Does anyone still (a) use, and or (b) carry aboard, any or all of these?

[Neeves]

Food - about a week’s supply of tins, dry stuff (rice, pasta, porridge) and long life milk. Still looking for tinned butter...

Ah!

The Lucky Country - we have both tinned butter (salted) and cheese (from Bega). For those who savoured compo rations - just the same though the tins are bigger.

Other items not on the list

The Yacht's knife

Dan Buoy - we carry one of those Auto inflate devices (but I don't see many Dan Buoy poles here and either people don't carry them or they all use auto inflate devices (which seems unlikely)

Jonathan

There is a suggestion that Bega no longer supply either canned butter nor cheese.

 

[Skylark]

I like to read threads like this one because they always throw up interesting tangents. I'm intrigued by Nories Tables.

I did YM Ocean shorebased course with a retired Master Mariner (rather than a yacht sailor). He showed me the how to use the Traverse Table to derive a position from last DR, Course and Distance Traveled. It seems almost clumsy compared to drawing the track on a simple (to construct) Plotting Sheet. Similarly, the ABC method of sight reduction, found in the Tables, seems more complex than the more commonly used Marcq St Hilaire method.

I have a 1963 edition in very good condition on my bookshelf so I've just blown off the dust and looked at the contents page.

So a question to the more experienced; what did you use the Tables for and what use do they have on a coastal or ocean passage making yacht today?

 

[sailaboutvic]

Then maybe we should also add lead crystal ships decanter (one of those wide bottomed ones)

Does everyone carry a Red Ensign?

I confess if we sold Josepheline we would remove most of the items and transfer them to the new yacht. Especially so for the the antique items, War Department Prismatic Compass, Admiralty Pilots, my father's Zeiss Bins etc.

Jonathan

We also did the same when we sold Isabelle , which mean we now got almost two of every thing as the last owner of our boat was given up,

 

[Kukri]

Nories Tables - Distance off by vertical sextant angle is the everyday one. Very handy for coastal passages.

 

[Yngmar]

Is it true that if you drop an aubergine into water it always floats north-south?

Depends on if it's a male or female aubergine, and which hemisphere it was grown in.

 

[[3889]]

1. Binoculars
2. Hand bearing compass
3. Stopwatch On phones/ tablets
4. Lead line
9. List of Lights On phones/ tablets
12. International Code of Signals On phones/ tablets
14. Nautical Almanac On phones/ tablets
15. Yachtsman’s Almanac / Tide Tables On phones/ tablets
17. Paper charts (ancient and unused), Portland plotter or parallel rules and dividers.
19. Aneroid barometer? On phones/ tablets

 

[[3889]]

1. Binoculars
2. Hand bearing compass
3. Stopwatch On phones/ tablets
4. Lead line
5. Admiralty Pilots On phones/ tablets
9. List of Lights On phones/ tablets
12. International Code of Signals On phones/ tablets
14. Nautical Almanac On phones/ tablets
15. Yachtsman’s Almanac / Tide Tables On phones/ tablets
17. Paper charts (ancient and unused), Portland plotter or parallel rules and dividers.
19. Aneroid barometer? On phones/ tablets

 

[Praxinoscope]

1. Binoculars Yes always
2. Hand bearing compass Yes always
3. Stopwatch Only if racing
4. Lead line No but could make one if needed
5. Admiralty Pilots Imray Irish Sea + other areas when visiting
6. Walker log No for coastal, yes for distance offshore
7. Sextant No for coastal, yes for offshore
8. Deck watch Ships clock visible from navigation table
9. List of Lights Yes + Tidal atlas etc.
10. Norie’s Tables (or the one the Navy use). Yes when Sextant is carried
11. The Ship Captain’s Medical Guide No
12. International Code of Signals Yes
13. Signal flags Partial
14. Nautical Almanac Yes
15. Yachtsman’s Almanac / Tide Tables Yes
16. C A Handbook. No
17. Paper charts, Portland plotter or parallel rules and dividers. Yes
18. Station Pointer... No
19. Aneroid barometer? Yes
20. Long wave radio for shipping forecasts? Yes, also have Navtex

Binoculars, hand bearing compass are surely essentials, and I still enjoy DR using charts. The Sextant is used rarely mainly to keep in practice.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Nories Tables - Distance off by vertical sextant angle is the everyday one. Very handy for coastal passages.

