celestial navigation

[mangomuffins]

I looked for a poll re: this ??? and could not find one so here it is.
Just curious...

mm

[btrayfors]

Uh... so what's the question?

Bill

[mangomuffins]

patience Bill...I am a slow typist.

should be up now

mm

[Fishspearit]

If I were going to cross the Pacific then I would learn and become proficient, but I know that along the east coast and the Caribbean I'll be ok if they turn the GPS system off.

[oldsalt_1942]

I agree with Fishspearit.. whether in the north or south Atlantic navigation is pretty basic. Head due east or west and eventually a large continent will appear.

[Gene :^)]

Already got (S), just finished (P), and waiting for results before going for (AP). Celestial comes after that.

[SkiprJohn]

Soooo are we revisiting this again? De ja vu all over again?
JohnL

[SkiprJohn]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ant-13401.html

[SkiprJohn]

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nt-7196-2.html

[Ex-Calif]

I voted, "would like to learn" but I also don't believe it is needed in this day and age.

I'd like to learn it for the mental challenge.

[David M]

I think it is foolish to go to sea having only one way to plot your position. If a backup is available and it is not ridiculously expensive or difficult to learn (and celestial isn't) then why not bring it? Thats just good seamanship. Don't we bring backups for other things on board?..like paper charts for the chart plotters?

I can see getting into a huge debate about the reliability of GPS and so far it has been very reliable. But could it fail or be turned off? Sure it could.

[Pelagic]

The only thing I practice these days is my horizontal sextant angle....and no that is not a dirty joke

[Jerry Woodward]

I definitely plan on learning before I go cruising. Can anyone suggest good books or on-line courses?

[Fishspearit]

Originally Posted by David M

I think it is foolish to go to sea having only one way to plot your position. If a backup is available and it is not ridiculously expensive or difficult to learn (and celestial isn't) then why not bring it? Thats just good seamanship. Don't we bring backups for other things on board?..like paper charts for the chart plotters?

I agree, which is why I always keep track of set & drift, and a running ded reckoning track. It's the backup to GPS.
The sailors of old used ded reckoning as a backup to their celestial navigation. Now we use it as a backup to GPS, still 2 ways of keeping your position and course.
As long as you can ded reckon your way back to port, then celestial navigation is just a novelty. Once you venture out past the point of reliable DR, then the sextent becomes critical.

[JiffyLube]

Originally Posted by Gene :^)

Already got (S), just finished (P), and waiting for results before going for (AP). Celestial comes after that.

Are those USPS courses?