Boxing the compass

[penberth3]

......On the Vulcan, the Main Steering Compass was swung and calibrated meticulously in tenths of a degree. That made sense to the navigators, who were aware of the 'One in 57.3 Rule'.... The pilots followed a pointer anyway, but they still managed to miss the runway at Stanley with all the bombs but one they'd carted thousands of miles.

To be fair, the compass work did get them to Stanley. Missing the target is what the RAF do, isn't it?

 

[alahol2]

I use 8ths and 16ths when writing the log. I have to 'translate' degrees before my brain can make use of it.

 

[MADRIGAL]

Early 80's and my first proper lecturing job with a class of 16 fishermen preparing for their "Second Hand Full and Special" ticket. Qualified them as skipper on the smaller boats that were the mainstay of the Shetland fleet at the time or mate on the larger boats.
I made the comment that points of the compass were no longer used only to be corrected. Shooting the seine net the first rope was laid, then so many points to starboard to shoot the net then starboard again for so many points to shoot the second rope and pick up the dahn buoy.
Yes, they could all box the compass but a few had trouble applying variation or deviation if the calculation crossed 360 degrees.

Could still be useful. I wish I could steer my small vessel within a half-point of the required course when there's any kind of a sea running.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Could still be useful. I wish I could steer my small vessel within a half-point of the required course when there's any kind of a sea running.

The late John Goode only ever gave course directions in five degree intervals on any small boat. I tend to follow suit and it’s never made a significant difference to any passage I’ve made as far as I’m concerned. Most yacht compasses ard only marked in five degree increments…

 

[Stemar]

I haven't thought of it that way before, but the 'Points' system seems more of an American Imperialist thing, while the sexygenerous 'Degrees' nomenclature is a sort of Metric European arrangement. Pity the French spoiled it with 360 degrees, instead of the more logical Academie Francaise 1000 units..... or even 400, the way the naval gunners preferred.

IIRC, the 360 goes back to Babylonian times, and has stuck around because it can be divided to give a whole number in so many different ways 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, etc. You soon run out with 400 or 1000.

 

[zoidberg]

'What have the Romans ever done for us....?'

 

[Wansworth]

'What have the Romans ever done for us....?'

They really went for straight bits

 

[MADRIGAL]

The late John Goode only ever gave course directions in five degree intervals on any small boat. I tend to follow suit and it’s never made a significant difference to any passage I’ve made as far as I’m concerned. Most yacht compasses ard only marked in five degree increments…

As is mine

 

[thinwater]

No. But I can count to 360 without using my fingers and toes.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

IIRC, the 360 goes back to Babylonian times, and has stuck around because it can be divided to give a whole number in so many different ways 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, etc. You soon run out with 400 or 1000.

Sumerian