Getting Started in Celestial Navigation (The Marine Sextant)

[@vincent7520]

I'm really surprised to see an instruction about sextant now. It reminds me of my celestian navigation I took at school in the early 70's and our long navigations when we used celestial navigation extensively until 20 + years ago … and then we became stupidly lazy. There is nothing more satisfying to make a right course thanks to celestial navigation, there is no more satisfying thing to know where you are relative to the land / continents and to the celestial bodies… I do miss that a lot (along with the rest of sailing of course…).

[@vincent7520]

@Lelz Rofl Dude ! You made the best response in YT since a very long time. Yes it is 5 000% more interesting than GPS and more … Cheers, Happy New Year and best of luck !…

[@stuarthiggerson5846]

Lelz Rofl it’s wild how some of us are drawn to the sea... and then boring people like you are scared of water

[@vincent7520]

@@stuarthiggerson5846 Your response is so predictable : who's boring ?

[@grantpedder7719]

My father was a master mariner/marine surveyor in the early '70s. I am only now at the age of 64 learning to use this instrument in spite of his eagerness to teach me because in those days motor cycles, horses and girls were far more important. It does give one peace of mind.

[@vincent7520]

Thumbs up.

[@wcottee]

Several years ago while my wife and I were taking a cruise, we had the opportunity to join a group tour of the bridge. After the Captain finished describing the advanced satellite navigation systems and sophisticated displays, one of our group (sarcastically in my opinion) asked where they kept the sextant. An officer walked over to one of the desks, opened a drawer and pulled out, with a subtle smirk, a sextant and paper map . He never asked another question. It was great to see.

[@alexjohnward]

Every Captain worth their salt would have one on their ship. Early Boeing 747 even had a sextant.

[@amitchandel3148]

man your way of explaining is so simple and up to point even a small child will grasp this easily ..much blessing to you mate ..

[@shelbyindianajones3226]

Hey thanks! I actually learned how to get bearing from a Croatian Navy navigator a few years ago, he was so nice and our families bonded over the internet. He died right before covid unexpectedly, have been sad about it for a long time. So videos like this mean alot to me on another level. I built my own device to get angle since I could not afford a good sextant and was able to go thru the calculations for good practice. This video took the mystery out of how the device works, super appreciate it!

[@Bobbysoxer2]

Outstanding series Chris. I did a tour on the carrier Carl Vinson CVN-70 in the 1990's. The navigator did his sextant readings daily, morning, noon and evening. I asked him why he bothered since he had GPS etc. His reply was that if there was a war (nuclear), GPS and all of that stuff would be gone and he would be back to navigating with the sextant. Convinced me to learn this skill. Glad I did!

[@pemaangya5830]

Grandpa Jones

[@chrisspeer3257]

Better to have and not need then need and not have

[@robinj.9329]

The Communist Chinese have been frequently JAMMING all GPS reception over vast areas of the south China sea and South Pacific ocean! And we're not even at war with these bastards!

[@markalexandervanderveen2799]

@@pemaangya5830 Pema Angya Grandpa Jones

[@some-other-time]

Dude, this is the third video about the sextant I've seen, and it blows the other two to bits. It's some of the same material, but presented in a way that a complete novice (me) understands every concept presented. You're the rare combination of a subject master and an effective teacher -- well done!

[@NavigationTraining]

Thanks for the kind words Dave, enjoy your journey in celestial navigation!

[@danI-fo5hm]

Spot on mate

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

Excellent teaching video! Your presentation style is outstanding, the use of video close ups on the micrometer, the use of the laser pointer, and the thought the glass views are all very well done. I wish I had seen this video 26 years ago when I was learning how to use my sextant before a voyage. Your video clearly explains things. Fair winds sailor!

[@NavigationTraining]

Thanks for the kind words, all the best to you.

