Editorial Review:

Latitude Hooks and Azimuth Rings is for people who like to work with their hands and who appreciate traditional nautical craftsmanship. You don't have to be the master of any craft to undertake any of these projects--from a simple kamal or latitude hook to the more complex pelorus or octant--just a careful and enthusiastic worker.

These 18 projects fall roughly into three categories: decorative, useful, and somewhere in between. Some, such as the astrolabe, are mainly for display. On the other hand, the sounding line is an important and practical tool for small-craft navigation, particularly in the absence of an electronic sounder. The cross-staff falls somewhere in between, equally at home in the den or the ditch kit.

Each of the devices discussed here--with simple, proven building instructions complemented by clear illustrations--has at one time or another been used for the practical business of navigation, and each is worth reviving for its beauty, historic value, or sheer usefulness.

Dennis Fisher has designed these projects with an emphasis on simplicity and reasonable cost. Everything can be scratch-built using easily obtainable materials and tools, and each is true to the spirit and function of the original instrument.

Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Interesting info.:

A nice intellectual journey.
Not much practical use unless you are stranded, have a wood shop, and need to navigate real quick like...
MJL

Delightful Hobby:

I bought this as a gift for my boyfriend. We are both stargazers. This is really a cool book for the hobbiest, stargazer, and nauticalist. These are all working designs, but you DO NEED TOOLS!! Good Farther's Day gift ladies!

A Medieval Reenactor's Perspective:

As a medieval reenactor with a nautical persona, I bought this book to get some information on navigational instruments used in the Middle Ages. This book is a gold mine of information on making and using traditional navigational instruments. Although some of the instruments do not fit into my time of interest (Western Europe 1066-1603), most do, and the instructions on making and using them are good. The historical information is spotty,and some information does not agree with other sources that I consider... more info

An interesting book!:

This is an interesting book for those who want to know a bit more about the history of navigational tools, by showing you how to build a few of them. Don't expect to build a high-precision instrument directly from the contents, but if you are looking for a book that will start you on the right path, then this is it.

Similar Products:

The Sextant Handbook by Bruce Bauer (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

Sundials: Their Theory and Construction by Albert Waugh (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

The Lo-Tech Navigator by Tony Crowley (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

Easy-to-Make Wooden Sundials by Milton Stoneman (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

Celestial Navigation for Yachtsmen by Mary Blewitt (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

Celestial Navigation in a Nutshell (Seafarer Books) by Hewitt Schlereth (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

Sundials: Their Construction and Use by R. Newton Mayall, Margaret W. Mayall (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

The Barefoot Navigator by Jack Lagan (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours

The Astrolabe from Janus (Paperback) - Usually ships in 24 hours