Sextant

[aquaplane]

Mum is downsising and today I was sent home with a lightly used Freiberger Drum sextant.

It looks like the first one in this article: https://sextantbook.com/category/freiberger-sextants/

It is in a wooden box with a manual an some sighting notes.

I have had a look through it but have never taken a sight of anything.

What should I do to keep it in good nick just in case I ever want to use it?

[wully]

I'd keep hold of it. They are lovely instruments - and very expensive.

Why it download some tables and instructions from the web and have a play with it? You don't even need to be on the boat. A basin of water in the back garden can be used as a horizon...

[mm5aho]

I bought one from a fellow forumite last year, and have enjoyed doing a course in celestial navigation (exam this Thursday), and playing with the instrument. I've put a small sachet of dessicant in the box with mine.

Using the dish of water reflection technique to get a horizon, I can get my location at home to within a mile now. I was out in Fife on Monday so took a sight at the beach, and managed to get a line that went right through where I was, so was happy at that too. Looking forward to testing this at sea this summer.
The reflected method of horizon simulation is a wee bit tricky, they jitter about a bit, but that's maybe good practice from takings sights from a jittery boat?

[lady_stormrider]

My feeling is after next Friday it might come in handy if someone switches off the GPS after he is inaugurated because the giant invisible rabbit tells him to

[Orla]

never thought of that, I'm off to ebay to find a sextant....

What ever happened to Europe's GPS I wonder.

[lady_stormrider]

Ah! You mean Galileo! Have a look at any well known online encyclopaedia to see what's happened.

[Telo]

My feeling is after next Friday it might come in handy if someone switches off the GPS after he is inaugurated because the giant invisible rabbit tells him to

Smart thinking. Maybe we'll dig ours out and re-learn....

Having said that, I must admit that I only ever used it for a distance off position fix; three points, two angles and then a quick plot with a Davis protractor gizmo;



Amazingly accurate, much better than compass bearings, even in a swell. No cocked hat, just an accurate fix.

[bilbo]

Id have a play with it? You don't even need to be on the boat. A basin of water in the back garden can be used as a horizon...

Aye, but for the real mccoy you need an accomplice standing off stage and throwing buckets of cold salty water at you every few minutes....