[@hansc.4175]

Thanks! This is easily the clearest, best presented, and most comprehensible explanation of how to use a sextant that I've ever seen...and at a total length of 7:51, well within the attention span of at least some KZbin viewers. :-)

[@claytonsteele9310]

Went through about seven other videos on the sextant in attempts to try and teach my sons. Most videos taught vocally using just words and maybe a few complicated drawings. Was losing my sons interest when they kept asking what they meant by bring the sun down to the horizon. Your video not only explained everything, but you showed my sons the actual image of what they would see through the sextant sighting glass as well as the micro adjustments. Your video was greatly superior to other teaching videos in regards to budding young sailors. I smiled when they got that "Oh! That's what it's supposed to look like" look on their face and went straight to their sextants to get the same image. Watching their arms rock back and forth and coming back to your video for reference told me this is the video to bookmark and save. Thank you so much for a wonderful teaching video.

[@NavigationTraining]

Thanks for the kind words, good luck!

[@agentnuget]

Wow, I always thought using a sextant would be crazy complicated... You made this piece of metal that does magic into something logical that actually makes sense.

[@andrewevans355]

An excellent video for learning the basics of a sextant. The setting gave me chills from great memories!

[@NavigationTraining]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wes326]

I was a USAF RC-135 navigator back in the 80-90s. We used to shoot cell every 20 mintes for up to 12 hours on a flight going 450 kts. Works pretty well in a stable platform if you do your calculations and plotting correctly. Thanks for sharing.

[@Tuglife912]

As a new Merchant Mariner/Seafarer I love videos like this that teach the traditional ways of navigation and the old tools like the sextant! Thanks so much for sharing! This is very interesting and informative! I want me one now! 🇺🇸⚓️🌊⛴

[@NavigationTraining]

Glad it was helpful!

[@true767]

Hi sir

[@ricardoromero8696]

Hi Chris! I very much like the smooth and veracity of your material. I am in the process of getting my first sextant and I hope some day I could shoot at the stars and put in practice what I have learned. Thank you for your kindness and for sharing your knowledge with others. May the Lord who created the heavens and know all the stars by its own name keep you safe out in the ocean by having always a heavenly body over your vessel.

[@rebeccacampbell585]

I showed this to my kids today. We are studying inventions and the compass and sextant. Very interesting video. Thank you.

[@NavigationTraining]

Thank you for watching and for the feedback. I hope future episodes are useful!

[@lumpyfishgravy]

Great video! I've never understood how it was possible to measure such angles to such high resolution while sitting or standing on a moving object. Obvious when you know how. Thank-you!

[@autonomousindividual7780]

Nice video. I am going to to learn this. It got me thinking how the sentiment these days is that we've left the entire past in the dust with the computer age. I can rarely get someone under 35 or so to be interested in anything not "techy". But can you imagine the minds the developed a technology like this. If I understand correctly it is accurate to within 1nm. The first sextant dates to around 1759. what is that, 264 years? I find that just amazing. No batteries or connection required. A beautiful, to me, tool and a book. And a brain.

[@elrohir_]

I would like to thank you for the videos...I am sitting for Exams and I found them very helpful. All the best to you. Thank you again

[@arunkrishnans489]

Sir, I am a nautical science student and its for the first time I am understanding how to use sextant.. well taught sir

[@sandyt4343]

Excellent explanation of reading the Vernier Will. This is something I've never felt comfortable with until this point and that explanation made it crystal clear very well done video

[@SubdolphinX]

Great, well thought out video. The dual view shots during adjustment are perfect. Thanks!

[@NavigationTraining]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Rocketman88002]

Excellent presentation Chris. I taught day and night time navigation in the Army. We used lensatic compasses and maps but shot angles to landmarks. We had little training on celestial nav except the location of Polaris. (TN) My cousin is the navigator I really admire. He shot stars in the P-3 Orion. (What a name huh?) He was in the Navy back in the late 60's, early 70's. I admire those who can navigate the great oceans and bodies of water her on this earth. I'll be joining you on future lessons. Anchors Aweigh!

[@kimhorton6109]

My dad flew for the Army Air Force and the USAF for some 33 years starting in ‘36. He taught navigation, communication and was a whiz at keying Morse code right up to when he died. He said the stars were a superior reference. I don’t know that he ever used a sextant but he would have loved playing with one of he had had a chance.

[@kevinpride6543]

Kim Horton : yes of course he used a sextant to navigate with, from the Navigators bubble canopy atop the larger Aircraft, transports and bombers. He also used Radio directional antennas to fix location and course. What a wealth of information, and history, he had !