Ah THAT nories tables.
My uncle Norry was a chippy and we use his tables to eat lunch.

As for the rest I seem to have quite a few of those items, mostly never or rarely used. I really should dump them and enjoy 2 inch reduction in draft I could have.

 

[michael_w]

1. Binoculars - Yes
2. Hand bearing compass - Yes
3. Stopwatch - Yes on wrist watch
4. Lead line - Yes
5. Admiralty Pilots - No but an electronic version the DMA (Defense Mapping Agency) American ones of the world.
6. Walker log - No but somewhere a table for calculating a Dutchman's log.
7. Sextant - Ocean passages only
8. Deck watch - ship's bell clock
9. List of Lights - No
10. Norie’s Tables (or the one the Navy use). - No:
11. Ship Captain's Medical Guide. - Yes It's available as a PDF on the MCA website.
12. International Code of Signals - Yes
13. Signal flags - No, the're at home.
14. Nautical Almanac - Ocean passages only
15. Yachtsman’s Almanac / Tide Tables - Yes
16. C A Handbook. - No.
17. Paper charts, Portland plotter or parallel rules and dividers.- Yes
18. Station Pointer... No.
19. Aneroid barometer? - Yes + electronic weather station.

20. Long wave radio for shipping forecasts? - Yes x 2 Hi-fi and via SSB.

A couple of other things I always have on board are builder's rubble sacks. Invaluable for dealing with deck leaks, torn oilskins, soggy clothing etc, etc.

A chamois leather is very useful too as it never runs out of drying ability.

Onions.

 

[LadyInBed]

Who else carries a speed times distance calculator? https://www.seachest.co.uk/plotting-instruments/speed-time-distance-calculator-large/

Yes, mine has a little Trade Mark Arrow on it

 

[newtothis]

Is it true that if you drop an aubergine into water it always floats north-south?

That's just an old wives' tale. But if you drop a Fray Bentos overboard, it will always show you the direction of the depth of water.

 

[Elessar]

I carry and use...



So not a lot.

Nearly the same as me.
I’d add stopwatch ( on my phone) for timing between hand bearing sights of ships cross channel. Even though AIS makes that redundant it makes me feel better.

You’re the first one to say lead line.
Essential for when you get on someone else’s boat to figure the offset. Only used it once on mine but it’s there ready to go.

 

[Uricanejack]

I like to read threads like this one because they always throw up interesting tangents. I'm intrigued by Nories Tables.

I did YM Ocean shorebased course with a retired Master Mariner (rather than a yacht sailor). He showed me the how to use the Traverse Table to derive a position from last DR, Course and Distance Traveled. It seems almost clumsy compared to drawing the track on a simple (to construct) Plotting Sheet. Similarly, the ABC method of sight reduction, found in the Tables, seems more complex than the more commonly used Marcq St Hilaire method.

I have a 1963 edition in very good condition on my bookshelf so I've just blown off the dust and looked at the contents page.

So a question to the more experienced; what did you use the Tables for and what use do they have on a coastal or ocean passage making yacht today?

Only for us old pre calculator types.
Primarily still use the ABC tables for a compass error. I can do it faster with the tables than I can with a calculator. Old guy thing, kind of like riding a bike.
If I'm helping a youngster learn how. Even when they use calculators. Its often easier for me to figure out how they screwed up when things don't go right. Helps me figure out if its an error in principle or just arithmetical error or button pushing.

The travers tables you mentioned. again I can figure out a DR, Distance run, Set drift, Even with co changes quicker and more accurately(eliminates plotting errors). I could do it by calculator. but TV tables are quicker for my old brain. Most younger guys just use calculators. AFAIK the schools teach by calculator now and so are the exams.
Even doing it by calculator you still need to look up meridional parts for a Mercator sailing to calculate a rhumb line over 600m.
Unless you know the formula for MP, its quicker to look them up in Norrie's. Or have it pre programed.

