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To hear Sexton tell it, there is much intellectual interest, considerable satisfaction, and little work involved in determining a line of position with a sextant.
[SailNet, 21 May 2003]
Here′s what it feels like to turn the electronics off and sail from Virginia to Block Island with sextant, compass, and lead line.
[Ocean Navigator, October 2004]
[Vendor]
The simplest version of this sextant got me across the Atlantic, accurate landfall and all. Three models varying in features and cost. Top of the line has a full-horizon Beam Converger mirror and LED lighting.
[Davis Instruments Corp., Hayward, CA, USA]
Here is the training, in detailed list form, needed to complete the US Sailing course on Celestial Navigation. The organization also publishes manuals for these skills.
[US Sailing, Portsmouth, RI, USA]
Tania Aebi argues that getting out there and doing it is the best way for some of us to learn all of the time and all of us to learn some of the time. With a few examples from her experience, Aebi shows how mistakes are better teachers than books.
[SailNet, 30 May 2003]
Brief grab bag of facts and commentary on buying and using a sextant. Contains excerpts from hard-to-find bulletin board and newsgroup postings, as well as links to useful sites and vendor pages.
[Bill Dietrich, USA]
Written for the novice, with good illustrations and simple text (as simple as azimuths and deltas and Greenwich Hour Angle will allow). Includes references to books on the subject and the company′s Navigator software.
[Omar F. Reis, 05462-020 Sao Paulo, Brazil]
Definition of various corrections to a sextant reading, incl. parallax, semidiameter, refraction, and dip (eye height). Also key concepts in using the intercept method. Useful if you can learn geometric concepts from words.
[SailNet, 10 January 2001]
On-line tutorial in 16 chapters. Covers all the theory and trigonometry. The practical procedures are included but are definitely not presented for the mathematically challenged. Includes links to almanacs, sight-reduction freeware for the sun and moon,
[Henning Umland, USA]
A plain-English video explanation of Celestial Navigation "that any idiot boater can understand - even if he or she is a doctor, lawyer, or other type of college/computer nerd." Also available on DVD. Magic Lamp also sells other celestial navigation training videos.
[Magic Lamp Productions, Venice, CA, USA]Celestial navigation is a very elaborate system that took centuries to develop into its modern ′cookbook′ form and few realize just how easy it has become.
Jim Sexton
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