NavList:

OK....to put the cat among the pigeons.....
I firmly believe that many contributors to this forum should move to another forum called MathList. If it does not exist then perhaps those of you that go to the Nth degree in getting the navigation spot on correct – basically getting the maths (or ‘the math’ for some) perfect so as to show the computed position mere yards from the actual........(OK; an exaggeration!).......could start such a forum.
The actual practice of celestial navigation was never about ‘being on the button’ – in my humble opinion. It was about safely navigating when out of site of land - period. By traditional methods this meant working out a position and then transferring your information to a chart. By the time your position was on the chart you were not there any longer, but you knew (in relation to your DR position) whether you were being set one way or the other (or whether your allowance for leeway was correct or not).....or any combination of the two that you might choose. (I am unfamiliar with air navigation in days gone by – but imagine that the arguments are the same; but in a much reduced timeframe because of the speed involved).
There was always the old question as to whether Navigation was an art or a science. Those of us that practiced it for a living (before GPS or any other electronic, full positioning systems – Transit satellite, LORAN, DECCA or whatever) appreciated that it was an art based on scientific principles. A mile or three here or there did not matter – it brought you to the coast as expected to see a light break above the horizon basically on the expected bearing at a given time or you reached certain soundings without panic. I am not that old – so in truth, if the coastline was good enough for radar confirmation of your DR when making a landfall, that was great. That was after making an ocean passage, perhaps for weeks, using celestial navigation to get you more or less where you wanted to be. But never once did we believe that our fix at noon or when using stars morning or evening, was spot on, no questions asked, on the money. We took it for what it was and I guess that is how it has been since CelNav has been practised.
If dangerous shoals etc exist in the area where you are navigating – if you have not real time position fixing – then stay well clear. Celestial navigation is not a tool for a prudent mariner in such a location. The whole idea of getting position from celestial navigation in the first place was to avoid being anywhere near such dangers as the ocean passage terminated.
In recent times here on this forum it was mentioned that the ‘bitchyness’ we have seen lately will drive off some members – not true. In fact it is very entertaining. What will drive people away – especially those that come for guidance and help when they try out CelNav for the first time (or at least those that are less experienced with a sextant) is the fact that it always seems to be the goal here to get within inches (forgive my exaggeration again – but that is how it reads sometimes) of your actual position. For those of you out there practicing and striving to feel competent with a sextant – know that if you are within a few miles of your actual position, then you have the science right. The art of celestial navigation is feeling good with the position (or position line) so obtained and being confident when using that information to navigate with safety. If you are at sea you will never know for sure if that position is anywhere near 100% correct.......that is when the ‘art’ (not science) kicks in.
Those ‘older hands’ on this forum should appreciate that the ‘list’ is about “the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Position-Finding”......The bottom line on every email from a colleague of mine always states....”keep it simple” and I think if PRESERVATION is the goal of the forum, then the confidence of those only now starting to practice celestial navigation should never be undermined by those here who can argue over getting the accuracy down to that Nth degree. Keep It Simple. There are very few actual contributors here – let’s see some more budding navigators being proud to say that they have got a position line from their sextant and want to try more. Let the ART of navigation then take over and let the forum truly help PRESERVE this art.
A personal opinion..................
Kinch.
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