otnmbrd wrote:
....
BG Been a while since we had a discussion...... At any rate...... many
coastal vessels and fishing vessels would not need to use
celestial....

True, but these same vessels today would be considered reckless if they
went out without GPS today.

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)

I only have anecdotal stuff to go by, but it is something I've always
been curious about. Over the years, some technology was adopted quite
quickly by the masses; other things took time. The Lunar Method was
only used on large ships because it actually took several people to even
have a chance of getting it right. Then it took long computations.
I've read in several places comments that it was never done except on
warships.

BG Going to be on the Cape from 26th to 1st....if you get to Hyannis,
look me up (try the Black Cat)

Interesting thought ... As it turns out I'm off the Florida those days.
I talked my father into DSL and HDTV, now I have to go down and help
him set it up. No good deed goes unpunished!