Ocean Sail Training

Ocean Sail Training with Celestial Navigation

“The practice of celestial navigation extends our skills and deepens our relationship with the universe around us.” 

(David Barrie).

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Autonomy. The freedom of sovereignty. Self-determination by self reliance. Sometimes, the future is found in our past. Navigate freely becoming independent from any outside sources. Celestial navigation has become more popular than ever! Learn to use the Sextant in a modern and relaxed way. Friendly Ocean Theory Course week in Malta and practical Ocean Sail Training legs. Get ready for your RYA Yachtmaster Ocean exam. Read why Celestial training is unique and different with Reginasailing. Get purchasing advice and discount on your sextant and books.

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For German sailors, please note:

The RYA Yachtmaster Ocean is now officially accepted by the “Bundesministeriums für Verkehr (BMV)” and is recognised by “Deutscher Segler-Verband (DSV)” for being equal to the German “Sporthochseeschifferschein (SHS)” and can therefore be transformed into a German SHS certificate, if desired. 
See article in YACHT here and Interview with Leon Schulz here. 
 

  • Learn how to use the Sextant and navigate by the sun, planets, moon and stars!

  • Practice using your sextant while sailing on a Hallberg-Rassy!

  • Find relevant information about weather, routes and destinations

  • Get involved in the planning, preparation and performing of an ocean passage

  • Join on a commercially coded sail training vessel approved for the RYA ocean qualifying passage   

  • Complete preparation for the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean exam

 

Pachino from Italy
Thank you, your way of explaining should be a model to get to the problem in a simple way without getting lost in long explanations that make you lose sight of the main problem.
Udi from Israel
We arrived yesterday from Vigo to Las Palmas on celestial navigation only and I have no words to thank you for your theory course in Malta and the genius templates which made my life so easy! I could understand the process with your footnotes !!!!!

A complex subject made understandable!

First: Join the theory course with like-minded!

Then: Use it while ocean sailing!

Check out the options below

Celestial Theory Course in Malta

Combine holiday in sunny Malta with learning the sextant and get rewarded by your Yachtmaster Ocean Theory Certificate.
– 6 days course in a 5-star hotel
– Learn Celestial Navigation and Ocean Sailing the practical way
–Take advantage of the special Reginasailing Templates
– Includes the RYA Yachtmaster Ocean assessment
– Unique Sophisticated Reginasailing templates that never let you down
– 30 tutorial videos to remind you how it works even years ahead.
– Qualifies as an RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Ocean Shorebased Course Completion Certificate
Read more about the theory course.

Practical Celestial Sail Training

Sailing 1.5 days out into an ocean, getting hands-on practice using a sextant and doing sight reductions in a real onboard environment.
– Minimum 4.5 days course; often combined with a pleasant coastal sailing leg
– Onboard rehearsal of the theory
– Sailing out from the coast until no land is in sight
– Taking a sun-run-sun and compass check to find your position
– Get your necessary shots for your RYA Ocean exam
– Optional Mock exam for your RYA Ocean certificate
– Legs offered on HR46 Regina Laska and HR43 iDolci
Click here to read more about practical sextant training

Ocean Passage Sail Training

Get involved in preparing for a true ocean passage, including watch schemes, safety checks, boat checks, victualling, weather briefing and passage planning.
– Minimum 10 days course; often combined with a pleasant coastal cruising
– Sophisticated weather briefing sessions to find the best weather window
– Minimum 4 days, 600+nm nonstop ocean passage
– Celestial navigation (weather permitting)
– Qualifies as an RYA Yachtmaster Ocean passage for the exam
– Legs offered on HR46 Regina Laska or HR43 iDolci
Click here to read about ocean sail training

Astro-Advent in Bremen 2025

Navigatorisches Advent-Wochenende im winterlichen Bremen. Für alle, die sich für Astronavigation interessieren. Sowie für jene, die es schon einmal gelernt haben, es aber wieder auffrischen möchten!
Theorie mit Reginasailing Vorlagen, ohne Formeln oder Taschenrechner! Praktischer Umgang mit dem Sextanten hautnah im Planetarium erleben. Werksbesuch bei Cassens&Plath.
Sichere einen der wenigen Plätze für das Astro-Event des Jahres am 2. Advent (6. - 8. Dezember)!

Buy your ocean ready boat

Reginasailing Family members selling their HR49 after his circumnaviation
Swiss-owned, which says it all: Kept in an immaculate good shape. Very well equipped and maintained. Ready to go again! Arriving in Italy in May.
Click on the photo above for more details

Celestial Tips & Hacks

How to do a compass check without a pedestal compass? How to shoot the sun efficiently? And many more hands-on tips for making celestial navigation easier and to pass your Yachtmaster Ocean exam in style.

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Exam

You may now book Leon Schulz as your RYA Yachtmaster Examiner!
Enjoy your opportunity to demonstrate your skills for me, as your guest onboard, instead of the other way around!
– RYA Yachtmaster Coastal
– RYA Yachtmaster Offshore
– RYA Yachtmaster Ocean

Click here to read about how to become an RYA Yachtmaster

Why Celestial Navigation?

The Ukraine war has shown: Don't rely on GNSS! Jamming or spoofing satellite retrieved position information has become a new part of warfare and terrorism. It's every seaman's responsibility to autonomously master navigation.
– Be prepared to flee from an attack
– Become self reliant and independent from any outside source
– Feel the freedom of autonomy
– Pass on the deep knowledge of maritime history to your next generation
– Add the sought-after "Ocean" to your RYA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate
– Enjoy the extra flair and respect of an ocean sailor
Click here to read about why the sextant is still worth knowing.

Why Reginasailing?

What makes Reginasailing so special for Ocean Sail Training?
– The pleasure of learning in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere
– Sharing Leon's 70,000+ miles and 40 years of experience
– Understanding the background and the "why" we do what
– Getting easy to follow "how-to" hands-on step-by-step guides
– Offering the complete package from theory to practical ocean sailing
Click here to read about the learning method

Celestial Video Courses

5 steps to fix a position with a sextant:

1. Measure the angle between the horizon and a celestial object (e.g. the sun) and note the exact time of observation ("Ho")
2. Choose an Assumed Position ("AP") in your vicinity for which the direction to the sun ("Azimuth") and the angle you should have measured had you been at the AP ("Hc") are given in the tables at the given time
3. Compare the two angles. The difference in minutes (Ho-Hc) is how far you are from the AP in nm ("Intercept"), either closer or further away from the sun.
4. Draw your AP, Azimuth and Intercept into your chart. Your position is a along a line perpendicular to the Azimuth ("Position Line")
5. Two Position Lines give your Fix
Click here to watch a 3-min summery video

Click here to watch the all Reginasailing celestial video courses.

Celestial Templates

The popular Reginasailing templates for Celestial Calculations are now published by Cassens&Plath and can be bought in their Webshop.

Buying Sextants, Starfinder and Books

Thanks to a co-operation between Bookharbour.com and Reginasailing, Friends of the Reginasailing family enjoy a 10% discount on books and sextants.
Click here to read about sextants and your discount code

The Itinerary

Check the sailing leg that suits you. See the most current itinerary for next year as well as links to previous legs. If you are interested in future legs, contact us!
Click here to find details of next year's sailing legs

Hall of Yachtmasters

Get to know the proud Reginasailing Yachtmasters
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