Cruisers Forum
 


View Poll Results: Blue Water- is a Sextant Necessary?
Absolutely essential 24 18.75%
Desirable, but not essential 52 40.63%
Good fun, but little practical use these days 40 31.25%
Don't waste your money and time on this 11 8.59%
Sextants make excellent dingy anchors. 3 2.34%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 128. You may not vote on this poll

Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 01-11-2012, 07:01   #76
Registered User
 
svBeBe's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Galveston Island, Texas, USA
Boat: Amel SM 53 - BeBe
Posts: 953
simply do not have a clue

When 90% of the people taking this poll respond in a positive nature to sextants, I am absolutely positive that the vast majority of the poll responders are either:
  1. Answering out of ignorance,
  2. Giving the answer they think they should give,
  3. Or simply do not have a clue.
Think about this. Things change. We do not keep an ox-cart in our garage anymore. And, BTW, there is a civilian GPS system and a Military GPS system. The civilian GPS system has high priorities other than just us...encrypt it...doubtful!

We are 3/4ths complete on our circumnavigation and have met 1 boat with a sextant...nobody knew how to use it...but they had the books, just in case. If anyone is in need of a sextant, don't you think circumnavigators are?

I hope this will help some newbees out there thinking about casting the mooring lines.

Bill
svBeBe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 07:06   #77
Registered User
 
Vasco's Avatar

Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Toronto
Boat: CS36Merlin, "La Belle Aurore"
Posts: 7,557
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Lucas View Post
I wonder in which direction the sun rises and sets in? Does it change? If I were to lose my GPS and were to just follow the sun what would happen?
You would sail in a circle.
__________________
Rick I
Toronto in summer, Bahamas in winter.
Vasco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 07:16   #78
Registered User

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: ontario canada
Boat: grampian 26
Posts: 1,743
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

If you follow the sun you will fall off the edge of the world. Every fool knows the world is flat
perchance is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 07:18   #79
S/V rubber ducky
 
sailorboy1's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vasco View Post
You would sail in a circle.
would probably need to get some wheels for the boat first
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
sailorboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 07:20   #80
S/V rubber ducky
 
sailorboy1's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Quote:
Originally Posted by carstenb View Post
I would suggest that you make a chalk mark (or similar) at the bow of your boat sometime when you know you are sailing due north.

That way, if all your GPS's and compasses do a tube job and quit on you - you'll always know which way is north!

I mean - how hard can it be?

jus' sayin'

time to put some proven technology on the boat, like a sun dial
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
sailorboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 07:21   #81
Moderator
 
carstenb's Avatar

Community Sponsor
Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: May 2012
Location: At sea somewhere in the Pacific
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Fast 40.3
Posts: 6,346
Images: 1
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Thought wheels were standard equipment on Hunters???
__________________


https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=carsten...ref=nb_sb_noss

Our books have gotten 5 star reviews on Amazon. Several readers have written "I never thought I would go on a circumnavigation, but when I read these books, I was right there in the cockpit with Vinni and Carsten"
carstenb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 07:28   #82
S/V rubber ducky
 
sailorboy1's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: heading "south"
Boat: Hunter 410
Posts: 20,362
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Quote:
Originally Posted by carstenb View Post
Thought wheels were standard equipment on Hunters???

Just training wheels not good proper "brown ground" ones! They are just for appearances that apeal to dirt dwellers.
__________________
Don't ask a bunch of unknown forum people if it is OK to do something on YOUR boat. It is your boat, do what you want!
sailorboy1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 07:55   #83
Registered User
 
micah719's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Somewhere in Germany
Boat: OEM, proportional
Posts: 1,437
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Necessary? No.

