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Message |
Guest
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 Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:
Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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I am looking for a high-quality sextant, in good condition, for not a
lot of money. Of course that would be unreasonable in most contexts,
but sextant use has certainly plummeted as high-quality GPS units have
become so inexpensive. I want a high-quality, accurate unit to use in
teaching some high-school physics sections involving celestial bodies.
I would prefer a C.Plath or such, and do need the lighting for night
sightings. Thank you, and please send any serious leads direcly to my
email, kc_cmc@hotmail.com. |
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otnmbrd
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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<kc_cmc@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1132174227.022048.130940@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | I am looking for a high-quality sextant, in good condition, for not a
lot of money. Of course that would be unreasonable in most contexts,
but sextant use has certainly plummeted as high-quality GPS units have
become so inexpensive. I want a high-quality, accurate unit to use in
teaching some high-school physics sections involving celestial bodies.
I would prefer a C.Plath or such, and do need the lighting for night
sightings. Thank you, and please send any serious leads direcly to my
email, kc_cmc@hotmail.com.
|
Right now, I see one Plath on Ebay ($900)..... good price if it holds
BTW, don't worry about the lighting. It tends to be more trouble than it's
worth and a good small flashlight will serve.
Another one to look at..... Tamaya (sp?).
otn |
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mickey
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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I lucked out. I got an Astra IIIB, used, for about $350. It was used
for training by an organization that stopped their training programs.
I wasn't really looking--I gave that up when I realized it was
hopeless, but out of the blue I saw the ad on SpinSheet--it was the 2nd
week running the ad, I think, so I was still not hopeful, but it all
worked out in a bar in Annapolis. The moral is, once every few years,
if you look everywhere, you may find a good used sextant, but you're as
likely to find it if you're not looking. It's no Plath, but at least
it's not plastic, and it is good enough for my purposes.
Before the Astra, I had the Davis 25. If you're learning (as I am,
perpetually), the Davis 25 has good accuracy. The problem si that the
Davis and any plastic sextant will lose accuracy quicker, so you'd have
to recalibrate or mesure the sextant error every time--twice! But that
makes for good practice anyway!
The only problem I had with the davis is that the handle broke off. It
glued on well enough afterwards, but it was still annoying. But for
the price, buy two! And when you get used to them, when you hold a
hefty metal unit you'll feel like you're riding in style!
Cheers,
mickey |
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rhys
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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On 16 Nov 2005 12:50:27 -0800, kc_cmc@hotmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | I am looking for a high-quality sextant, in good condition, for not a
lot of money. Of course that would be unreasonable in most contexts,
but sextant use has certainly plummeted as high-quality GPS units have
become so inexpensive. I want a high-quality, accurate unit to use in
teaching some high-school physics sections involving celestial bodies.
I would prefer a C.Plath or such, and do need the lighting for night
sightings. Thank you, and please send any serious leads direcly to my
email, kc_cmc@hotmail.com.
|
Good luck with that. I searched auctions, estate sales and the
memories of old sailors for about three years with disappointing
results. While one might think you can pick up a surplus navy sextant
(eBay has plenty of Russian SNO models), the fact is that's a huge
crap shoot as to accuracy, condition and function.
I found it easier to pick up an old NC-77 nav comp in working order
and to find a table for it that will allow its almanac to function
until 2007 than I had luck with finding a used sextant I could be
confident wasn't junk. I saw a lot of junk. Conversely, I saw a lot of
Plath models going for well over $1,000. Contrary to what you might
think, they've retained their premium, and people know what they used
to cost.
I bought an Astra IIIB new this year, and it works perfectly. I have
commenced my cel nav education. If you are on land exclusively and are
just demostrating the principles and the math, get a Davis 25 or 15
even. They aren't bad, just less accurate.
R. |
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Armond Perretta
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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kc_cmc@hotmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | I am looking for a high-quality sextant, in good condition, for not a
lot of money ...
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If you find more than one, let me know.
--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://home.comcast.net/~kerrydeare |
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Don White
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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barry@psyber.com wrote:
| Quote: | In rec.boats kc_cmc@hotmail.com wrote:
: I am looking for a high-quality sextant, in good condition, for not a
: lot of money. Of course that would be unreasonable in most contexts,
: but sextant use has certainly plummeted as high-quality GPS units have
: become so inexpensive. I want a high-quality, accurate unit to use in
: teaching some high-school physics sections involving celestial bodies.
: I would prefer a C.Plath or such, and do need the lighting for night
: sightings. Thank you, and please send any serious leads direcly to my
: email, kc_cmc@hotmail.com.
http://search.ebay.com//search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=sextant
|
Why take a chance on something in e-bay?
Our Power Squadron AP instructor had an $ 800.00 chinese version, but
said the Davis Mark 25 was accurate enough..especially when taking
sights on a moving boat.
http://tinyurl.com/8tsox |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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In rec.boats kc_cmc@hotmail.com wrote:
: I am looking for a high-quality sextant, in good condition, for not a
: lot of money. Of course that would be unreasonable in most contexts,
: but sextant use has certainly plummeted as high-quality GPS units have
: become so inexpensive. I want a high-quality, accurate unit to use in
: teaching some high-school physics sections involving celestial bodies.
: I would prefer a C.Plath or such, and do need the lighting for night
: sightings. Thank you, and please send any serious leads direcly to my
: email, kc_cmc@hotmail.com.
http://search.ebay.com//search/search.dll?from=R40&satitle=sextant |
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Capri
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:06 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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About 40 years ago a really good quality slide rule would cost you a
pretty penny. Hardly anyone I know knows how to use a slide rule today.