[@moonbatxray]

when I was in the Navy we were transiting from the Panama Canal to San Diego. We lost our Loran and couldn't get a good idea where we were. We surfaced and our Navigator went to the bridge shot the stars and got our position. Once they fixed our navigation systems it was determined he was correct within 100 yards. Not bad!

[@UhtredRagnarsson1949]

Very well explained, all that we need now is the formula to get the answer that we are looking for, thanks.

[@NavigationTraining]

Hi thank you Alan, the next videos in the series start to talk about the formulae for the process, thank you!

I've always been a pasionate for astronomy and naval history, the only thing I never ever touched in my lectures is how to navigate. Such a nice tutorial!! :D

[@NavigationTraining]

Thank you for watching. Part 3 and 4 should be posted by May 5th. I highly recommend the program called Lapware. It costs $100 per month - so use it wisely, but it has every type of problem you could be asked, and allows you to take practice exams. Most people take a course for celestial - depending on your timeline I will have a few more training resources available in the next 2 months that I can pass along. Thanks again!

[@johng.3416]

Very Good Video for beginners to try and take hold of this most difficult subject, Thanks!

[@Tuglife912]

Being a new Merchant Mariner/Seafarer I am very interested in learning the old school navigation methods and tools. This is very interesting and informative indeed! Thanks for sharing!! 🇺🇸⚓️🌊⛴

[@abettermousetrap]

a well spoken young man and very good presentation

[@keithpattyschuman6798]

Hi Chris, We are a homeschoolin' family and just read "Carry On Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham. I wanted to learn more about reading a sexton and found your YT. You are a modern day Nathaniel Bowditch! It is children's literature but an excellent book to read-consider it. Thank you.

[@NavigationTraining]

Thanks! Yep it's a Astra 3B. The flame job is custom :)

[@samjudge1240]

Quick, clear, simple. Well informed video.

[@davidbergaragonzalez5653]

A sextant (and any protractor, but with varying degrees of accuracy) can also be used to do a lot of other nifty things. You could, for example, measure the angle between two or more landmarks (usually on the coast), trace the lines/angles on the chart, and triangulate your position.

[@bubbarand2561]

Excellent...clear and concise. Oh, to be in the summer sun again. It's the middle of February here in New Jersey.

[@davidoliver7510]

Thanks for the video I'm not a navigation person but have always been interested in sextants. I understand how useful they can be.👍👍👍

[@JesseMason]

Outstanding work, Christopher!

[@Rocksterrr]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, very much appreciated. You are a good teacher.

[@cermic1]

Odd although I have not searched or spoken of Martinique in the presence of any of my devices it has been on my mind for the past week because of an old movie that came to mind. You're talking about something outward a refresher on. Some people call it Serendipity some people call it Kismet. I'm just happy that it came up.

[@EveryoneGamesOnline]

I love your style of teaching. I always wanted to learn how to use a sextant and ive been looking at so many different videos but they just confused the hell out of me and didn’t give me an idea of what to look for. This gave me way too much confidence that I’m ready to go right now 😅 even though idk the equations or anything lmao I’m just excited I finally know what to look for an how to work it and what each dial means lol

[@NavigationTraining]

You are so welcome!

[@MrFleiger]

Really enjoying your videos and the illustrations are helpful. I am a toolmaker so I need to use trig a fair amount, so celestial is becoming more clear to me. Already purchased a slightly used Weems and Plath sextant. Now for my next sailboat. You cant spend all your time working!

[@TheSarastro]

I was a navigator in the merchant navy before the GPS system. I`ve made thousands of these calculations using HO 211 and HO 249. The stars in the morning and the evning made the best fix. Six or seven stars within five minuts. I did`nt like when the D.R. became older than 24 hours because of overcast. Navigating through The Red Sea was horrible because of extensive refraction. You could not thrust the horizon like you can not thrust anything else in that eryea.

[@NavigationTraining]

Thanks Hans, I can imagine the Red Sea must have been a difficult place to navigate! Thanks for sharing your story!

[@Flickchaser]

hans klint: Noticed your comment that cites two sources, 1-HO 211 and HO 249, for determining calculations. Why use two different methods ? Is one more accurate or faster ?

