NavList:

Greg,

I like your list, and I agree with the order with one exception. I'm surprised you put "plotting sheet construction" at number 1. I think that could easily be left off the list entirely since these are still easily purchased or printed. Apart from that, I mostly agree with the other items and the order you've listed, and I would only make a few small modifications. You suggested compass check by "amplitude, azimuth, and Polaris". Amplitudes are really archaic now. Any celestial azimuth, preferentially at lower altitude, will do. For lines of position, you suggested "by 229, 249 and calculator". I would make that "229 or 249 or calculator". Any one of those three is necessary and also sufficient. If you can do 229, you don't need 249. If you're comfortable generating LOPs by calculator, you don't need the paper tables at all. Finally, for your double bonus item, you listed "longitude by lunars". I would place the emphasis elsewhere and call it "sextant test by lunars". Longitude is never lost in the modern world (at least not for want of UT/GMT), but lunars do still serve a useful purpose as tests of the instruments.

-FER