Resources

By Ron Wisner

Where do I get the stuff? Well, I bought my sextants on E-bay (one is enough!). There are also outfits like Landfall and West Marine where you can get brand new sextants and the other things you will need, such as the Nautical Almanac, reduction tables and plotting charts. You will find a complete list of resources and suppliers in the links below.

Tools and materials list

The following is a basic list of navigation tools which is necessary for celestial navigation. Most of this list is equipment which would be found at any nav-station anyway, even if you normally use GPS.

Accurate quartz clock and backup, parallel rule, sextant, compass or dividers, plotting pad, large eraser, charts of sailing area (Marion to Bermuda, inclusive), current nautical almanac, Publication Number 249, Volumes 1, 2 and 3, navigation forms, hand bearing compass.

Vendors

• Landfall
• Celestaire
• West Marine

Downloadable Navigation Forms and LOP Tutorial

• LOP Sight Reduction Form78.18 KB
• Noon Sun Sight Form10.58 KB
• HO Correction Moon Form33.34 KB
• Line of Position (LOP) Tutorial
• Line of Position (LOP) Example

Celestial Mentors for the Marion to Bermuda Race

In order to make the process as accessible as possible, a number of experienced celestial navigators have agreed to make themselves available for coaching as you learn celestial navigation.

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For specific questions, select Celestial Navigation as the recipient in our Contact Form.