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A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Doc On Worst Jobs at Sea
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2018 Mar 22, 10:43 -0400
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2018 Mar 22, 10:43 -0400
On Thu, Mar 22, 2018 at 9:45 AM, Bruce J. Pennino <NoReply_Pennino@fer3.com> wrote:
At about 21 +/- minutes the film shows the determination of speed by “casting the log”. I’ve always imagined the “log” to be smaller......I recollect seeing a smaller one somewhere. Letting the line drag on the railing does not seem like a proper practice unless the total procedure has been calibrated against two known marks and where there are no other affecting circumstances.
The log float seems to be about the same size as others that I have seen. What was lacking was a 'release' mechanism. One of the three short attachment lines should have been attached to a wooden plug that fitted into the float but would have pulled out when the log line was stopped. With only two points of connection, the float would have pivoted to horizontal, allowing it to be reeled in easily.
The knot markings on the line are questionable. In practice, the markings were generally small twine strands woven into the line. The proper number of small knots were tied in the twine strands. I've attached a photo that shows two of these twine markers.
Don Seltzer
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