IT MADE ME LARF...............................

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, and is NON CH related - chat about the weather, or anything else that takes your fancy.

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Richard Ruck
Button Grecian
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Real Name: Richard Ruck
Location: Horsham

Post by Richard Ruck »

Point your pelorus towards your buttons, Dave!

(Sorry, had to use that word somewhere....)
Ba.A / Mid. B 1972 - 1978

Thee's got'n where thee cassn't back'n, hassn't?
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DavebytheSea
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Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:33 am
Real Name: David Eastburn
Location: Nr Falmouth, Cornwall

Post by DavebytheSea »

Richard Ruck wrote:Point your pelorus towards your buttons, Dave!

(Sorry, had to use that word somewhere....)
I think my pelorus may have become uncalibrated over the years. Will GPS do or shall I get my sextant out? Help - another notch nearer!
David Eastburn (Prep B and Mid A 1947-55)
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Richard Ruck
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Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 12:08 pm
Real Name: Richard Ruck
Location: Horsham

Post by Richard Ruck »

Oooh, please feel free to whip out your sextant!! :wink:

On a serious note, are professional mariners still obliged to have the ability to navigate by the stars, or is GPS the norm these days?

I know that my late father-in-law managed to get his ship out of trouble more than once when equipment failure caused him to revert to more 'traditional' methods of navigation.
Ba.A / Mid. B 1972 - 1978

Thee's got'n where thee cassn't back'n, hassn't?
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DavebytheSea
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Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:33 am
Real Name: David Eastburn
Location: Nr Falmouth, Cornwall

Post by DavebytheSea »

Richard Ruck wrote:On a serious note, are professional mariners still obliged to have the ability to navigate by the stars, or is GPS the norm these days?

I know that my late father-in-law managed to get his ship out of trouble more than once when equipment failure caused him to revert to more 'traditional' methods of navigation.
I am sure a professional merchant/Royal Navy officer cadet is still required to navigate by traditional methods - even the amateur Yachtmaster and Coastal/Day Skipper qualifications require it. In time of emergency or war, it is entirely possible to switch off or jam GPS transmissions.

And that gives me only 2 more posts to go, so I must stop now!!!
David Eastburn (Prep B and Mid A 1947-55)
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