How To Use Plastic Sextants: With Applications to Metal Sextants and a Review of Sextant Piloting - Softcover

Burch, David

 
9780914025245: How To Use Plastic Sextants: With Applications to Metal Sextants and a Review of Sextant Piloting
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0914025244 ISBN 13: 9780914025245
Publisher: Starpath Publications, 2010

Synopsis

Sextants are used to measure angular heights of celestial bodies above the horizon to find the latitude and longitude of the observer. They can also be used on land with artificial horizons. Sextants can also be used to find the correct Universal Time by measuring the angular distance between the moon and another body along its path across the zodiac. In coastal waters or on land, sextants can be used for very accurate piloting by measuring the horizontal angles between charted landmarks. The vertical angle of a peak above its baseline determines the distance to it, which, combined with a compass bearing, yields a position fix from just one landmark. The angular dip of an object (island or vessel) below the visible horizon can also be used to determine the distance to it. This booklet explains how to get the best results from plastic sextants, and presents numerical comparisons with similar data from metal sextants. Sextant piloting techniques are also reviewed as they are an ideal use of a plastic sextant.

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About the Author

David Burch, the director of the Starpath School of Navigation in Seattle, Washington, has been teaching navigation and seamanship since 1977. He has logged more than 60,000 sea miles, including three wins in the trans-Pacific Victoria to Maui yacht race. He is the author of nine books on marine navigation, including Emergency Navigation (International Marine, 1984), and his magazine articles have appeared in "Cruising World, Ocean Navigator, Sailing", and "Sea Kayaker". He holds a U.S. Coast Guard Master's license (100 tons). He is also a past Fulbright Scholar and holds a PhD in physics.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Starpath Publications
Publication date
2010
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0914025244
ISBN 13 
9780914025245
Binding
Paperback
Number of pages
106