The Practical Navigator YouTube ChannelProudly uploading ad-free videos since 2011, the Practical Navigator YouTube channel features a variety of training videos about maritime navigation, including the famous celestial navigation series.
If you'd like to view the 11-part series in a more convenient format, check out the button below which takes you to the free course. |
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Free and Discount Online CoursesMany of my videos on YouTube are part of a larger series. At my online school you can find all of these videos and lessons presented in a nice, orderly manner with plenty of ancillary materials and references included. Check out the school and enroll in these free or discount courses!
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Recommended Gear
The most common question I get on YouTube is "what sextant do you use?". Well the short answer is I use an Astra IIIB by Celestaire, but almost any sextant will do the trick, include home-made ones! Below is some gear that I use either for teaching or for navigation that I have found particularly useful. Please note I get a small commission if you buy via the links.
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Sextants - I have used the Celestaire Astra IIIB and the Davis Mark 25 with great success over the years. The Astra is metal and the Davis is plastic, but both work well. The Celestaire also has what is called a "whole-horizon" mirror which makes spotting faint stars a bit easier. The flame decals are separate though!
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Plotting Gear - These are my favorite pieces of plotting gear. Most people in the USCG use the rolling Weems, but most in the merchant fleet seem to use the triangles. I love both, and they have advantages and disadvantages. As far as dividers, the Weems & Plath are the standard and come in a few varieties.
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Books - These are the most useful books that I use for navigation and licensing purposes. Please be aware that Bowditch Volume 2 is the one allowed in the USCG testing room, but regular Bowditch has lots of explanatory material in it. Chapman's is the textbook I use for helping my students understand basic navigation and seamanship. Finally, David Burch's Emergency Navigation is just a really cool book.
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USCG License Prep Supplies and Charts - I usually do my shopping for licensing supplies through Maryland Nautical (no affiliation with this site) and they also have good prices on charts, but with the advent of print-on-demand charts, you have plenty of options there.
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