Books on Astro Navigation and Sextants
Here we offer a range of books on sextants, celestial navigation, and using PCs on board in general. To obtain new or second hand copies of books either in or out of print, we partner with AbeBooks.co.uk and with Amazon. AbeBooks specialise in second hand books, whereas Amazon offer new and secondhand, but are generally best for new.
Click on the graphic on the left to buy through Amazon, or the book title on the right to buy through AbeBooks.
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| Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen |
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| Celestial Navigation: Colour Edition |
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| Admiralty Manual of Navigation V2: Astro Navigation for those who want an in depth understanding of navigation by sextant, including all the different types of sight and sight reduction methods as well as the background theory. | |
| The Sextant Handbook: Adjustment, Repair, Use and History |
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| Taking the Stars: Celestial Navigation from Argonauts to Astronauts |
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| Longitude by Dava Sobel. This popular book on Harrison's development of an accurate watch, allowing longitude to be determined accurately, makes a good read on the development of an invention that was as significant in its day as GPS has been nowadays. | |
| The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco. A fictionalised account of the race to determine time accurately, ultimately won by Harrison's clock but with many other competing approaches, some more scientific than others. A wider scope than Sobel's book and, in my opinion, a better read. Published 1996. 515 pages. | |
Yachting Monthly's Computers on Board Based on a popular series of articles in "Yachting Monthly", this book takes a modern, hands-on look at using PCs at sea. Tim Thornton's accessible style and helpful use of colour photographs and diagrams gives readers the tools to maximise the benefits of using computers at sea whilst avoiding common problems. Up to the minute, practical and tackling a range of issues for sailors, motor boaters, cruisers and racers, this comprehensive book covers communications and entertainment systems as well as navigation. Topics covered include hardware options (what does what, what is most suitable for your needs, linking equipment); voice communications; data, email and internet; obtaining weather data; navigating with a PC; and entertainment systems. A user-friendly and important book, this is the first place to go for all boaters wanting the last word on using computers at sea. Published 2007. 128 pages. |
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A manual on using a PC on board a boat. It guides the reader through the process of choosing a PC as well as suitable software for tidal calculations, route planning, chart plotting, performance analysis, weather information, communications and the Internet. The authors demonstrate how using a PC can make life easier on board and take the slog out of navigational calculations. There is information on installing and looking after a PC on board, along with discussions of power supplies, interfacing and upgrading. First published in 2000, 2nd Edition in 2003. 160 pages. |