The Sextant Handbook: Adjustment, Repair, Use, and History

by Bruce A. Bauer

Book Overview

Loran and GPS notwithstanding, there will always be a place for the sextant aboard any blue-water boat, if for no other reason than the thrill and mystery of finding one's position on earth by gazing at the heavens. Here is the indispensable reference that should accompany the instrument aboard. Cmdr. Bruce Bauer, a professional navigator and master mariner with the U.S. Merchant Marine, has distilled years of hands-on experience into an eminently...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0877429561
• ISBN13: 9780877429562
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: International Marine Pub. Co
• Length: 191 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Book

Please do not be mislead by negative reviews that criticize this book for not being able to teach you CelNav. The reason it doesn't do a good job of teaching you CelNav is simple......it's not about teaching you CelNav. It is; however, about the sextant, as an instrument. In that capacity, this book is a must have for those that study the subject of CelNav. A well written and thorough owners manual for an automobile will educate you on features, functions, and care, it will NOT teach you how to drive. Anyone who owns a sextant must own this as well.

Exactly what every sextant owner needs to know

Excellent reference and maintenance manual. Has a permanent place in my navigation kit. Wish I had read this before buying my sextant, although, I most likely would not have understood it all without a sextant in my hand. Everything from alignments, checks, adjustments, cleaning, maintenance... even tips and tricks on taking sights- priceless! This, with Buckley's video, and you'll be plotting your position in no time.

Good stuff to know

This is not a book that will teach you how to use a sextant. What it will do is give you an appreciation for the evolution of the instrument and its care and feeding. And you should definitely read it if you're planning to go shopping for a sextant to complement your GPS.

sextant repair and use

This book is a necisity for anyone that wants to sail beyond the coast. It has excelent advice on the use adjustment and purchasing of your primary navagational aid. Yes I know you have a gps (genuine piece of ) you must be able to find your way without it.

A book for the sextant lover

Sextants are bautiful instruments that let us determine our position by observing stars and planets. They are very precise optical instruments, and today, the least expensive new metal sextant costing around $... Such a precious and expensive instrument needs to be cared for properly.This book contains very helpful information on how to adjust (or how not to adjust, to avoid damage) your sextant to ensure accurate sightings. The book also covers what can be done to continue to use a sextant after damage, including what repairs can be done by its user. It covers the use and storage of the sextant at sea, gives good tips on how to get good sights and times, and describes a number of sextant types, apparels, and accessories, along with their pros and cons. It also contains interesting information about the history of celestial navigation. I bought my sextant new, but there is a really good section on buying a used sextant. Cmd. Bauer also gives numerous contact information for sextant manufacturers, importers, and retailers, though I haven't checked if they are still up to date. At the very least they will be a good guide for the prospective buyer of a new or used sextant.The pricing information on the book is outdated, and so are some of the things that are described, like Davis' prism to ensure verticality of the sextant, which is not manufactured or distributed anymore. But it is really well written, full of good information, and a very nice companion to your sextant, or a good guide before you buy one, used or new. Obviously, Cmd. Bauer knows what he writes about, and how to present his knowledge in a compelling manner.