HELP!

Celestial · #1 (**permalink**) 12-19-2004

I want to buy a sextant for my friend for christmas but I don''t know what size to get (in inches) He''s planning on doing some offshore sailing in a few years around the south pacific. If anyone has any ideas or can fill me in on what i should be looking for that''d be great! Thanks!

fer@fer · #2 (**permalink**) 12-19-2004

Dear Celestial,

1. Does your friend already know how to use a sextant?

2. If the answer is yes, you better ask him wether he would like a US$ 500 or plus metal sextant, or a US$ 150/200 plastic one. You may also find US$ 1500/2000 metal sextant. If he knows how to drive this thing, he probably has some predefined likes, such as weight, type o mirror, light, etc, and you would like to know exactly what he wants. (Unless you are able to change it at the shop)

3. If the answer is no, and he is planning to take a course sometime, since the offshore passage is scheduled in a couple of years, you''d rather evaluate if a sextant is the correct present for Xmas. If you spend US$ 1000 in a good sextant, you will probably find yourself asking when this guy will start learning to work out this ******* thing.

In this case I will probably consider other present.

However, let me tell you that the sizes in inches of almost all the sextants, are the same. The difference is the weight, depending upon they being plastic or metal.(the latter, expensivier)

At the very end, if you don''t have any budget restriction, you will go for a metal one.

http://www.starpath.com/catalog/accessories/1840.htm

Best regards, and Happy Holidays

Fernando

elhanley · #3 (**permalink**) 12-31-2004

Has your friend expressed an informed opinion as to whether he wants a sextant? I wouldn''t leave the dock without one, but I enjoy celestial nav. I was in Marina Del Rey a few years ago to see off a friend in the Pacific Regatta, a non-stop race to Japan. I talked to at least a dozen other skippers, none of which was carrying a sextant. I asked each what they would do if their GPS crapped out, and every one said they had at least one back-up GPS. Made me feel like a dinosaur.