Celestial navigation tables

[willsailforfood]

His famous book is on emergency navigation…life boat navigation via Kamal , shadow stick …
Worth finding a copy

Emergency Navigation: Find Your Position and Shape Your…

Find Your Way at Sea, No Matter What "Inherently inter…

www.goodreads.com

Yup, that's a great one too.

Dave is a good friend, and I'd advise anyone interested in navigation to read anything and every thing he's written. I have a shelf of his books and add to them almost annually, some updates, some new books.

His new book on electronic navigation is also a very good read. I was over at his place Saturday and walked out with his classic Hawaii by Sextant. Another great one on this topic.

 

[willsailforfood]

Reading this thread prompted me to go find my trusty Davis Master. Lightweight and accurate. Last time I used it though was ‘05 Transpac! My favourite tool is my Celesticomp V. Not just for sight reductions but also calculating distance run and cmg between log entries. Also good for leg planning, although Exp has rendered that a bit redundant! Think I need to freshen my sight taking skills and brush up my maths! Not that I’m going to use it in a race. All the boats I sail on are either too wet or don’t have anywhere to plot!

View attachment 558922

I wish there was a single handed celestial division for TP. I'd do it in a second. We'll miss this year, Alaska beckons.

 

[slug zitski]

I wish there was a single handed celestial division for TP. I'd do it in a second. We'll miss this year, Alaska beckons.

The Bermuda race has..or had, a celestial class

with those races it’s difficult to tell if someone has …cheated

you could simply follow the ais signals of your class until landfall

perhaps zero navigation electronics might work…only a compass light

 

[tane]

The Bermuda race has..or had, a celestial class...perhaps zero navigation electronics might work…only a compass light

what a futile endeavor, trying to turn back the wheel of time! Just like the GGR! We cannot "unknow" & therefore the "real spirit" of the past cannot be resurrected. The feeling cannot be anymore like "then", no matter what mod-cons we leave ashore.
Because of my many memories of finding our ways across the oceans with celestial, this makes me sadder than the next man, but there it is. A time gone, a door closed.
The next door to close are the paper charts

 

[El Borracho]

Lunar distance. You are not truly navigating by celestial if a chronometer is a critical primary input. Does reading the LCD screen on my GPS by starlight count as celestial?

 

[Hitchhiker]

what a futile endeavor, trying to turn back the wheel of time! Just like the GGR! We cannot "unknow" & therefore the "real spirit" of the past cannot be resurrected. The feeling cannot be anymore like "then", no matter what mod-cons we leave ashore.
Because of my many memories of finding our ways across the oceans with celestial, this makes me sadder than the next man, but there it is. A time gone, a door closed.
The next door to close are the paper charts

I think this is why Transpac finally gave in on the required celestial Nav starting with the ‘07 race. They instead introduced the Mark Rudiger Navigators award (I may have that wrong) for celestial Nav completed during the race.

 

[slug zitski]

what a futile endeavor, trying to turn back the wheel of time! Just like the GGR! We cannot "unknow" & therefore the "real spirit" of the past cannot be resurrected. The feeling cannot be anymore like "then", no matter what mod-cons we leave ashore.
Because of my many memories of finding our ways across the oceans with celestial, this makes me sadder than the next man, but there it is. A time gone, a door closed.
The next door to close are the paper charts

No

it brings seamanship to a fleet

these days most crew are little more that office workers in foul weather gear

 

[slug zitski]

It’s possible that a trophy could be given to the yacht who presents the best DR, LOP chart work and logbook, regardless of fleet position

 

[El Borracho]

these days most crew are little more that office workers in foul weather gear

Compared to the real sailors of yore shanghaied out of bars, brothels and prisons.

 

[solosailor]

I wish there was a single handed celestial division for TP

Singlehanded Transpac is in '23 so here is your chance to win the navigator award.

 

[slug zitski]

Compared to the real sailors of yore shanghaied out of bars, brothels and prisons.

Eyes like searchlights, breath like gasoline , nerves of steel ……

 

[tane]

No

it brings seamanship to a fleet

these days most crew are little more that office workers in foul weather gear

isn't "seamanship" also about "using-the-best-&-all-available-means"?
(& just imagine how much seamanship would bring "no liferafts, no EPIRB, no wireless, no engine, no help, no-last-200years-stuff" to the fleet)

 

[tane]

Max Jürgen Heinrich Jürs
try what you can find about him.
A man, many times larger than life, a legend in his time - & (sadly), this time is irrevocably gone.
Compared to him EVERYBODY, no matter how well or equipped, will be an "office worker"

 

[slug zitski]

isn't "seamanship" also about "using-the-best-&-all-available-means"?
(& just imagine how much seamanship would bring "no liferafts, no EPIRB, no wireless, no engine, no help, no-last-200years-stuff" to the fleet)

Don’t be silly

a lightning bolt or mechanical failure can disable your boat in minute

a good seaman can just carry on

 

[sledracr]

Max Jürgen Heinrich Jürs
try what you can find about him.
A man, many times larger than life, a legend in his time - & (sadly), this time is irrevocably gone.
Compared to him EVERYBODY, no matter how well or equipped, will be an "office worker"

I'd love to learn from Nainoa Thompson, myself...

 

[slug zitski]

I had one of these, wish I still had it for the ditch bag.

I will argue about stars and small boats though. I do a lot of stars, usually with a plan for at least 6 before I step on deck with a little diagram of their spread on my notebook, taking the fastest and easiest 3-4.

When I get to Antigua next week I will likely make a routine of it for the overnight passages in prep for Transpac this year.

You can do anything you like

the issue if fatigue, many tasks on a boat

typically in the evening navigation is double checking your daily plot , weather strategy, make something to eat …. then keeping a sharp lookout on deck

 

[willsailforfood]

Singlehanded Transpac is in '23 so here is your chance to win the navigator award.

Like I said, we're headed for Alaska this year.

 

[Svanen]

The Bermuda race has..or had, a celestial class

The Marion Bermuda Race is the one with a celestial class. Great fun, and still going strong. See here, here and here.

Might be of interest:

with those races it’s difficult to tell if someone has …cheated

you could simply follow the ais signals of your class until landfall

perhaps zero navigation electronics might work…only a compass light

I suppose. But by the same token, it’s difficult to tell if a boat has cheated by using its engine, or stacking, or receiving outside weather routing, etc. etc.

You can ban all electronics, but that won’t stop someone from smuggling aboard and using a handheld GPS or a GPS-enabled cell phone. If someone is determined to cheat, it is almost impossible to prevent. But really, the only person they are cheating is themselves.

If I ever sell out my integrity, it will be for something much more important than a pickle dish and associated bragging rights (such as they are). YMMV.