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Sextant: A Young Man's Daring Sea Voyage and the Men Who Mapped the World's Oceans
In the tradition of Dava Sobel's Longitude comes sailing expert David Barrie's compelling and dramatic tale of invention and discovery—an eloquent elegy to one of the most important navigational instruments ever created, and the daring mariners who used it to explore, conquer, and map the world.
Since its invention in 1759, a mariner's most prized possession has been the sextant. A navigation tool that measures the angle between a celestial object and the horizon, the sextant allowed sailors to pinpoint their exact location at sea.
David Barrie chronicles the sextant's development and shows how it not only saved the lives of navigators in wild and dangerous seas, but played a pivotal role in their ability to map the globe. He synthesizes centuries of seafaring history and the daring sailors who have become legend, including James Cook, Matthew Flinders, Robert Fitz-Roy, Frank Worsley of the Endurance, and Joshua Slocum, the redoubtable old "lunarian" and first single-handed-round-the-world yachtsman. He also recounts his own maiden voyage, and insights gleaned from his experiences as a practiced seaman and navigator.
Full of heroism, danger, and excitement, told with an infectious sense of wonder, Sextant offers a new look at a masterful achievement that changed the course of history.
Specifications
Format:
Paperback
Author:
David Barrie
Pages:
384 pages
Dimensions (IN):
5.3 x 0.9 x 8
ISBN:
9780062279354
Supplier/Publisher:
Harper Collins
Published Date:
2015
Material Options
 Our paper charts are printed on high resolution, heavyweight, water-resistant paper, using state of the art printing technology. The paper and printing process has been certified by NOAA and deemed to be suitable to withstand the rigors of use in the marine environment. FULL SIZED PAPER CHARTS ARE CERTIFIED FOR CARRIAGE ABOARD COMMERCIAL VESSELS |
 Our waterproof charts are printed on a TIP: If you plan to frame or laminate a chart using heat, then do not choose waterproof because the material can melt under heat. FULL SIZED WATERPROOF CHARTS ARE CERTIFIED FOR CARRIAGE ABOARD COMMERCIAL VESSELS |
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 These are up-to-date, NOAA charts simply enlarged in size so that the small dimension of the chart is 42”, the long dimension is proportionally enlarged. These charts are printed beyond full size, therefore the scale is not the same as the full size NOAA chart, however the scale bars on the charts are proportionally enlarged in size, and can be used for reference. LARGE FORMAT CHARTS ARE NOT CERTIFIED FOR CARRIAGE ABOARD COMMERCIAL VESSELS |
Other Options |
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 Made to help recreational boaters locate themselves on the water. It has been reduced in scale for convenience, but otherwise contains all the information of the full-scale nautical chart. The bar scales have also been reduced, and are accurate when used to measure distances in these BookletCharts. • Professionally printed and staple-bound using high quality, durable paper. • Includes Notices to Mariners • Printed on-demand with the latest data from NOAA BOOKLET CHARTS ARE NOT CERTIFIED FOR CARRIAGE ABOARD COMMERCIAL VESSELS |
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This is a unique line of decorative charts prepared by Paradise Cay Publications.
The short side of the chart is always printed at 36" and the long side will vary depending on the chart - please do not order framing prior to receiving the chart. These will memorialize your favorite coastal area in vintage style and we have added to the standard border of the typical NOAA chart to allow for a more professional, frame-ready presentation. DECORATIVE CHARTS ARE NOT CERTIFIED FOR CARRIAGE ABOARD COMMERCIAL VESSELS |
