Sextant — Davis Mark 3
Essential Training Sextant • Proven “Lifeboat” Design
The Davis Mark 3 Sextant is a full-size, no-nonsense navigation instrument designed for learning, practice, and emergency preparedness. Often referred to as a “lifeboat sextant”, it strips celestial navigation back to the essentials—robust, lightweight, and reliable—yet this very model has carried sailors safely around the world.
Manufactured by Davis Instruments, the Mark 3 is trusted by sailing schools, offshore cruisers, and traditional navigators who value simplicity and resilience over complexity.
⚓ Purpose-Built Simplicity
The Mark 3 is intentionally straightforward. It is full-sized and properly proportioned, giving learners the correct feel and handling of a traditional sextant, but without optical magnification. This makes it easier to understand the fundamentals of sight-taking while keeping the instrument light, durable, and affordable.
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No telescope — direct sighting keeps technique simple
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Full frame size — realistic handling for proper training
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Minimal components — fewer parts to damage or misalign
While faint stars are more challenging without magnification, the Mark 3 excels for solar sights, bright stars, and daytime practice.
☀️ Core Features
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🌍 Full-size sextant frame — stable and well balanced
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🌞 Multiple sunshades — reduces glare during bright sun observations
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🪞 Traditional horizon mirror system — classic celestial alignment method
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🧱 Rugged plastic construction — corrosion-proof and impact resistant
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📘 Instruction booklet included — ready for immediate learning
Its tough construction and low replacement cost are why it is often specified as an emergency or backup sextant aboard offshore vessels.
🧭 Ideal Learning & Backup Instrument
The Mark 3 is widely used by:
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Sailing schools teaching the fundamentals of celestial navigation
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Cruisers wanting a simple, dependable backup to electronic systems
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Lifeboats and grab-bags where reliability and weight matter
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Navigators who value traditional seamanship skills
By removing complexity, the Mark 3 encourages good technique—steady holding, careful alignment, and sound calculations.
📦 What’s Included
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Davis Mark 3 Sextant
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Instruction booklet
🎯 Ideal For
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🔰 Beginners learning celestial navigation
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🏫 Sailing schools & training programs
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⛵ Offshore sailors seeking a reliable backup
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🧭 Traditional navigation enthusiasts
Important: This item is supplied to order.
Please allow up to 10 working days for delivery.
The Davis Mark 3 Sextant proves that simplicity works. It’s affordable, dependable, and time-tested—an honest navigation instrument that teaches the fundamentals and stands ready when technology fails.
A true seaman’s backup. A perfect place to begin.
