NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Day’s run
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2022 Feb 10, 21:43 -0500
From: Don Seltzer
Date: 2022 Feb 10, 21:43 -0500
How it was done in Patrick O’Brian’s early 19th century world,
… eight bells was within a few grains of sand ahead, and all across the deck just abaft the mainmast the officers and young gentlemen had the sun firmly in their quadrants and sextants, waiting for the moment when it should cross the meridian. The moment came: everyone was aware of it, but following the ancient ritual the master first told Mowett, and Mowett, stepping across to Captain Aubrey, took off his hat and reported to him that the local time appeared to be noon. 'Make it so,' said Jack, and noon it therefore became by law. Immediately after this the ship echoed to the striking of eight bells and the piping of the hands to dinner…
Don Seltzer
On Thu, Feb 10, 2022 at 10:07 AM David McN <NoReply_DavidMcN@fer3.com> wrote:
The traditional ship's day started at 12 noon. Bells would be rung progressively through a four hour watch, resetting every 4 hours. The day's run (distance) was measured over the noon to noon period.
But noon to noon (let's call it 24 hours) is not 24 hours unless travelling directly N or S. If travelling east, it would be shorter, longer if going west. So what was noon? LAN time based on MP? 24 hours watch time ? Hybrid?