Advisable? Yes: a simple, cheap, reliable, and robust navigation system completely independent of outside influences. Of course, one could modify a bucket to serve the same purpose. Good things, buckets.
__________________
Ps 139:9-10 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
micah719 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 08:05   #84
Registered User
 
Sailmonkey's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,626
Re: simply do not have a clue

Quote:
Originally Posted by svBeBe View Post
When 90% of the people taking this poll respond in a positive nature to sextants, I am absolutely positive that the vast majority of the poll responders are either:
  1. Answering out of ignorance,
  2. Giving the answer they think they should give,
  3. Or simply do not have a clue.
I have one onboard, I am not ignorant, but I do enjoy playing with it and find it satisfying when I can locate myself without electronics. My sextant is not expensive nor fancy. It's plastic and functional. I cheat and use the GPS for time.
Sailmonkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 08:11   #85
Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Posts: 109
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

I've carried a sextant on all my boats, usually do a mid morning and mid afternoon sight on transits to keep a running fix going. This gives me something interesting to do during the day, keeps me in practice and quiets the little voice in my head that reminds me that electronics and salt water don't mix.
sailronin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 08:15   #86
Moderator
 
Adelie's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: La Ciudad de la Misión Didacus de Alcalá en Alta California, Virreinato de Nueva España
Boat: Cal 20
Posts: 20,441
Re: simply do not have a clue

Quote:
Originally Posted by svBeBe View Post
When 90% of the people taking this poll respond in a positive nature to sextants, I am absolutely positive that the vast majority of the poll responders are either:
  1. Answering out of ignorance,
  2. Giving the answer they think they should give,
  3. Or simply do not have a clue.
Think about this. Things change. We do not keep an ox-cart in our garage anymore. And, BTW, there is a civilian GPS system and a Military GPS system. The civilian GPS system has high priorities other than just us...encrypt it...doubtful!

We are 3/4ths complete on our circumnavigation and have met 1 boat with a sextant...nobody knew how to use it...but they had the books, just in case. If anyone is in need of a sextant, don't you think circumnavigators are?

I hope this will help some newbees out there thinking about casting the mooring lines.

Bill
So you think we are either lemmings or stupid?
__________________
Num Me Vexo?
For all of your celestial navigation questions: https://navlist.net/
A house is but a boat so poorly built and so firmly run aground no one would think to try and refloat it.
Adelie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 09:01   #87
Registered User
 
Sailmonkey's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: '76 Allied Seawind II, 32'
Posts: 9,626
Re: simply do not have a clue

Quote:
Originally Posted by Adelie View Post
So you think we are either lemmings or stupid?
SVBEBE has also indirectly called my dinghy a toy as it's not a 15hp 12' RIB. So, par for the course.
Sailmonkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 10:37   #88
Moderator
 
carstenb's Avatar

Community Sponsor
Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: May 2012
Location: At sea somewhere in the Pacific
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Fast 40.3
Posts: 6,346
Images: 1
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Without having any empirical dat, I suspect that the cruisers who own/use a sextant are ocean crossers, the ones that don't are coastal cruising (I include the carabbien as coastal).

You can now all tell me I'm wrong
__________________


https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=carsten...ref=nb_sb_noss

Our books have gotten 5 star reviews on Amazon. Several readers have written "I never thought I would go on a circumnavigation, but when I read these books, I was right there in the cockpit with Vinni and Carsten"
carstenb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 10:42   #89
Registered User
 
Cheechako's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,453
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

if you still need one of those sex-things, be sure to carry an Astrolabe as backup!
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard











Cheechako is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-11-2012, 10:52   #90
Moderator
 
carstenb's Avatar

Community Sponsor
Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: May 2012
Location: At sea somewhere in the Pacific
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Fast 40.3
Posts: 6,346
Images: 1
Re: Poll-Blue water. Is a Sextant Necessary?

Don't you mean Astro-babe?
__________________


https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=carsten...ref=nb_sb_noss

Our books have gotten 5 star reviews on Amazon. Several readers have written "I never thought I would go on a circumnavigation, but when I read these books, I was right there in the cockpit with Vinni and Carsten"
carstenb is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
sextant, water

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 19:28.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.