Offshore Navigation (JN) Class – Sextant Training

The Offshore Navigation Class will be an in person class held at the Yarmouth Firestation #2 on RT 6A in Yarmouth Port.  The instructors will be Hugh Blair-Smith and Nick Vandemoer.  September and October will be the time to learn about how to use a sextant and taking sun sights.

Regular lectures will be held on Tuesday night’s starting November 1st and finishing in mid February, 2023.

1. 13 Sep Distribute course materials

Sign-out Sextants

                          Introduction – Overview of celestial navigation; presentation of height-of-eye tool

Lecture – Chapter 2 – The Sextant

                          Lecture – Use of “Celestial Tools” for Meridian Transit (MT) Sun sights

Arrange – beach support team assignments to students

Homework – Read Introduction and Chapter 2; do Chapter 2 problems

Preview – Practice handling sextant; read Chapter 4 and Appendix D; try an MT sight

2. 20 Sep  Review Homework – Chapter 2

Lecture – Chapter 4 & Appendix D – Altitude Corrections & Sight Requirements

                          Lecture – Use of “Celestial Tools” for LL and UL regular (non-MT) Sun sights

Homework – do Chapter 4 problems (Review by Apx E, and by email/phone as req’d)

Preview – Learn “Celestial Tools” sight reduction for Sun (including Meridian Transit)