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Zvi,

> You sure have been busy, mate...

Not really:-) All that I desctibed happened in 7 years.
This is only one of my hobbies, and I still have a full time job
besides the hobbies.

Of course, I am not a sailor. And most of the observations I made
are from my comfortable balcony, and they are Lunars, star distances,
art horizon observations etc.

For example, the statement that "one prefers a bronze frame when the wind
is strong" is pure theory to me. SNO-T has a big cut in the handle, I
don't
know what for. One can put a piece of lead in it, and it will weight the
same as the biggest bronze frame sextant:-)

On my opinion, bronze frames are preferred for sentimental reasons.
(I also thought in the beginning that a bronze frame of Cassens-Plath
and Tamaya looks like a "real thing", while aluminium frame is a
"cheap substitute". Actually, I have a very old booklet by Hezzanith
which clearly states that aluminium alloy frames are MECHANICALLY
SUPERIOR, more rigid, and they cite numbers. But conservative seamen
still prefer bronze frames... Bill Morris says exactly the same, based
on his tests of frames.

Now, I am convinced that SNO-T Kepler telescope is by far superior
to the "standard" modern Galileo sextant telescope in all conditions
that I tested. My SNO-T is equipped with both, but I also tested
Astra and other telescopes. (In a
small boat it is better to observe without any
telescope if there is any rolling).

SNO-T standard Kepler 6x is comparable to a prizmatic 8x30,
but has larger field of view and a small fraction of its weight and bulk.

Alex.

   

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