NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: What precision is required in cel nav?
From: Tom Sult
Date: 2015 Jul 17, 09:38 -0500
Tom Sult, MD
From: Tom Sult
Date: 2015 Jul 17, 09:38 -0500
Mid ocean the need for sub 2 mile sites is not important. The horizon distance from a low hight of eye is small and the need for better sights grows as one gets closer to your low lying island. To be good at sub 2 mile sights one should try to make every sight approx. sub 1 mile.
There is nothing as fun as zigzagging around looking for your land fall with growing panic.
Tom Sult, MD
Author: JUST BE WELL
justbewell.info
A question for all:
What precision is required when doing cel nav ?
The reason I ask is I am a pilot and when we had to do cel nav in the C-141 trying to find Canton I. or Wake we were happy to get a fix + or - 10 miles. ( I was happy - maby my navigator was not. )
It seems to me a ship in the middle of the ocean does not NEED one mile accuracy. Close to port or hazards yes but in the Pacific ?
I just revieved the book " Hawaii by Sextant" from Starpath and it goes to great lengths doing statics to get a set of sights to yeild a fix 1/2 mile better. Is that extra work nessasry or pride ina good job?
Don't want to step on any toes, just want to know. Flying is different the sailing.
Thanks -- John H.
