Discussion
Try here, as long as they have all the lenses, mirrors shades and he knows the maths all ok.
https://www.trinitymarine.co.uk/product-category/n...
https://www.trinitymarine.co.uk/product-category/n...
Problem with used / antiques is sextants are a precise instrument, if handled incorrectly they can induce numerous errors... of course theres adjustable errors / non adjustable errors....
Don't know what brand we have but there pretty nice..
Depending on what kind of boat if i were to sail around the world i'd want a EPIRB with me... basic ones are probably about the same price as a good sextant.. if he / the boat is well prepared one should already be onboard...
other thing maybe a sat phone? iridium etc..?
Don't know what brand we have but there pretty nice..
Depending on what kind of boat if i were to sail around the world i'd want a EPIRB with me... basic ones are probably about the same price as a good sextant.. if he / the boat is well prepared one should already be onboard...
other thing maybe a sat phone? iridium etc..?
Lovely idea, can't help on sextant choice but don't forget a copy of Norie's.....
https://www.imray.com/publications/Bookshop/Naviga...
https://www.imray.com/publications/Bookshop/Naviga...
Both the Davis and Ebbco plastic sextants won’t make for satisfactory presents. Both are plastic and not great in terms of accuracy and do you really want to give something that is essentially a piece of kit given to beginners and cadets to train on?
Carl Zeiss and Tamaya (I always liked the feel of the Tamaya sextants – good weight, clear optics and easy to correct) are favoured by professionals but come with a serious price tag.
As a gift I’d go for good quality clear parallel rulers and brass dividers. Single handed dividers are a thing of beauty and practical to boot. A yachtsman may prefer a Breton Plotter though (moving yacht smaller footprint) check out the ‘ ChartCo Chart Work Pack’ on google.
Carl Zeiss and Tamaya (I always liked the feel of the Tamaya sextants – good weight, clear optics and easy to correct) are favoured by professionals but come with a serious price tag.
As a gift I’d go for good quality clear parallel rulers and brass dividers. Single handed dividers are a thing of beauty and practical to boot. A yachtsman may prefer a Breton Plotter though (moving yacht smaller footprint) check out the ‘ ChartCo Chart Work Pack’ on google.
When I was in to it years ago, this was deemed to be the best "reasonably" priced instrument:
https://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-astra-3b-deluxe-m...
However, the fact that he doesn't already own one then would suggest that he hasn't had the requisite training. Unless he has stated a desire to get in to astro navigation, you're probably wasting your money unless you are just looking to buy him an ornament.
https://www.force4.co.uk/force-4-astra-3b-deluxe-m...
However, the fact that he doesn't already own one then would suggest that he hasn't had the requisite training. Unless he has stated a desire to get in to astro navigation, you're probably wasting your money unless you are just looking to buy him an ornament.
Mykap said:
As a gift I’d go for good quality clear parallel rulers and brass dividers. Single handed dividers are a thing of beauty and practical to boot. A yachtsman may prefer a Breton Plotter though (moving yacht smaller footprint) check out the ‘ ChartCo Chart Work Pack’ on google.
Brilliant, thanks. It looks like a sextant is too expensive and hard to use so I'm going with this plan, plus potentially this: http://www.dulasboats.co.uk/shop/view/item/536456/... as it seems the perfect addition. (Unless you lit reckon it's rubbish...)Mykap said:
As a gift I’d go for good quality clear parallel rulers and brass dividers. Single handed dividers are a thing of beauty and practical to boot. A yachtsman may prefer a Breton Plotter though (moving yacht smaller footprint) check out the ‘ ChartCo Chart Work Pack’ on google.
In days past when I was entrusted with navigating on an RNLI lifeboat, good parallel rulers and single handed dividers were essential. Especially when the other navigational "tool" was a Decca Navigator...
My suggestion would be an Astra sextant. These are made in China and are nearly as good as a Tamaya or Plath, which cost almost twice as much. Cookes in Hull also make a similarly-priced metal sextant.
I started my blue-water sailing in 1979, before satnav, when astro navigation was the only way. About 1991, I bought a second-hand Tamaya for about £150 and this rugged beast has crossed the Atlantic with me on the ARC in 2008, plus several other other long distance passages. The owner of the ARC yacht had an Astra sextant which, for practical purposes was't much inferior to my Tamaya. The main difference being that the telescope on my Tamaya had a wider angle of view and was better for star shots.
For sight reduction, I recommend the Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation, which along with a current Nautical Almanac, provide an easier method than the calculation using Nories' Tables. Alternatively, there is an excellent sight reduction App, Star Pilot, which I use on my iPhone when I am too lazy to do the paperwork.
Although the ARC yacht on which I crewed was extremely well equipped, I did the classic sun-run-sun shots by day, and at evening twilight, there was a bright star roughly ahead, and two planets roughly abeam, which provided surprisingly accurate fixes. I would usually note the time, readings, and log, and work out the sight in the morning. This passage took 20 days, so it helped to pass the time!
Setting out an a round the world voyage is not an inexpensive undertaking. However, I would be reluctant to undertake such a venture without the knowledge of astro navigation and a decent sextant and tables. In this uncertain world, if the satnav system goes down, it would be wise to have a well-rehearsed backup. And.......it's also good fun and quite satisfying.
I started my blue-water sailing in 1979, before satnav, when astro navigation was the only way. About 1991, I bought a second-hand Tamaya for about £150 and this rugged beast has crossed the Atlantic with me on the ARC in 2008, plus several other other long distance passages. The owner of the ARC yacht had an Astra sextant which, for practical purposes was't much inferior to my Tamaya. The main difference being that the telescope on my Tamaya had a wider angle of view and was better for star shots.
For sight reduction, I recommend the Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation, which along with a current Nautical Almanac, provide an easier method than the calculation using Nories' Tables. Alternatively, there is an excellent sight reduction App, Star Pilot, which I use on my iPhone when I am too lazy to do the paperwork.
Although the ARC yacht on which I crewed was extremely well equipped, I did the classic sun-run-sun shots by day, and at evening twilight, there was a bright star roughly ahead, and two planets roughly abeam, which provided surprisingly accurate fixes. I would usually note the time, readings, and log, and work out the sight in the morning. This passage took 20 days, so it helped to pass the time!
Setting out an a round the world voyage is not an inexpensive undertaking. However, I would be reluctant to undertake such a venture without the knowledge of astro navigation and a decent sextant and tables. In this uncertain world, if the satnav system goes down, it would be wise to have a well-rehearsed backup. And.......it's also good fun and quite satisfying.
Bill said:
Brilliant, thanks. It looks like a sextant is too expensive and hard to use so I'm going with this plan, plus potentially this: http://www.dulasboats.co.uk/shop/view/item/536456/... as it seems the perfect addition. (Unless you lit reckon it's rubbish...)
Looks like a good choice. All our vessels are now full ECDIS (not a good thing IMHO) so we have no reason to transfer positions to paper charts but for those that do this looks like an innovative useful product. Don't forget to add a pair of one handed dividers though 
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