Pic of the day

RodTungsten

Member
Messages
589
I still have my sextant. In the 70s before commercial satellite navigation systems. A sextant, chronometer and a nautical almanac and I could navigate a ship across any ocean and make a port with surprising accuracy. It certainly gave you a sense of achievment using the sun and stars rather than allowing some electronic box.
5 brothers in the merchant marine (all Blue Star) - 3 deck and 2 engineers in the 70’s. Two are back teaching old school stuff in Nautical College. I’ll bet my fid (3ft) is bigger than your marlinspike :)

Just finished reading the account of the recent locating of Shackleton’s Endurance and the expedition - Frank Worsley’s impressive navigation -22+ chronometers on the ship but his trusted one kept inside his shirt.
 

DLax69

Member
Messages
4,357
5 brothers in the merchant marine (all Blue Star) - 3 deck and 2 engineers in the 70’s. Two are back teaching old school stuff in Nautical College. I’ll bet my fid (3ft) is bigger than your marlinspike :)

Just finished reading the account of the recent locating of Shackleton’s Endurance and the expedition - Frank Worsley’s impressive navigation -22+ chronometers on the ship but his trusted one kept inside his shirt.
Hoping that new volume is delivered by Santa.

I was taught (and needed) dead reckoning and fire control without benefit of computer...understanding range, windspeed, relative speed and course...so you can appropriately powder and aim a projectile roughly the same size and shape as a VW Beetle...
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,943
Hoping that new volume is delivered by Santa.

I was taught (and needed) dead reckoning and fire control without benefit of computer...understanding range, windspeed, relative speed and course...so you can appropriately powder and aim a projectile roughly the same size and shape as a VW Beetle...

All the old skills are dying out. ;)

Seriously, it's impressive

C