Guiding a craft using one of the oldest of the mariner′s arts–celestial navigation As romantic–sounding as sailing to Tahiti did centuries ago, using the sun, moon, planets, and stars to guide one′s boat on the seas is enjoying a comeback. For those who do not wish to be caught short when modern technology fails on board, knowing how to chart a path with the aid of a sextant is an essential navigating skill. In Celestial Navigation , veteran yachtsman, Tom Cunliffe, reveals how any boat owner can master this seafaring technique, without complex mathematics, using his simplified approach. Readers begin with a sound foundation of basic concepts and definitions, before moving on to the hardware–the sextant and how to use it. Within a few pages, you′ll be working out your latitude from a noon sight, and learning how to plot a position from observing the sun, planets, moon or stars–or wherever you may be on the world′s oceans. Helps readers prepare for the RYA Yachtsmaster Ocean Exam, which includes celestial navigation as a requirement Includes clear diagrams and worked examples to help guide the novice navigator New edition has downloadable material, a new chapter on electronic navigation as well as the bonus feature of online video demonstrations Whether setting out to sea on a short or long journey, Celestial Navigation is an essential guide to using the sun, moon, planets, and stars as your guideposts home.
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‘ Tom’s warm and humorous writing style makes the book easy to digest, while still explaining the subject in detail.’ (Yachting Monthly, November 2010).
From the Back Cover
Celestial navigation is one of the oldest of the mariner’s arts – and one of the most awe–inspiring. To guide a small boat across the trackless oceans using a simple measuring device – the sextant – and a knowledge of the Sun, Moon and stars is a skill that borders on the magical. It is also essential for every ocean sailor who wants to be able to fix his position should the GPS fail. In these pages Tom Cunliffe shows how to master the art in easy stages. His talent is to educate without intimidating. Starting from a sound foundation of the basic concepts and definitions, he moves on to the hardware: the sextant and how to use it. Within a few pages you’ll be taking your first sight. From there it is a short step to plotting your position, wherever you may be on the world’s oceans. NEW EDITION FEATURES: Revised text and new photographs Video tutorials accessed online Access to downloadable calculation sheets Whether you need to pass an exam, want a back–up to GPS positioning or simply choose to delight in the wonder of the cosmos, this is the perfect guide. Tom Cunliffe is Britain’s leading sailing journalist and writer. He learned his sextant skills during numerous ocean passages, many of them made in the days before GPS. Tom is a RYA(R) Yachtmaster[R] Instructor Examiner and has acted as consultant for US Sailing. He has lectured extensively around Britain and the USA and writes regularly for Yachting Monthly, Yachting World and SAIL magazine. He also wrote and presented the BBC TV series, The Boats That Built Britain . Wiley Nautical recommends this title for the Celestial Navigation section of the RYA [R] Ocean Yachtmaster [R] course. ISBN: 9780470666333 UK £11.99 / US $19.95 / CDN $23.95 www.wileynautical.com Front cover image: TAMAYA TECHNICS INC.
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95 of 98 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book is an unusual guide to celestial navigation; it is not four inches thick and filled with impossible mathematical formulae.
In his gentle and humerous way Tom Cunliffe takes you through, what becomes, the very simple process of calculating your position at sea using a sextant,the sun, moon, stars and planets. "Calculating" is a strong term to use, since the most complicated piece of arithmetic involved is to remember that a degree is divided into sixty minutes, not a hundred.
I was teaching myself how to use a sextant from this book in Mid Atlantic in August of 1999. GPS rolled over to week zero in that month and my receiver locked up, forcing me to use a sextant and the stars for real. It worked.
This is the book that will make using a sextant and the stars to find your position a pleasure and a simple skill rather than some form of complex and archaic "Dark Art"
In his gentle and humerous way Tom Cunliffe takes you through, what becomes, the very simple process of calculating your position at sea using a sextant,the sun, moon, stars and planets. "Calculating" is a strong term to use, since the most complicated piece of arithmetic involved is to remember that a degree is divided into sixty minutes, not a hundred.
I was teaching myself how to use a sextant from this book in Mid Atlantic in August of 1999. GPS rolled over to week zero in that month and my receiver locked up, forcing me to use a sextant and the stars for real. It worked.
This is the book that will make using a sextant and the stars to find your position a pleasure and a simple skill rather than some form of complex and archaic "Dark Art"
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This little book was the first book I ever read on Cel Nav...I really do recommend it to anyone who is thinking about taking up this amazing subject..Even if you aren't its still worth a read as although its thin ..its packed with almost everything
Tom Cunliffe brilliantly explains things which I took for granted and was proved wrong. And the Author's "You tube" videos are really worth a look.
When I first started out on Cel nav..... I wanted nice glossy pictures not damn maths and trigonometry (as important as they are)and you get them here ...but with also hard facts and common sense
This is not written by someone like myself who now knows a bit about the subject but has not ever navigated ...but by someone who has real everyday life practical experience and all this shows in the style of writing ..and yes there is humour too :)
Well done Tom ...Thank you
Tom Cunliffe brilliantly explains things which I took for granted and was proved wrong. And the Author's "You tube" videos are really worth a look.
When I first started out on Cel nav..... I wanted nice glossy pictures not damn maths and trigonometry (as important as they are)and you get them here ...but with also hard facts and common sense
This is not written by someone like myself who now knows a bit about the subject but has not ever navigated ...but by someone who has real everyday life practical experience and all this shows in the style of writing ..and yes there is humour too :)
Well done Tom ...Thank you
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had tried and failed to understand celestial navigation with 2 other books - but this book and its excellent diagrams make the whole subject understandable. Highly recommended
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Published 1 month ago by Phillip Andrews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Makes celestial navigation easy to understand!
I watched Tom's short video before I purchased the product. It is easy to understand and the book's illustrations make it easy to understand. Read more
Published 2 months ago by JG
5.0 out of 5 stars
Complete
I felt that with this book and the various tables necessary I could sail round the world without a GPS and go by traditional methods. Read more
Published 5 months ago by P Millar
5.0 out of 5 stars
Celestial Nav by Tom Cunliff
A difficult subject made superbly understandable. It reads like the author is sat across the table from you explaining the relavent stuff, and generally cutting to the chase. Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2011 by Jon D
1.0 out of 5 stars
celestial navigation
this book is totally a waste of money the author tries to condense a comprehensive subject such as this into a short couple of pages book which do not give you enough information... Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by Kenneth Azzopardi
4.0 out of 5 stars
Essential reading
I am thinking I need a second copy to ensure I have at least one thats not lost and is in my briefcase for revision and practise. Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Atha Fokias
5.0 out of 5 stars
very interesting book for a beginner
I found this book interesting for those who want to know about celestial navigation for the first time. Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2009 by Irfan Madani
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