NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
From: Greg Rudzinski
Date: 2012 May 20, 19:30 -0700
Paul,
There is no rule that says you can't use two hands to help support the sextant. I lower the body to just above or below the horizon then place the left thumb and middle finger underneath the arc for extra support while rocking the sextant to find the low point. In between observations try holding the sextant with the left hand using fingers through the frame and not touching any part of the index arm. Pre-calculating altitude will save time finding the body and give extra time to set the body before fatigue sets in. Be sure to blink the eyes frequently and try squinting some to improve focus. Find a comfortable focus point for the optic. Some navigators find using a whole horizon less fatiguing because a sight can be done more quickly.
Greg Rudzinski
[NavList] Re: technique for sighting affect accuracy
From: Paul Pauliukonis
Date: 20 May 2012 12:51
I noticed improved accuracy in my sextant sights when sitting in a lawn chair (OK at home - difficult/impossible on a boat) and resting my elbows on my knees (known as shooting a rifle from a sitting position).
I also noticed that, after a few sights, the eyes become fatigued and accuracy suffers. So, after taking a half-dozen or so sights, I take a 10-15 minute break.
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