[@Malouco]

hans klint I'm Portuguese and my uncle works as a first year professor at the Lisbon school of navigation but is from the Azores. I try using their facts to prove a globe (flat earthers) but they don't listen. They only use aviation not maritime navigation.

[@krisfekete4940]

+Larry Medina Actually Flat earthers will deny even the very nose on their face if they think it's being used to prove them wrong.

[@alanmountford5574]

Roger Baker - Sorry to have to correct you - but Level is NOT the same as Flat. Level is a plane at right angles to a line from your position to the centre of the Earth. Flat means there is no hollows or humps. Look up your dictionary. Celestial Navigation DOES use SPHERICAL TRIGONOMETRY math to calculate a position line - so where you get the idea spherical trig has no practical application suggests you have never done an ocean passage where you are out of sight of land for days on end - never used a sextant and never done the calculations for yourself - never plotted a Celestial Sight calculation on a chart. I have sailed about 5000 nautical miles on offshore passages - some legs more than 1000 nautical miles like Auckland to Savu Savu, Fiji - and Auckland to Nukulofa, Tonga a couple of times in small yachts.

[@doglao1236]

Nice learning with you, I have one and studying trigonometria

[@Or2biz]

Great tutorial and facinated to know how this device (sextant) works. (thanks)

[@NavigationTraining]

Thanks for watching, I wish you good luck in your learning!

[@pmh099]

This is great, very instructive and well presented. I like how you start simple, with basic concepts, and add layers of accuracy and detail later.

[@matthoward3620]

Just found these videos. You're a very good instructor - thank you for making these!

[@sailingmica4714]

Great explanation. Thanks for all the links to resources.

[@aertybhujm1]

I have finished watching this video completely. (我看完這部影片了) I am a Taiwanese who cares about the global affairs. (我是一個關心全球事務的台灣人) And, sadly, most of my fellow Taiwanese don't really care about the world. (但是，很不幸地，我大部分的台灣同胞不那麼在意世界。) Hopefully Taiwan can become increasingly globally-aware and globally-competitive. (希望台灣可以越來越有全球意識與全球競爭力。) God bless Taiwan. (天佑台灣。)

[@ziggzaggzip8241]

Damn, I wish I had you as my celestial navigation instructor in the navy. " Rock the sun"

[@brucemacsr.6776]

Oh yeh. Same reaction here. Navy instructor did a terrible job of explaining celestial navigation (particularly spherical globe). I had to drop the program for a year and when I got back in I had to accept a one year longer contract. But in the end I did really enjoy the time.

[@BlackLabAdventures]

You have produced excellent videos. It would be nice to add, how to calibrate a sextant, (the mirrors) before taking a shot.

[@NavigationTraining]

Thanks for the feedback, I'll look at that topic for the next video series in the spring. Thanks again!

[@pinchermartyn3959]

Excellent. Thanks. Always been interested in this. Thanks for explaining so well.

[@manos3790]

What a godsend of tuition. Also, what a piece of kit. I'd assume that captain Bligh's sextant was a little more primative than this piece of cutting edge technology 🤔

[@branni6538]

On land where the horizon is hard to decipher like in the mountains...........a puddle or container rolled with water can be used. You can make a very basic version of this sextant with string and a semi circle with degrees written on the convex side. Aim the flat line at the celestial body and the string will stop at the correct angle with a weight on the end. It can be done in many ways without a sextant and is still very accurate except in rough seas but then a extant isn't that great on a rough sea.

[@sailingisabella2786]

Hi. Great video. nicely pitched ...not too in depth but very informative. I'll be checking out your other vids and thanks for posting...

[@RusstafaB]

Just starting to learn and this video is excellent and so well presented. Thank you extremely helpful and informative

[@runesveegaard10]

Thank you Chris. Great work

[@flyingthesails6801]

Chris, I have to say that I have reviewed a lot of videos about Celestial Navigation and yours by far are the most comprehensive ones out there. Your teaching methods and video techniques have exceeded my expectations. If you have a moment I would like your thoughts on a question I have about the possibility of eye injury risks involved with using a Sextant. Do you think the constant use of taking shots with the proper shades in place could cause short term or longer term eye injuries. Even with all of the shades in place I am not sure what damage is being done to the eyes looking at the sun on a continual basis. I would like to purchase a Davis Mark 25 but the only thing holding me back are the risks associated with possible eye injury. Thank you very much for your videos and time.

