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Axel Vis said=

>Finally I get to pick a birthday pressie that actually excites me. So I'm
>looking at a new Freiberger. (Better than socks). I was comparing their
>drum and yacht sextant where I'm inclined to the latter because it has a
>smaller magnification than the drumsextant.It also a lot lighter but I'm
>not exactly sure whether that is an advanyage or not. Does anyone have any
>suggestions or comments?

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I'm no expert on sextants but here's my penn'orth.

A few years ago I read a letter in the Journal of Navigation from a
merchant sea-captain of many years experience, who explained that he
cherished his old sextant because of its very weight, which he explained
gave it stability when used on the bridge in windy weather. One has to
respect the voice of experience.

On the other hand, if weight was such an advantage, why do sextant makers
go to such trouble to use lightweight materials, and skeletonize the frames
to leave the minimum of material behind?

And if weight was such an advantage, it would be an easy job to "improve"
an over-lightweight sextant by clamping on lead ballast to the frame, in
appropriate places. I have never heard of such an "improvement" being made,
even by the crustiest old salt. Has anyone else?

My conclusion? That in reality, other things like rigidity being equal, the
lighter a sextant is, the better it will be. Just my opinion, for what it's
worth.

George Huxtable.


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george@huxtable.u-net.com
George Huxtable, 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.
Tel. 01865 820222 or (int.) +44 1865 820222.
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