wrote in message
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I wasn't trying to say that one should not carry a sextant and the
tables and an accurate time piece. I was mainly replying to what I
thought was an implication that when all else failed the old sextant
would work and was pointing out that without its additional do-dads it
wouldn't.


You were too. You acted like the old tried-and-true methods were a waste
of time and an anachronism in this day of modern electronics. You even
poo-poohed weather prognostication.



I agree that a one mile cocked hat is good navigation but in the
sextant days a lot of people purposely steered a bit north or south of
their destination. Then when they made shore they knew to turn left,
or right, and the case required to find port.



Wrong again. They steered one way or another according to the wind
direction. They always preferred to find themselves to windward of port
so they could turn and reach to it instead of having to beat. Any real
sailor should know this.

Wilbur Hubbard