Next message: Bill Dietrich: "[world-cruising] Re: Which options are maintenance headaches?"
Margo Dollan wrote:
>> One area where I've modernized is in navigation. I learned how to use a
> sextant some 35 years ago, and still carry one today.<
>
> I fully intend on making the sextant part of the kids' schooling when the time
> comes. I think everyone who sails should at least know how to read one, just
> in case. Hopefully, by the time they're old enough, we'll be at least close
> to living aboard. I can only hope that I'm well rounded enough to be a good
> teacher!
I believe competency in celestial navigation is a good skill to have, but
I'm no longer convinced it's necessary. Celestial has a huge disadvantage -
you can never count on it. On one passage in my early years, we spent
almost two weeks in the Pacific Ocean in overcast conditions. During that
time, we got exactly one sun line: the CO, XO, Navigator, and OOD all shot
the exact same line at the same moment. Then a cloud covered the sun. We
actually ended up pretty close to where we expected to be when we finally
made landfall. DR is a wonderful thing!
But we were in areas that had reefs. Have you ever noticed that reefs are
named after the ships (or captains) who came to grief on them? Sometimes,
it's not so good to have your name associated with a geographic point!
Celestial is definitely a last-resort skill for me. GPS is good.
--
Best,
Bryan Genez (KB3HMZ)
"Capella" Valiant 40 #158
Annapolis, MD
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