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I once had a PO Mechanic instead of junior engineer, who was originally a hat maker. He came to sea as a fireman and took advantage of the mechanics course (3 months I think). Fortunately he had the aptitude for the job and did well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken Atkinson
John S, in many of your postings you mention the sidereal day of some 23 hours, 57 minutes and 4 seconds.
That means there are some 17.844443 hours unaccounted for in a year.
Were they used to take smoko?
But as we know over time there have been many changes to the calendar as we know it.
Those I can understand, but your day, what was the purpose of it.
Not being connected to deck I have no understanding of it.
A solar year is also not 365 days John. That’s why one has a leap every 3 years to equalize time. The sun is also a star or in other words basically it doesn’t orbit around anything like a planet does , and the earth itself is a good example of this. when you put yourself into the world of spherical trigonometry is not the same as plane trigonemetry where the 3 angles of a triangle are a 180 degrees. A spherical triangle is composed of small and great circles and the three angles can equal anything between 180 and 540 degrees. Time can be Local Time or Local mean time the same as the time at Greenwich known as GMT or GAT. Time is generally considered the same as Longitude. To understand all such things as there is a lot more to it you would have to start at the beginning of the total subject of navigation which would take a lot more space than one has here on these posts. In fact I would probably have problems trying to explain my version of it to someone wanting to know. It’s easy for me to say when the Sun crosses the Greenwich meridian that’s Greenwich apparent noon. To get the GMT you would have to apply the equation of time if my memory is still there to get a true perspective of time as used by the populance. The three navigation papers for mariners encompass the different stages of navigation in 2 mate 1 mate and Master and are all failing papers and if fail on those all the other subjects are null and void also. Our time on earth is ruled by the sun and if you know your longitude you know your local apparent time . All the other times are man made such as summertime etc. JS
Thank you for that John.
Yes, all time is man made and looking through the book I found the following.
The Julian calendar was in use for around 1500 years.
It was eventually discovered to be too long by 11 minutes and 14 seconds
The came the Gregorian one.
But not all countries took it up at the same time.
Grece became the las to take it up in 1923.
Found out that as far as the weather men are concerned there are 20 different cloud types.
Here in Melbourne they still use, along side with Celsius, the Kelvin thermometer.
As regards weather you just have to look at the measurements for Barometric pressures which have changed 3 times in our lifetime first it was measured in inches , then millibars , and now Hectopascales, however the French have yet to get the English Channel changed to the French Channel a one up for George of England on his special day. JS
Hi John.
It must give Melburians a very sore posterior using that kelvin thermometer.
Des
#46 The name Kelvin Des, brings back visions of Kelvin Hughes and his team of Compass Adjustors and what they could be doing with others posteriors.??. JS
Maybe sorting out Co- efficient A B C And D with the Flinders bar and Lord Kelvins Balls .??
JS
The wonderful French have more than enough trouble with the channel, who knows how they will cope with any further changes in any form of weather reporting.
All they currently need to know is how calm is it and where are the patrols boats lurking.
#48 To stop the passage via the channel by illegals, maybe the British government should put out the false information that Churchill is said to have done in WW11, whilst the Germans were mustering an invasion fleet in Calais and other ports. The rumour that he had the technology to set fire to the sea by the use of spreading oil on the water. Anyhow Hitler decided to take on Russia via the Ukraine which was a possible lifesaver for the Allies, as things didn’t work out to his plan. Spent too long taken the Ukraine and got caught in a Russian winter without his fur lined drawers , similar to Napoleon a century plus before. People never seem to learn from others mistakes. Even Mr. Putin whatever his intentions, must be having second thoughts as to the final bill. JS.
With the UK spring as cold as it is just now setting fire to the Chanell may warm them up a bit.
Might melt the rubber boats as well.