NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Planning a blue water CN cruise/holiday
From: Jim Thompson
Date: 2004 Oct 21, 07:47 -0300
From: Jim Thompson
Date: 2004 Oct 21, 07:47 -0300
I've got several GPS systems, and usually take one when I travel. But I should explain myself more clearly. Perhaps others can suggest a receptive ship that I could contact for my project, or comment on my plan. (Doug, I just saw your post as I finished this message: thanks for any tips you can give me about ships that might help out.) The exercise (= holiday) I have in mind is to purchase passage on a commercial ship as a passenger. I would try to do all the navigation in the privacy of my own cabin, as if I did not have access to electronic devices. I only would ask the bridge officers for my height of eye, course and speed, times of course/speed changes, and weather information (particularly wind speed and direction). I would take my celestial sights from a convenient place that does not get in the way of the crew. Then in my cabin I would try to maintain a DR plot, updated at sea by my celestial LOP's for EPs and fixes. I would try to do a full "days work at sea", following the US Navy CN guidelines for that process, but following the Power & Sail Squadron's methods. I would refer to the usual sources of information on currents, and try to work out leeway. I would take my own charts, plotting paper, and accessory books on the cruise, so that I could work as independantly as possible from the working bridge crew. I would use digital watches that I calibrated on shore for several months prior to leaving on the trip. I would take my laptop, so that I could use computer tools to check my handwork, as well as do other things (build a webpage of the experience, etc). At the end of the passage I would hope to sit down with a bridge officer, to retrospectively compare my plot with their actual positions. So I need a receptive ship, suggestions about the best geography for such a trip, and suggestions about the best time of year weather-wise, for optimum sextant-viewing. I could fly anywhere to join the ship for a particular passage, if there is a way of planning it sufficiently ahead of time. Ideally we would like for my family to fly to the destination, to join me for a holiday when I arrive. I'm no stranger to shipboard life -- worked on a Coast Guard icebreaker and commercial fishing ships and boats in my younger years. Getting that much time of work is not easy, but with lead time hopefully I could find a way. Jim Thompson jim2@jimthompson.net http://jimthompson.net/boating/Celestial_Navigation.htm Outgoing mail scanned by Norton Antivirus ----------------------------------------- > -----Original Message----- > From: Fred Hebard > You could take along a handheld GPS to keep your position, but an > excuse to check the ship's log should not be overlooked! > From: Royer, Doug > I'll do some checking in the next week and I'll contact you with > any info