jeff wrote in
:

otnmbrd wrote:


BTW you don't need an "accurate clock" to use a sextant, but speaking
of "time" most any modern (or old, for that matter)watch keeps
accurate enough time that it could be used, especially if you checked
it prior to "doomsday"

My father-in-law was torpedoed at the end of WWII and spent 18 days in
a liferaft. They were able to track their longitude quite well
because as the radio officer he knew the error of his watch.

http://www.sv-loki.com/Davis/Clippings/clippings.html
more stuff at
http://www.sv-loki.com/Davis/davis.html

Jeff...accurate clocks were being used on many ships, long before
radio....radio just made it easier to monitor the rate

Agreed that many ships had clocks, especially larger ships and
warships.
But a huge number did not, and I would guess that a large majority
of
coastal shipping and fishing boats only rarely (if ever) had a
celestial fix.



BG Been a while since we had a discussion...... At any rate...... many
coastal vessels and fishing vessels would not need to use
celestial....here, you would need a historian to give you an accurate
reading as to the how and who did what (I'm not him/her)
BG Going to be on the Cape from 26th to 1st....if you get to Hyannis,
look me up (try the Black Cat)