Best Book/Videos for Celestial Nav
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I started with Starpath and picked up with Bowditch.
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IMO "Mary-Blewit" really blew it for this one. A very old joke, as this book has been around for a very long time. I bought it in the 60's (I think) but couldn't get it done, from this book.
I'd try the "Kindergarten of Celestial Navigation" if you can find it. It is so simple and comes with infallible worksheets; even a 5th grader could do it! I just cut out the spaces on a worksheet for the answers and laid that on a blank piece of paper. But with copy machines and personal printers today, no problem, either.
I'd try the "Kindergarten of Celestial Navigation" if you can find it. It is so simple and comes with infallible worksheets; even a 5th grader could do it! I just cut out the spaces on a worksheet for the answers and laid that on a blank piece of paper. But with copy machines and personal printers today, no problem, either.
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Lots of books out there, lots of places to take courses. We joined our local "Power Squadron" (In Canada - it is called CPS-ECP and in the States is it the USPS ).
We took the course one winter and summer (more fun doing star sights when it is NOT 30 below). Both Linda and I passed it and probably could still do a decent sight.
Like Morse code - it was a neat challenge and a great way to make some new friends.
Rik
We took the course one winter and summer (more fun doing star sights when it is NOT 30 below). Both Linda and I passed it and probably could still do a decent sight.
Like Morse code - it was a neat challenge and a great way to make some new friends.
Rik
I liked this comment, "So, for $50 for the sextant, $30 for a Nautical Almanac and $20 for a decent quartz watch, you can be adequately equipped to navigate across an ocean for about $100, roughly the same price as a bottom-shelf handheld GPS or a good hand-bearing compass."
Article is here: Strait of Magellan: Celestial Navigation 101, Interlude: What sextant should I buy?
For $100, maybe its best just to get this equipment and play along with the videos/books mentioned above. Will update...
Article is here: Strait of Magellan: Celestial Navigation 101, Interlude: What sextant should I buy?
For $100, maybe its best just to get this equipment and play along with the videos/books mentioned above. Will update...
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"you can be adequately equipped to navigate across an ocean for about $100"
Oh yeah, that's all there is to it! Never mind the reality of trying to get a sight (actually 3 is the minimum for a fix, over several hours) from a small craft in even moderate weather (not some beach in Canada) and actually being able to catch sight of a navigable celestial body when you need to and the fact that a 4 second error in time is about a mile on a plotted LOP.
All you folks that expect to navigate celestially just because you can do the math, have a rude awakening when it comes to getting that very important fix, approaching a landfall without a sight in several days. Play around all you wish with celestial, but by all means have a good GPS that you can rely on, or you may realize that relying on celestial is going to cost you your boat, and maybe your life.
Oh yeah, that's all there is to it! Never mind the reality of trying to get a sight (actually 3 is the minimum for a fix, over several hours) from a small craft in even moderate weather (not some beach in Canada) and actually being able to catch sight of a navigable celestial body when you need to and the fact that a 4 second error in time is about a mile on a plotted LOP.
All you folks that expect to navigate celestially just because you can do the math, have a rude awakening when it comes to getting that very important fix, approaching a landfall without a sight in several days. Play around all you wish with celestial, but by all means have a good GPS that you can rely on, or you may realize that relying on celestial is going to cost you your boat, and maybe your life.
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Despite what 'capta" says, learning the stars, the theory, the plotting and the taking of sites, (noon, three body, North Star and others) that enable you to plot your position is an excellent discipline and a good learning experience. To me, it does not matter if you take the course on "some beach in Canada" or on capta's boat "somewhere in the Windward or Leeward Islands". Don't discount the task, the skills involved, nor the experience.
The OP never said he wanted to use it to sail across the ocean. If all you are looking at is being "adequately equipped to navigate across an ocean for about $100", IMHO, a much better Return on Investment is a Cheap Ticket for $199.00 from New York to London and you can be there in 6 hours and 55 minutes.
Rik
The OP never said he wanted to use it to sail across the ocean. If all you are looking at is being "adequately equipped to navigate across an ocean for about $100", IMHO, a much better Return on Investment is a Cheap Ticket for $199.00 from New York to London and you can be there in 6 hours and 55 minutes.
Rik
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