nav-inst-msg - 9/25/98
Period navigational instruments and navigation.
NOTE: See also the files: med-ships-art, ships-bib, Seakeeping-p1-art, ships-msg, boat-building-msg, Nav-Crosstaff-art, travel-foods-msg.
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Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: whheydt at PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt)
Date: 21 Oct 91 22:49:58 GMT
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
moonman at buhub.bradley.edu (Craig Levin) writes:
>I am interested in the study of medieval navigation techniques.
>However, the books I have found about astronomy of the time deal
>mainly with cosmological theory and not the scientific practices of
>the time. Does anyone else here have an interest in this as well?
One place to start would be the History of Navigation section of _The
American Practical Navigator_ by Nathaniel Bowditch. The edition I
have is the 1967, but the work has been kept in print by the US Navy
since 1867 (the book--in it's original form--actually goes back to
1803).
--Hal
Hal Ravn, Province of the Mists, West Kingdom
Wilson H. Heydt, Jr., Albany, CA 94706, 415/524-8321 (home)
From: jartificer at aol.com (Jartificer)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Instruction for using a SexTent
Date: 19 Jan 1996 06:24:39 -0500
If you are talking about Sextants (as in navigation), there are plenty of
books on sailing, navigation, and such.
If you are interested for SCA purposes, keep in mind that sextants are a
little too late, even by the 1650 limit. The immediate ancestor of the
sextant is the Backstaff, which looks somewhat similar but is much larger
and works in a slightly different way. I just saw a bunch of them in the
UK while reseraching astrolabes, quadrants, sundials and such. They were
all made by instrument makers, who upgraded their wares with new
technology, much as we are switching to GPS.
Have fun
John the Artificer
John Rose
From: chk at primenet.com (Chris Kurtz)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Instruction for using a SexTent
Date: 19 Jan 1996 16:11:02 -0700
darknite at usa.net (Michael Martin) wrote:
>I am looking for onstruction in the proper use of a Sextent. I any one
>has a copy and wont mind uploading them to me I would greatly appreciate
>it.
You might also try http://www.drake.edu/public/awb001/sail.html on the
World Wide Web.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Chris H. Kurtz (blue at rocinante.com) http://www.primenet.com/~blue |
| Known in the Society as Lord Kristoff McLain Cameron |
| Member of Duchy Aquitaine, Khanate Jaded Axe and First Mate of the I.B.B.|
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: david.razler at compudata.com (DAVID RAZLER)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: period sextant? Answer
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 96 18:35:00 -0400
Organization: Compu-Data BBS -=- Turnersville, NJ -=- 609-232-1245
CK>>I am looking for onstruction in the proper use of a Sextent. I any
CK>one >has a copy and wont mind uploading them to me I would greatly
CK>appreciate >it.
For *period* navigational gear, get ahold of "Chaucer [yes,the Goeffrey
Chaucer] on the Astrolabe with Original Illustrations" available in
Middle English or a 1931 Modern English edition published by Oxford
University Press or the revised edition (1977) self-published by Norman
Greene (Box 7657/ Berkeley, Ca. 94707 or (415) 524-1109)) He may (if in
a good mood) offer to sell you some of his reconstructions which, though
accurate, are expensive.
If you happen to find an original Middle English first edition printed
by Caxton, I'll be only too glad to trade it for a modern translation
<sick grin>
Seriously, the ME may be available on the Web either through The Chaucer
Project or Project Gutenberg as the copyright has long expired.
Also I *think* the Gies's Cathedral, Forge and Waterwheel makes mention
of early navigational instruments, as do several episodes of James
Glenk's Connections broadcast every month or so on The Learning Channel.
Both of the above are purely secondary sources, but hey...
In Service
Aleksandr the Traveller
[david.razler at compudata.com]
From: "David K. Schreur" <baronfum at net-link.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: period sextant? Answer
Date: 24 Jan 1996 00:08:29 GMT
Of course, the sextant was not used intil very late if at all in period. Aleksandr has given the best advice in looking up Chaucer on the astrolabe, which was the chief method of determining latitude in later period. Another instrument of navigation which is quite easy to recreate is the "Jacob's ladder" which consisted of a marked stick with a sliding crosspiece which was used for making sightings. And, of course, longitude simply could not be determined in period and was not accurately determined until the refinement of an accurate chronometer.
From: clevin at ripco.com (Craig Levin)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Navigation - maps and instruments
Date: 6 Feb 1997 05:16:54 GMT
Organization: Ripco Internet BBS, Chicago
Matthew Legge <mlegge at quokka.epidem.uwa.edu.au> wrote:
>I was wondering if any one could help me with some research I am doing.
>The subject is maritime navigation, the methods and instruments used. I
>have found one good source, but it focuses on ships and their design. Is
>there any one out on the ether who can direct me to any SCA publications
>on the subject or any person who has looked into this subject.
Given that the SCA's period stretches from the end of the Roman
_classes_ to the Great Armada, the question of navigation isn't
an easy one to answer. My own research has mostly concentrated on
the Age of Exploration, and even more specifically on the voyages
and voyagers of the Iberian Peninsula, more on Portugal than on
Aragon or Castile.
A fair introductory work to the entire sweep of mediaeval
seafaring was written by the late Archibald Lewis. IMO, his
European Naval and Maritime History belongs in every college
library, and mine, too, if I can find a way to get it cheaply.
If you wish to look into my half-acre of maritime history, you're
more than welcome! Start with Hale's Renaissance Exploration, and
Parry's Age of Reconnaisance, and Brown's Story of Maps. Samuel
Eliot Morison's Admiral of the Ocean Sea, while focussing on
Cristobal Colon, is also a worthy work to keep near at hand, for
Morison was a yachtsman, and sailed many of the same seas that
Colon did.
--
http://pages.ripco.com:8080/~clevin/index.html
clevin at ripco.com
Craig Levin
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: brandt at dca.net (Keith E. Brandt)
Subject: Re: Navigation - maps and instruments
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 97 17:38:51 GMT
There is a fairly recent book called "Latitude Hooks and Azmuth Rings" which
discussed how to build working replicas of early navigation instruments. There
are a few primitive tools, but most are 1500 and later. I don't have the
author or ISBN of the book handy, but can supply it if necessary.
Galen of Ockham
Friar, Chirurgeon, Pilot, and sometimes Fighter
Shire of Caer Adamant
East Kingdom
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: brandt at dca.net (Keith E. Brandt)
Subject: Re: Navigation - maps and instruments
Date: Thu, 13 Feb 97 02:55:11 GMT
I received a few queries by email, so here's the full reference
Latitude Hooks and Azimuth Rings
How to build and use 18 traditional navigational tools
Dennnis Fisher
1995
International Marine, an imprint of TAB books. TAB Books is a division of
McGraw-Hill (800)233-1128
ISBN 0-07-021120-5
--Galen
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Galen of Ockham
Friar, Chirurgeon, Pilot, and sometimes Fighter
Shire of Caer Adamant
East Kingdom
===============================================================================
Keith E. Brandt, MD, WD9GET || I don't really care if they label me a
Major, Flight Surgeon || Jesus Freak,
Dover AFB, Delaware || 'Cause there ain't no disguisin' the truth!
brandt at dca.net ||
http://www.dca.net/~brandt || --DC Talk
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