Does Celestial Navigation still have a role in navigation despite the use of digital methods?

[j.sabourn]

#24... Tony unless anyone else has not answered this post of yours. Query what cert do you expect to come away with. Any F.G. Master used to be examined on the Deviascope a mock up of a ships magnetic compass with all the relevant magnets. If you couldn't swing the ship and correct the compass you would not be coming away with a Masters cert. This also says to me that the magnetic compass is also on its way out. Also I have rarely seen the gyro repeaters more than a couple of degrees out. What you should be doing also is checking all your repeaters with the master gyro. Also checking the speed error which I assume can still be done on the master Gyro, some used to have a latitude corrector as well if my memory hasn't deserted me. I may be being a bit presumptious in this as am referring to the older type of gyro. The newer ones like the Armour Brown are sealed units and don't have these corrections now, but your repeaters should still be checked with the master compass. Obviously times have changed which we all recognize but the act of good seamanship should always be practiced. Regards John Sabourn

[j.sabourn]

#27... That is worded badly Richard I was referring to the amateur yachtsmen of years ago who used to be a menace at times and the loss of time searching for on instructions from Coast Guards etc. some should not have been allowed at sea if not properly equipped. Should have been in 2 paragraphs . JS

[j.sabourn]

Short handed.... Whenever a discussion arises about then and now it always appears obvious to me at least that shipping nowadays is run on the least possible manpower. We used to be well covered in fact it was the law to carry sufficient bodies to cover the manual running of a ship, this also included fire parties and emergency response teams etc.etc. and there was always sufficient men to cover hand steering for a passage. With all the talk about safety etc. to me they are just playing lip service to, there is no room on the present manning for anyone going sick for example. The younger people coming through to day are not going to be aware of the past, and the shipowner is going to have a steady stream of men to supply the labour for the much reduced manpower costs of the past. The curriculums that are set I believe were put forward to cover world wide standards, in which case a lot of the subjects will no doubt have been changed. I wish the present and future body of mariners coming through all the best, we though cannot change anything much as some of us would like, and Britain as a once great shipping nation is no more from the building of ships and upwards. We have to live with the times set out for us. Cheers John S

[Tony Barwell]

Hey everyone, I just want to say thank you for all the replies so far

Here is the link again for anymore people who are willing to help me out for 5 minutes
http://freeonlinesurveys.com/app/ren...ficercadet.com

[j.sabourn]

Tony, when you talk to people the likes of most on this site, you are talking to those who speak from experiences of their own generation. Ships change in appearance and type of work they perform, and appear to be soulless through being very lightly manned by modern standards. The soul of a ship is its crew and give life to any vessel, whatever type of crew you sail with. Your employers will in most cases not be seafarers themselves but in whole likelihood will consider themselves to be better educated to make decisions for you in most matters. They are not. You as part of that ship and on the spot are the best trained to make any decisions demanding immediate attention, never become a shipowners whipping boy or yes man which is very easy to be. I have only glanced at your question paper, and can only imagine that it is the usual meaningless questions which prove nothing only that it fills in some time for some highly paid ananilyist ashore. Reminds me of one job I went for in UK where they gave you a mensis test or whatever they call it, would have been better off asking questions about ships. All the best as said before and hope you stick with the sea, there are worse jobs, what they are I don't know but some say there are. Cheers John S