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06-11-2012, 11:48
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Full time cruiser
Boat: Amel Super Maramu 53
Posts: 219
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Do you know who this is?
Now we are solidly in the age of electronic navigation, I am wondering if you know the name Nathaniel Bowditch?
If you are unfamiliar with Nathaniel Bowditch (March 26, 1773 – March 16, 1838), click here for a good read and a link to his bio in Wikipedia. Bowditch was a self taught mathematical genius who never went to college. At age 16, he taught himself advanced calculus. He found huge errors in, what was at the time, the navigation standard tables for ships. He took the complexity of navigation and rewrote it so even the ships cook could plot a position. His theories are still in use today. He is considered one of the greatest attributes to navigation.
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06-11-2012, 13:37
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Nicholasville, Kentucky
Boat: 15 foot Canoe
Posts: 14,191
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Yes, I have the American Practical Navigator in my library.
kind regards,
__________________
John
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07-11-2012, 04:26
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#3
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,082
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Bowditch - The American Practical Navigator can be downloaded as a single PDF document , or as Individual Sections, Chapters and Tables
Here ➥ Maritime Safety Information
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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07-11-2012, 04:40
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2012
Location: At sea somewhere in the Pacific
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Fast 40.3
Posts: 6,346
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Who's never heard of Bowditch? Amongst sailors that is.
__________________
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"
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07-11-2012, 05:02
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#5
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Moderator and Certifiable Refitter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South of 43 S, Australia
Boat: C.L.O.D.
Posts: 20,242
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Quote:
Originally Posted by carstenb
Who's never heard of Bowditch? Amongst sailors that is.
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No longer carry it on board, just keep it at home on the bookshelf
__________________
All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangereous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. T.E. Lawrence
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07-11-2012, 06:54
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Full time cruiser
Boat: Amel Super Maramu 53
Posts: 219
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Quote:
Originally Posted by carstenb
Who's never heard of Bowditch? Amongst sailors that is.
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I would say anyone under the age of 35 who has had GPS and electronic charts available for their adult life would not have a clue who he is or his contribution to safe seamanship
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07-11-2012, 07:49
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2012
Location: At sea somewhere in the Pacific
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Fast 40.3
Posts: 6,346
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Re: Do you know who this is?
I assumed that any navigation course would mention him.
__________________
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"
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07-11-2012, 08:19
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Massachusetts, berthing in RI
Boat: Catalina 380
Posts: 23
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Re: Do you know who this is?
I'm 28 and just starting out with sailing (no boat yet, just belong to a club and use theirs) so no, I haven't heard of him. Now I have and I'll download and read his work. Thanks!
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07-11-2012, 08:29
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#9
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Manchester, UK
Boat: Beneteau 473
Posts: 5,589
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Quote:
Originally Posted by justflie
I'm 28 and just starting out with sailing (no boat yet, just belong to a club and use theirs) so no, I haven't heard of him. Now I have and I'll download and read his work. Thanks!
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You are in for a long read
__________________
Nigel
Beneteau 473
Manchester, UK
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07-11-2012, 08:57
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Massachusetts, berthing in RI
Boat: Catalina 380
Posts: 23
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Re: Do you know who this is?
it's a long winter.
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07-11-2012, 09:02
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#11
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cruiser
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Probably in an anchorage or a boatyard..
Boat: Ebbtide 33' steel cutter
Posts: 5,030
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay
Bowditch - The American Practical Navigator can be downloaded as a single PDF document , or as Individual Sections, Chapters and Tables
Here ➥ Maritime Safety Information
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Thanks, Gord. Been meaning to track that down for a while.
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07-11-2012, 10:51
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,594
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Re: Do you know who this is?
I'll have to look, but I believe that it's the largest book in my library...both in x/y and poundage... Lots of info...It was one of the first reference books that I bought 35 years ago when I first began to learn about sailing..I now read it when I can't sleep...I am always finding something new that I missed the first 1000 times I poked around in it's contents...An amassing book for sure...
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Randy
Cape Dory 25D Seraph
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08-11-2012, 06:57
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Perros-Guirec, France
Boat: Jeanneau Sunshine 36
Posts: 999
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Re: Do you know who this is?
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17-11-2012, 08:50
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#14
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C.L.O.D
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 8,232
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Quote:
Originally Posted by carstenb
Who's never heard of Bowditch? Amongst sailors that is.
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Me. Until today.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcerdos
I would say anyone under the age of 35 who has had GPS and electronic charts available for their adult life would not have a clue who he is or his contribution to safe seamanship
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Ah, so at least you understand!
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17-11-2012, 09:08
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#15
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Boat: Research vessel for a university, retired now.
Posts: 10,406
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Re: Do you know who this is?
Bowditch is not just navigation. It has oceanography, astronomy, weather and a number of other topics that are relevant to mariners. It does make interesting reading when you want to entertain yourself with all kinds of fascinating nautical trivia...and quite often not so trivial but very relevant information. It is known as the navigators Bible.....the navigation source.
__________________
David
Life begins where land ends.
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