Celestial Navigation

PyrateKing · #1 (**permalink**) 01-04-2001

Do we need it or is it a forgone art that is no longer needed?

paulk · #2 (**permalink**) 01-09-2001

Read "Adrift - 76 days lost at sea" by Steven Callahan and see if knowing at least a little about celestial might come in handy.

PyrateKing · #3 (**permalink**) 01-10-2001

Aye the book defiantly points out how all mariners must know something of Celestial Navigation.

PK

walt123 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-10-2001

you need it all electronics will fail. murphy has proved that. Get a good metal sextant not a plastic they take too much adjustments and practice. There is a great joy in finding your way to a distant landfall using celestial navigation.

SHIMSHON · #5 (**permalink**) 03-14-2001

CELESTIAL IS A GREAT MENTAL STIMULUS AND AFTER YOU LEARN SOME OF THE BASICS AND PLOT YOUR FIRST NOON OBSERVATION AND REALIZE THAT IT IS CORRECT--WHAT A GREAT SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. AND BY THE WAY ELECTRONICS DO FAIL. CELESTAIRE is a great source for everything you will need including instruments and plotting sheets as well as almanacs and publications. Try it, you will like it.

walt123 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-14-2001

SHIMSHON, Please hit your cap lock button my old eyes hurt! Thank You

SHIMSHON · #7 (**permalink**) 03-15-2001

WALT, thats my problem too--"old eyes". You should see me trying to read a chart.

Cydonia · #8 (**permalink**) 04-09-2001

I spent 4 years as an aircraft navigator. LEARN CEL!!! Murphy lives and you''ll be glad you took up the practice. Even a sunline can help when desperate. Don''t forget Polaris at night.

BigRed56 · #9 (**permalink**) 05-29-2001

All you nay sayers of electronics need to read Webb chiles article in SAIL MAG 2001. If your so desperate and can''t figure out a compass and in a life raft who cares, I''d throw overboard all but a pint of fresh water and six saltines for two thousand dollars of good electronics in any sitituation.

marram · #10 (**permalink**) 05-30-2001

I''m not so sure I buy the part about metal v. plastic sextants, though I realize it is the common wisdom. You ought to check the calibration on any sextant before you try to take a shot, no? How much can the material expand/contract if you take your shot within a few minutes of correcting? I have a Davis Mk something (the one with the beam converger) and can shoot a sun/moon fix within a minute of arc, using the GPS as a reference. I do agree that I want my electronics aboard as well; no substitute for a Celesticomp! ;-)

--Mike