I'd put money on the Sextant being the same 40 years, probably at lot
less, from now. |
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St. John Smythe
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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Capri wrote:
| Quote: | About 40 years ago a really good quality slide rule would cost you a
pretty penny. Hardly anyone I know knows how to use a slide rule today.
I'd put money on the Sextant being the same 40 years, probably at lot
less, from now.
|
While the comparison is a good one, the conclusion, while tempting, is
probably not; the sextant can be expected to be prudent emergency gear
on all vessels for the forseeable future, not to mention the need for
lifeboat sextants.
--
St. John
"There is only one boss: The Customer. And he can fire everybody
in the company, from the chairman on down, simply by spending his
money somewhere else." -Sam Walton |
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Gary
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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St. John Smythe wrote:
| Quote: | Capri wrote:
About 40 years ago a really good quality slide rule would cost you a
pretty penny. Hardly anyone I know knows how to use a slide rule today.
I'd put money on the Sextant being the same 40 years, probably at lot
less, from now.
While the comparison is a good one, the conclusion, while tempting, is
probably not; the sextant can be expected to be prudent emergency gear
on all vessels for the forseeable future, not to mention the need for
lifeboat sextants.
An interesting point of view. Of course with the sextant you need a |
watch, charts and worksheet, HO 229 or 249, the Nautical Alamanc, Nories
tables and all that stuff. Or, a claculator. Without the sextant you
need a GPS or two, cheaper, less fragile and more accurate. Built in
charts would be nice too. Still cheaper and it leaves a lot of room for
jugs of water in the lifeboat where your book shelf would be.
I'm waiting for the "what if the GPS quits" argument but when you bring
it up, tell me whether you are using a calculator or worksheets to
reduce your sight in the lifeboat.
Meanwhile, you could buld one:
http://www.tecepe.com.br/nav/CDSextantProject.htm
Gaz |
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otnmbrd
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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In days gone by, for lifeboat navigation, a good sextant with some
accompaning tables, charts , etc. would be great.......
However, nowadays the idea is to remain as close as possible to your last
reported position, so the higher priority is a good EPIRB.
There are still many reasons for some to know how to use a sextant, but
those numbers and times are diminishing ...... course, for many who only
know how to navigate with absolute errors of only +/- a few feet, the
sextant has never been any good.
otn |
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Peter McLelland
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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"Gary" <plumperNOSPAM@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:1pTef.515051$oW2.327885@pd7tw1no...
| Quote: | St. John Smythe wrote:
Capri wrote:
About 40 years ago a really good quality slide rule would cost you a
pretty penny. Hardly anyone I know knows how to use a slide rule today.
I'd put money on the Sextant being the same 40 years, probably at lot
less, from now.
While the comparison is a good one, the conclusion, while tempting, is
probably not; the sextant can be expected to be prudent emergency gear
on all vessels for the forseeable future, not to mention the need for
lifeboat sextants.
An interesting point of view. Of course with the sextant you need a
watch, charts and worksheet, HO 229 or 249, the Nautical Alamanc, Nories
tables and all that stuff. Or, a claculator. Without the sextant you
need a GPS or two, cheaper, less fragile and more accurate. Built in
charts would be nice too. Still cheaper and it leaves a lot of room for
jugs of water in the lifeboat where your book shelf would be.
I'm waiting for the "what if the GPS quits" argument but when you bring
it up, tell me whether you are using a calculator or worksheets to
reduce your sight in the lifeboat.
The main problem with the GPS is the power supply which means that the |
available space for water gets taken up with batteries.
Peter |
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Dennis Pogson
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:08 am Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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Peter McLelland wrote:
| Quote: | "Gary" <plumperNOSPAM@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:1pTef.515051$oW2.327885@pd7tw1no...
St. John Smythe wrote:
Capri wrote:
About 40 years ago a really good quality slide rule would cost you
a pretty penny. Hardly anyone I know knows how to use a slide rule
today. I'd put money on the Sextant being the same 40 years,
probably at lot less, from now.
While the comparison is a good one, the conclusion, while tempting,
is probably not; the sextant can be expected to be prudent
emergency gear on all vessels for the forseeable future, not to
mention the need for lifeboat sextants.
An interesting point of view. Of course with the sextant you need a
watch, charts and worksheet, HO 229 or 249, the Nautical Alamanc,
Nories tables and all that stuff. Or, a claculator. Without the
sextant you need a GPS or two, cheaper, less fragile and more
accurate. Built in charts would be nice too. Still cheaper and it
leaves a lot of room for jugs of water in the lifeboat where your
book shelf would be.
I'm waiting for the "what if the GPS quits" argument but when you
bring it up, tell me whether you are using a calculator or
worksheets to reduce your sight in the lifeboat.
The main problem with the GPS is the power supply which means that the
available space for water gets taken up with batteries.
Peter
|
Are batteries hard to come by where you live? We seem to have a
preponderance of them. |
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Manfred Handschuher
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 3:33 pm Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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kc_cmc@hotmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | do need the lighting for night sightings
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Do you really expect to see the horizon at night??? My experience (and
what I learned) is that it is impossible.
Manfred |
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For me to know, for U to
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Nov 17, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject:
Re: Wanted: Quality Sextant |
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On Thu, 17 Nov 2005 10:33:12 +0100, Manfred Handschuher <k12@gmx.de> I
wrote:
| Quote: | kc_cmc@hotmail.com wrote:
do need the lighting for night sightings
Do you really expect to see the horizon at night??? My experience (and
what I learned) is that it is impossible.
|
Manfred,
I have been shooting stars and planets for years in the "old" days,
for sure a visible horizon is required.
--
Best regards |
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