On Wed, 3 Sep 2003 13:36:10 -0400, "Jeff Morris"
jeffmo@NoSpam-sv-lokiDOTcom wrote:

Sure, they teach celestial - they just don't require it. There are other skills more
important.

Unless you are planning to do numerous long distance passages, celestial is useless. You
may enjoy learning it, it is an interesting intellectual exercise, but it has little to do
with coastal cruising. Twenty-five years ago I tried to do a sight every day; I haven't
brought a sextant onboard in 8 years.

-j

Thanks, Jeff. That is what I was thinking. The piloting and coastal
nav courses I have taken have been very useful, but I need to find
something else to work on to try to develop my seamanship. USPS has
been good, but I need to find something worthwhile if I am going to
put in the time and effort.


felton wrote:
I am wrestling with myself as to whether to continue my USPS course
work and sign up for the JN course, which is the first of two courses
dealing with celestial navigation. I have completed all the electives
and through Advanced Piloting, so it is decision time. I have heard
that even the Naval Academy doesn't teach celestial navigating skills
any longer.

Is celestial anything more than an interesting exercise these days or
is it worth the effort to learn for any meaningful use? Ultimately it
comes down to time invested/benefit to learn, like anything else.

At the risk of sounding "lubberly", I just wonder if this is time well
spent these days.