NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Glen Swanson
Date: 2021 Oct 3, 10:36 -0700
I shouldn’t have, but I happened across a brand new, still wrapped in its original tissue paper, Astra III B sextant for sale in the neighbourhood this morning.
While I know it’s just a well made, budget sextant, it still took me a few hours before I could remove the tissue paper wrapping around the frame and the individual components. Somewhere in my mind, I thought perhaps I should stick with using my Tamaya(s) and maybe keep this just for posterity. But I couldn’t resist the temptation. So I packed it up carefully and gave it a little workout.
This is a delightful, light little instrument. But as it’s rainy season now, in Denmark, it might be a while before I get a sight. In the meantime, I can see a tremendous difference in how much lighter this little sextant is. I know it’s a divided school on weight and stability, but I found the lack of tired arms a reward in itself.
Sorry to brag, but the most enjoyable part of this find was the price of 1,000 Danish crowns, which is roughly 155 USD.
It’s not so old as the accompanying docs show it was manufactured in 2015. Sadly, the fellow that bought it passed shortly after he took delivery which explains the unwrapped state.
Anyway, I thought I’d share this hedonistic pleasure.
Glen