[@NavigationTraining]

Hi Flying, sure thing - the sextant shades are of similar quality to what welders or astronomers use for their work. If you use the appropriate amount of shades you should have no problem. Thanks!

[@flyingthesails6801]

@@NavigationTraining Chris. Thank you very much for the information. I greatly appreciate it. I have learned so much from your videos and the information on your website. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience with us.

[@scienceworksinmysteriouswa9463]

great vid and gorgeous gorgeous footage.

[@johnhechtlinger9465]

that was great...first time I've ever looked at a sextant..better late than never...

[@seikibrian8641]

If you found this interesting, you can buy a very basic sextant for less than $50: the Davis Mk 3, which is a plastic version of the WWII lifeboat sextant. There are also patterns available on the Web for making your own sextant out of wood or cardboard. (Probably for using a 3D printer, too, but I haven't researched that.) It's fun to actually put the skills shown to use; better than just reading/watching about them.

[@raulpendas]

Excellent video. Thank you

[@kareno8634]

This was Boss! I'd end in mud puddle nowhere trying to read how. Hope you're still Sailing - Thanks ~ *

[@NavigationTraining]

Yes indeed still sailing, just on a bigger boat now! Keep at it, good luck!

[@kjunmariner]

What an awesome explanation. Keep pumping out these videos. Great job man.

[@ChrisJenkinsPowell]

Great explanation... you have a knack in making sound easy :-)

[@AnzacSailing]

Brilliant! I am just doing a course on Celestial Navigation, and this is a wonderful explanation on how to take the measurement. Thanks heaps :)

[@588158]

i would like to see you do a video showing how to practice taking sites with an artificial horizon

[@NawazNawaz-ri1dw]

Sex

[@aarengorman8148]

Great video, couple of points missed. As the sextant is a very accurate instrument, it also needs to be allowed to warmed up to ambient temp prior to use as metals expand and contract, giving you a error. Also prior to use you must check the sextants index error, this is done by having the sextant at zero, no shades, and compare the difference in horizon. If error is small you can move the vernier and note the difference. This will be applied during the calculations. If the difference is too large. More than a degree. Then you need to adjust your mirrors before using

[@NavigationTraining]

Hello Aaren, thanks for the comments, this video is the first of an 11-part series, and those concepts are covered later. Thank you! -Chris

[@NavigationTraining]

Hi Mark, I know many sextants have removable telescopes (mine included) - however most are not very powerful, only a few times magnification. As far as spyglass with sextant attachment, I can't recall seeing anything like that, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

[@davidgreen7392]

Seems a very good presentation.

[@yiannisarmenakis9712]

Excellent tutorial and links. Keep up the good work!!!

[@HappyPrepper123]

Excellent videos! I like the clear way that you explain something that can seem mysterious and difficult at times. Thank you!

[@softgoodsint]

Very engaging presentation. You sir are a talented teacher, not to mention, I am sure, a capable sailer & skipper. A very relaxed, easy to understand presentation style! Obviously, I have a history with teaching in various environments. Teaching is like sailing, some talent is good, but more importantly is a lot of practice & commitment to quality results. Good Job!

[@anya_mz]

Hi, I'm new to navigating. Can you explain how in 2:39 is it 31'40" (31.4'?)? I'm confused as to what line I should be reading from. Is it because the decimals "start" just after the first short line after 30' and the .4 matches a line? Thanks!

[@generalmccornflaxbo2547]

Dude's got flames on his sextant. Freakin' LEGEND!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@SailingNervous]

Great video!! Looking forward to studying it- thanks for posting

[@sidgenius1993]

Thank you.... I had great hustle getting it from class....

[@123GoBrits]

What kind of sextant is that ? I want one that is not a Davis plastic sextant. I like your style of explanation , thorough and fast

[@NavigationTraining]

This is an Astra IIIB, thanks for watching!

