NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Freiberger pressie
From: Gerard Mittelstaedt
Date: 2002 Nov 20, 08:29 -0600
From: Gerard Mittelstaedt
Date: 2002 Nov 20, 08:29 -0600
Hi, I am sure that one good reason for skeletonized frames is to reduce wind resistance. Holding something up steady in a 15 to 20 knot breeze is more difficult if it catches more wind. This was a major issue very early in Renaisance navigation when solid disk astrolabes gave way to the marine astrolabe. - GM George Huxtable wrote: > > 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. > > ------------------------------ > > george@huxtable.u-net.com > George Huxtable, 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. > Tel. 01865 820222 or (int.) +44 1865 820222. > ------------------------------ -- --------------- Gerard Mittelstaedt mitt@hiline.net McAllen, Texas USA