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Thanks Alex, and Greg ,for the links. I will do some reading now. I also
found Bill's book on Amazon UK and ordered a copy.

As for costs - back in 2003 www.compassadjuster.co.uk, Mr Robinson's shop in
the Hamble, was selling them for very little - perhaps 150 GBP. Now, if he
has one, they have gone up to 350 GBP. I just talked to him. The exchange
rate is about 1.60 USD = 1.00 GBP.

On www.ebay.co.uk there is a Latvian seller with a large stock, selling them
for 450 USD. On top there is probably a substantial delivery cost and
although he claims that as Latvia is in the EU there will be no duty I am
not so sure. Of course - you buy without seeing it, whilst if you go to a
shop like Mr Robinson's you can test it all day long and get a cup of tea in
the process. Like high quality electric guitars - I would not buy a sextant
without having checked and tested it thoroughly and handled it for at least
an hour.



-----Original Message-----
From: Alexandre Eremenko
Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 5:34 PM
To: zvidoron@btinternet.com
Subject: [NavList] Re: Current Sextant Manufacturers


Zvi,

Bill Morris blog is
http://sextantbook.com/category/how-flat-are-sextant-mirrors/
Look on the right for the contents: SNO-T, Chasing the fractions of
minute, and there is much
other scattered info, where he describes comparative frame tests
of several sextants, and where we speaks on calibration with
collimators, and where he speaks on comparison of backlash
and drum excentricity for various sextants.

But most of the information on comparisons are in his books
that are for sale: "The nautical sextant" and "SNO-T book".
Yes, he has a whole book completely devoted to SNO-T.

How much does it cost in London, do you remember BTW?
There are several potential problems with Russsian (I mean former Soviet
Union) sellers. They usually do not accept Paypal.
Their English can be poor. Transportation is expensive and non-realiable.
Some of them can even be fradus, but these go out of business
quickly. Look at the reputation ratings in e-bay.
All Russian dealers I dealt with were extremely helpful, friendly and
honest.
If you don't like all this, you can use Western sellers, in London,
or this Dutch guy:
http://www.santik.eu/sextant_divers_en.htm
or elsewhere.
Of course you pay more if you buy from a Western seller: there is no free
lunch:-)

Alex.

On Fri, 30 Mar 2012, Zvi Doron wrote:

>
> You got me interested now... That shop on the Hamble still has them - I
> just
> checked their website. There is also a Latvian eBay source which has many
> of
> them. How can I find Bill Morris' blog? I would like to read his findings.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alexandre Eremenko
> Sent: Friday, March 30, 2012 4:05 PM
> To: zvidoron---com
> Subject: [NavList] Re: Current Sextant Manufacturers
>
>
> Zvi, You asked:
>
>> So are they really the best sextants ever made? Better than the C. Plath
>> Navistar Classic and the Tamaya M-733 Spica?
>
> 1. Bill Morris, who overhauled more than 30 sextants of various makes,
> and has testing equipment says so repeatedly in his books and blogs.
>
> 2. My own experience is this. I owned two C. Plaths,
> one of the beginning of XX century, with vernier; another of 1950-s,
> their most common model, in excellent condition. Both were from e-bay,
> of course. I bought them to play with them, and I am obsessed with
> accuracy
> (Lunar sights etc.) After two months trials I sold both of them.
> I had on loan Frank's Tamaya (clone, something "International Nautical").
> And I used Bill's new Astra many times.
> I also tried several Astras when Celestaire visited Chicago boat show.
> I tried also several Cassens Plath's (one in their factory) and
> a Husun once.
> (I think this lists completely my experience, not counting pocket sextant
> and air sextant).
> Of all of these SNO is the best.
>
> Cannot say anything definite about Navistar Classic or Tamaya Spica.
> Alex.
>
>
>
>
>
> : http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx?i=118584
>
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4903 - Release Date: 03/29/12
>
>
>
>
>
> : http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx?i=118586
>
>
>




: http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx?i=118587




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