Along with the other sources mentioned buy a copy of Bowditch. The older editions include many tables used in celestial navigation. An artificial horizon helps in practicing if you are landlocked. I hunt used book shops for navigation books from the old days for hints on how to fix a position quickly with out electronic nav aids.
If you dig deep into the uses of a sextant check out horizontal angles for determining distance off something. This technique can be used inland and coastwise. IIRC a sextant can be used to determine if you are gaining or losing on a race competitor. There are some smartphone apps (even for the old Palm devices) that help with star location and sight reduction. I suspect someone out there has added the Nautical Almanac. The low cost sextants will work fine for practice and learning. If you are headed way offshore a well designed and manufactured metal sextant would be a good investment. Martin Calypso 1970 C&C 43 Seattle ________________________________ From: CnC-List [cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] on behalf of Neil Andersen [neil.eric.ander...@gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2013 11:04 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Sextant Anyone know where one can get training on how to use a sextant? I always get nervous with things like You-Tube as you can’t always count on the provider being knowledgeable. Neil FoxFire, 1982 C&C32 From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Chuck S Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2013 1:24 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Stus-List Sextant My understanding is that the sextant measures the angle between the Moon or Sun and the horizon. If you're careful reading the solar or lunor tables it gives you the latitude where you are. Longitude is something else. I know it requires a good timepiece, but how does one convert the time to longitude? Chuck Resolute 1990 C&C 34R Atlantic City, NJ ________________________________
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