[@123GoBrits]

Does it matter to you if you use a split horizon or a full horizon sextant ?

[@warplanner8852]

If you are shooting a sighting in the hood, do you hold the sextant sideways?

[@thomasconrow5980]

LOL. That's a crappy way to hold a pistol too.

[@jmo7783]

Too funny...

[@Deep.Purple]

lolz

[@slojogojo2766]

Only a gangsta pirate would do navigate the high seas that way!

[@agolftwittler1223]

Of(f) course.

[@chrisbamborough222]

That was a excellent explanation thank you.

[@MrCarkeys42]

thank you for responding :) i was writing a story where one of the characters makes custom optical devices like telescopes, and i figured he would have personal attachments to his spyglass. but its a story so i guess it doesn't matter if it was a real thing or not lol thanks :)

[@penhdog2207]

Third video I've watched on the sextant so far and the best. I like how it gets to the basic idea of what you do and what you see etc. I knew nothing about it 10 minutes ago now I got a rough idea. I wanted to research after seeing Robert Redford use one in All is Lost. Next thing I wanna look up is, how do you take those measurements and apply them to a map? I guess there is a video on that also. I will look.

[@marcg1686]

Chris has a video where he demonstrates the process of converting an observed altitude into an intercept.

[@lalmohanjena4524]

Thanks for the lessons.

[@JORGEGONZALEZ-ch4yh]

gracias por tan buena explicación

[@mwgarfoot]

Thanks for the tips, Jim from The Office.

[@mohamedfarah4216]

this was a lecture not a tip

[@chauncedog60]

Thank you most sincerely, sir! A fellow boater and friend of mine recently gifted me with a sextant! (I was, like, "A 'sex' what?!)... So, now, very cool! My eternal appreciation for your excellent lesson. Godspeed!

[@petergibbons3806]

i learned something new and awesome, thanks!

[@tswheel3]

Great videos Chris! Keep producing them, more detail though. I like the sailing video too, I'm stuck in the desert.

[@mohamedfarah4216]

haha you are stuck in the desert and you keep seeing water everywhere no that's not water actually I meant mirage

[@jakescorpion1]

Great video

[@Topga]

Many thanks for a great lesson!

[@smitty3624]

Do the flame stickers on your sextant make your boat go faster?

[@NavigationTraining]

Chief, Indeed, I have the fastest sextant on the seven seas. It gives my students a laugh when I open the box after much drama :)

[@KosherWithoutBorders]

700k views! Heartwarming to see I’m not alone ❤️❤️

[@RuvimAbaras]

Great video thank you! Can you please explain how they navigate at the South Pole, back in the day how did they found exact location of the south pole! Thank you!

[@karhukivi]

Using the star, a sextant and a bowl of water (or mercury) like they did on the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1803 . Not as easy as at the North Pole with Polaris almost overhead.

[@magprob]

Excellent​ instruction. Thank you.

[@jackt6112]

It makes sense as explained. Question: How does one determine their position when he does not know the date or time? If one started with a sundial and a compass, he might be able to establish local time, but not a NIST-defined time zone to correct to GMT.

[@NavigationTraining]

Hello Jack, a great reference for you is "Emergency Navigation" by David Burch, in which they describe how to navigate with what you've got. For example if you have time but no sextant, or sextant but no time etc. But to answer your specific question, you can get an approximate latitude if you at least know the season but not the date. The methods described in the video series date from about the mid 1700s to present and navigators would keep careful track of their past positions (date, time, course, speed, etc.). As far as an emergency tool, generally if you were thrust in an emergency like that you would at least know the approximate date and position - and hopefully you have the tables to go with it!

[@jackt6112]

@@NavigationTraining I really appreciate your response. I will check out the reference you provided.

[@manuelgomes1268]

it´s gorgeous my fellow. Keep it up!!!!

[@larrydickenson8922]

The only time I ever used a sextant was at Navy OCS in 1971. The submarines I ended up on all had inertial navigation and satellite tracking.

[@pete7869]

Thanks man for good information!👌👍✌😊

[@zarfer]

Air Force navigator 1959 to 1980. Favorite part of navigation was taking star shots.

[@melanieburgess3137]

Thanks for the videos What model sextant is yours?