How to Use Plastic Sextants with Applications to Metal Sextants and a Review of Sextant Piloting

How to Use Plastic Sextants with Applications to Metal Sextants and a Review of Sextant Piloting

Author: David Burch

Publisher:

Published: 2010-09

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 9780914025245

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Sextants are used to measure angular heights of celestial bodies above the horizon to find the latitude and longitude of the observer. They can also be used on land with artificial horizons. Sextants can also be used to find the correct Universal Time by measuring the angular distance between the moon and another body along its path across the zodiac. In coastal waters or on land, sextants can be used for very accurate piloting by measuring the horizontal angles between charted landmarks. The vertical angle of a peak above its baseline determines the distance to it, which, combined with a compass bearing, yields a position fix from just one landmark. The angular dip of an object (island or vessel) below the visible horizon can also be used to determine the distance to it. This booklet explains how to get the best results from plastic sextants, and presents numerical comparisons with similar data from metal sextants. Sextant piloting techniques are also reviewed as they are an ideal use of a plastic sextant.


The Nautical Sextant

The Nautical Sextant

Author: W. J. Morris

Publisher:

Published: 2010-10

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 9780939837892

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The Nautical Sextant reveals in pictures, prose, and perspective the experience and knowledge gained by the author from years of acquiring, studying, and restoring sextants from earlier times and from around the world. This fascinating book owes much of its attraction to the expert description and photos of the mechanics of the sextants and their subassemblies. It is also the story of how different manufacturers, in different times and places, solved the same mechanical problems in different ways in order to perfect one of the most accurate mechanical devices ever produced by man. All of this is complemented by an historical overview to the current day, an overview which has never been published until now. The Nautical Sextant will be of particular value not only to navigators, but also to restorers, collectors, students of technology, curators, and sextant dealers. With its bibliography and extensive use of footnotes, this book will certainly become a classic in its field.


Taking the Stars

Taking the Stars

Author: Peter Ifland

Publisher: Krieger Publishing Company

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 248

ISBN-13:

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This text focuses on the history of the development of hand-held celestial navigation instruments, offering descriptions of the tools used. It also includes a glossary of technical terms.


Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen

Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen

Author: Mary Blewitt

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2013-09-21

Total Pages: 104

ISBN-13: 1472906764

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The 12th edition of this bestselling book is proof of the success of Mary Blewitt's concise and clear style in explaining a particularly difficult skill, and it has been the bible for many generations of ocean navigators. Since this book was first published, the huge advances in electronic navigation have transported most offshore navigators to a world of press-button convenience. However, there is still a vital need for traditional skills when things go wrong: batteries can fail, aerials go overboard, and electronics have been known to get wet. A bestseller for over 50 years, Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen is a model of simplicity and clarity. The worked examples require only straightforward addition and subtraction, which explains why this book has truly earned its reputation for admirable conciseness and for making a tricky subject easy to understand. 'The "bible" of navigation for generations of yachtsmen... worth its weight in gold' Sailing


Sail and Rig Tuning

Sail and Rig Tuning

Author: Ivar Dedekam

Publisher: *Wiley Nautical

Published: 2000-04-07

Total Pages: 84

ISBN-13: 9781898660675

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A guide to tuning the sails and rigs of yachts and small keelboats, featuring step-by-step instructions and more than 150 illustrations.


International Medical Guide for Ships

International Medical Guide for Ships

Author: World Health Organization

Publisher: World Health Organization

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 491

ISBN-13: 9241547200

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This publication shows designated first-aid providers how to diagnose, treat, and prevent the health problems of seafarers on board ship. This edition contains fully updated recommendations aimed to promote and protect the health of seafarers, and is consistent with the latest revisions of both the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and the International Health Regulations.--Publisher's description.


Latitude Hooks and Azimuth Rings: How to Build and Use 18 Traditional Navigational Tools

Latitude Hooks and Azimuth Rings: How to Build and Use 18 Traditional Navigational Tools

Author: Dennis Fisher

Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional

Published: 1995

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13: 9780070211209

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Latitude Hooks and Azimuth Rings is for people who like to work with their hands and who appreciate traditional nautical craftsmanship. You don't have to be the master of any craft to undertake any of these projects--from a simple kamal or latitude hook to the more complex pelorus or octant--just a careful and enthusiastic worker. These 18 projects fall roughly into three categories: decorative, useful, and somewhere in between. Some, such as the astrolabe, are mainly for display. On the other hand, the sounding line is an important and practical tool for small-craft navigation, particularly in the absence of an electronic sounder. The cross-staff falls somewhere in between, equally at home in the den or the ditch kit. Each of the devices discussed here--with simple, proven building instructions complemented by clear illustrations--has at one time or another been used for the practical business of navigation, and each is worth reviving for its beauty, historic value, or sheer usefulness. Dennis Fisher has designed these projects with an emphasis on simplicity and reasonable cost. Everything can be scratch-built using easily obtainable materials and tools, and each is true to the spirit and function of the original instrument.


The Barometer Handbook

The Barometer Handbook

Author: David Burch

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 238

ISBN-13: 9780914025122

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A modern look at barometers and applications of barometric pressure.