The main part of the tables is for resolution of the haversine formula using logarithms. so no calculator needed just a pencil and a sight book. Again old guy thing. 40 years ago I could run through the whole thing in about 15 to 20 minutes. A sun run is just a running fix. Using the tables you can do it pretty quick and calculate your Noon position rather than Plotting it. It was just faster and easier, along with the elimination of plotting errors.
I would even do morning or evening stars by logarithms, still had to plot those, but you run up the DRs probably doesn't matter if you are drifting along at 5 knots. If you are doing 15 or 20 it makes a difference. You take the first star you might have moved 5 miles by the time you take the last.
Later I used short method tables to select starts and resolve by calculator, as what I found most efficient.
Haversine also used to calculate great circles, composite great circles ect. for planning and reports.
Just daily number crunching.
I think I did a vertical angle last spring to show someone how. Again the table is there. or you can do it by calculator and simple trig. Its not something I did on a regular basis. I used and still use dipping ranges much more. again the Norrie's has the table. Bit archaic still works like a hot dam. Quick and easy. The Chanel was a favourite are for using it. Nice big lights watch the looms and take a bearing when they pop up you got a good position. One of the reasons I liked to make land fall at night. Its a technique I still use routinely. If you know dipping ranges of lights you will encounter.
Norrie's has tables for ex meridians lat by Polaris all the moons corrections, actually all the Suns, Star and Planet corrections not just the total correction. Cant say I bothered with them unless it was just an exercise.

One of the best uses is the explanation section at the front. You were allowed take your own copy into the dot exam room, It has all the formula and a reminder on how to do things if you have brain freeze.

So permitted cheating or permissible open book for D.O.T exams was a primary function, provided you hadn't added any notes of your own.
If you didn't have your own set of tables, the D.O.T would provide a set with the explanation section sealed or removed.

All outdated 35 or 40 years ago. Still a published and a rather expensive test book.
Who the heck would use logarithms today? Me?

Do I carry a set on my boat? No its on a shelf at home unless pulled out for special occasions.

Would I carry it if I went off on an ocean crossing? Of course, along with my sextant and the almanac. Save me taking all those other dam air tables.
Not planning any oceans, I like to find a pub before closing time.

 

[Neeves]

From the replies there is an interesting dependence on access to power. Many use their phone, or tablet, for many tasks - fine on short coastal passages - but possibly less reliable for longer passages.

Jonathan

 

[Elessar]

From the replies there is an interesting dependence on access to power. Many use their phone, or tablet, for many tasks - fine on short coastal passages - but possibly less reliable for longer passages.

Jonathan

If you are thinking of undertaking a longer passage without reliable power you need to sort your boat out.

 

[Neeves]

We have reliable power, 2 x 20hp engines, 1 x wind/water gen (10amp @ 10 knot), approx 100amp/day solar and we make long passages (if 500nm is considered long) - and I would not rely on a phone or tablet for any critical applications.

Jonathan

 

[john_morris_uk]

You’re the first one to say lead line.

I’m slightly confused by your comment as way back at replies #6 and #7 etc people (including me subsequently) were admitting to having a lead line on board.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I’m slightly confused by your comment as way back at replies #6 and #7 etc people (including me subsequently) were admitting to having a lead line on board.

John has full time cruiser we don't have a lead line on board , I think the last time I had one was some 30 years ago , but it would take me about min to make one if I had to , out of a length of string and a small spider anchor which Was last used some three years ago to get through one of the uncharted channel in the lagoon in Venice.
I think the equipment given in the OP posting depend greatly on the type of Sailing you do, example , would the weekend sailor carry a sextant and tables?,
in our case we wouldn't carry tide tables as there no point in the Med.
again signel flags other them making your boat look pretty these days what's the point.
Even if you did have to use them most wouldn't know what they meant,
Most cruisers we met these days are expert at setting up their plotters and putting in way points but it stop there.
We had two couple on board for dinner the other weeks and while looking for some thing in my chart table I pulled out my plotter and was ask by both parties what it was used for, at first I thoughts they where pulling my leg.

 

[Iliade]

You can still get canned cheese in India. Not sure about the butter though.