Moon, Polaris, then twilight stars. At Tier 4, you navigate by all bodies — including eclipses.
The annual edition for the current year. Available at marine bookstores or online.
HO 249 (most common), AP 3270 or HO 229 depending on your certification.
A standard sight reduction form. Downloadable or provided in your manual.
That's it. No software, no app, no GPS.
That's the point. The delta shows you exactly where you stand. Every error is a lesson. There's no penalty — just a nautical mile error that decreases as you improve.
Some days, you don't receive an observation (simulated cloud cover). You must estimate your position by dead reckoning — heading, speed, current. Like at real sea.
Yes. You can start solo and join an instructor's cohort at any time with an invite code.
Between 20 and 45 minutes depending on your level. The submission window is 48 hours — you work at your own pace.
Halifax → Bermuda · Free · 7 days · HO 249 / AP 3270 / HO 229 tables