Celestial Navigation: Learn How to Master One of the Oldest Mariner's Arts

by Tom Cunliffe

Celestial navigation is one of the oldest of the mariner’s arts – and one of the most awe-inspiring. It is also essential for every ocean sailor who wants to be able to fix his position should the GPS fail. Tom Cunliffe shows you how to master the art in easy stages. Within a few pages you’ll be taking your first sight. From there it is a short step to plotting your position, wherever you may be on the world’s oceans. Whether you need to pass an exam, want a back-up to GPS positioning or simply choose to delight in the wonder of the cosmos, this is the perfect guide. With photographs, charts and diagrams to help your learning, you will be able to master the sextant and navigate using the sun, moon, planets and stars.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

162 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 1998

About the author

Tom Cunliffe (born 1947) is a British yachting journalist, author and broadcaster.

Cunliffe has been a regular contributor to Yachting Monthly, Yachting World, Sail magazine, Classic Boat and 'Sailing Today' for many years.

A professional writer since 1986, Cunliffe has won the Best Book of the Sea award twice, for Topsail and Battleaxe and Hand, Reef and Steer.[4] He is author of the important Shell Channel Pilot for the English Channel.

In 2010 he presented the award-winning six-part BBC documentary series, The Boats that Built Britain. He also presented the popular 'Boat Yard' series for Discovery TV. He now has a big following on his Youtube channel, 'Yachts and Yarns'.

Reviews

[Frank Pernett · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good book. But, the basics were barely touched. If you don’t have a good background on celestial navigation you will be confused

[Dmitry · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much as I appreciate Tom Cunliffe's writing in magazines and books, I did not find this book very useful. It is hard to use when you are actually trying to master celestial navigation without any prior background. In this matter, I think, the organization of the material is of utmost importance, and this book is a bit chaotic in that sense. The matters are somewhat exacerbated by the media of a Kindle book: all the references are skewed, the tables are gone fishing and the drawings are smeared. I may be on a mission impossible trying to learn celestial navigation from a Kindle, but this book definitely didn't fill the bill.