AstroMedia make a simple yet perfectly functional sextant that is ideal if you want to try out astro navigation without investing a lot of money in a sextant, or if the sextant is kept on board and you want to keep in practice when ashore. You can also use it to try and teach your younger crew members navigational history, before the advent of GPS in the 1980's, without risking damage to your main sextant
The sextant is an easily assembled kit of accurately pre-punched, stable card, with polished stainless steel mirrors and a removable shade for sun sights. All you need is a small sharp knife, some solvent based glue such as Uhu or Bostik, a fine black waterproof felt pen, and a little white spirit to clean the mirrors.
Accuracy has been measured as 5 to 10 minutes of arc, similar to a plastic sextant, and perfectly good enough for making a landfall. During assembly a number of simple methods are used to ensure all parts are properly aligned, and to calibrate the index.
An optional artificial horizon, using a spirit level, enables you to take a sight when you don't have a view of the horizon - most commonly when using it inland, but also for use when flying. You can also buy the Pocket Telescope and, with a couple of mods, add a 3x magnification sight to the sextant.
| AstroMedia sextant: £18.90 inc. VAT / £15.75 ex VAT |
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AstroMedia make a simple yet perfectly functional sextant that is ideal if you want to try out astro navigation without investing a lot of money in a sextant, or if the sextant is kept on board and you want to keep in practice when ashore. You can also use it to try and teach your younger crew members navigational history, before the advent of GPS in the 1980's, without risking damage to your main sextant
The sextant is an easily assembled kit of accurately pre-punched, stable card, with polished stainless steel mirrors and a removable shade for sun sights. All you need is a small sharp knife, some solvent based glue such as Uhu or Bostik, a fine black waterproof felt pen, and a little white spirit to clean the mirrors.
Accuracy has been measured as 5 to 10 minutes of arc, similar to a plastic sextant, and perfectly good enough for making a landfall. During assembly a number of simple methods are used to ensure all parts are properly aligned, and to calibrate the index.
An optional artificial horizon, using a spirit level, enables you to take a sight when you don't have a view of the horizon - most commonly when using it inland, but also for use when flying. You can also buy the Pocket Telescope and, with a couple of mods, add a 3x magnification sight to the sextant.
| AstroMedia sextant: £18.90 inc. VAT / £15.75 ex VAT |
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