Celestial nav

Did you ever choose to read a technical manual which describes a process you have no practical use for?

Last night I purchased a pdf file of Kris Larsen’s latest publication via The Smallest Forest’s Etsy store HERE. WTF is an Etsy store, you may not ask because unlike me you probably know all about all the groovy cool stuff on the interwebs... but I’ll tell you anyway.
According to the Etsy website, this is what Etsy is:

“ Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods.” 

The Smallest Forest is the name of the blog (and trading name) of Natalie, an incredibly creative woman who happens to be Kris’s missus (Not sure she’d want to be referred to as that but this isn’t about her.) Or you can find more information on Kris's website Monsoon Dervish. Anyway back to the technical manual and why I bought it and why I like it. 

 

My cheap knock up of Kris Larsen's Manual of sextant navigation

 

The title is: 'Manual of sextant navigation', by Kris Larsen 2014.

No I don’t actually own a yacht… no I haven't sailed in a couple of years and never out of sight of land, I don't expect to sail a yacht in the very near future... So why did I buy this book?

6 Reasons:

1. I am fascinated by the technology. A device invented over 250 years ago which can be used for accurate navigation today!
2. Sextant’s conjure romantic ideas of the self-sufficiency and personal skill required of a navigator at sea
3. I particularly like the author’s style of writing and attitude toward the procurement of knowledge and the wisdom he appears to have gained through his life experience. (I think it came from hard work… I’m not prepared to put that to the test)
4. I am curious about the effectiveness of instructional styles
5. I like to support people who actually stick their neck out and create something themselves (sheesh if I can’t get my act together to do anything creative myself at least I can keep the hope alive by contributing to the subsistence of those who do… (for $3.94 AUD)
6.  I really like old brass stuff and sextant’s look, well, they’re sexy!

My thoughts on technical writing:  Although the use of correct terminology is important, I don’t believe that the over use of jargon or technical terms is always necessary to produce a good instructional guide. How are you going to follow instructions if you’ve fallen asleep reading them? I have come across a few books which somehow manage to speak naturally to the reader in the way a master would to an apprentice. They are written in a style which engages the reader in a personal way keeping the instruction simple but clear and to the point. It is a great skill to know what will be of use to the novice and what can be discarded. 

The Book

Having read the first few pages (and some at the back) I am really impressed with this manual. Of course I must qualify that by saying I am not currently attempting to put it to practical use at sea, I don’t have a sextant my interest at the moment is only in the theory and the style of instruction. I imagine there’s an unspoken disclaimer to the reader that a navigator is responsible for his or her own calculations and the author can not be held responsible for technical errors or misinterpretations.

Kris has included plates with hand drawn sketches, tables and technical diagrams, which are presumably sufficient to assist the reader with their application what they have learned in the main text of the manual. What I really like about the book is that Kris has anticipated the various errors a navigator might make or stumbling blocks inherent in the use of the sextant, or navigation generally, and has included troubleshooting suggestions in a very natural way in the body of the text. It reads like he’s right there with you talking you through the process so you don’t fall in a hole!

I have to say the guy has a brilliant mind and things he seems to find effortless I struggle with even the rudiments of understanding, but somehow (possibly with more humility than he’s prepared to admit to) he has managed to pear everything down to  the most comprehensible language which I reckon really helps to demystify the whole process for novices with a fried noodle like me.

I’ve printed my copy and used a comb binder to put a front and rear cover on it.

If you’re into sailing, celestial navigation or would just like to see how a person with practical experience is able to convey their deep knowledge of a fairly technical craft then I reckon get a copy of this manual! A pretty cheap investment I reckon. If you have any doubts about his navigational skills have a read of Kris's book Monsoon Dervish (transcript here). 

Kris and Nat are currently living somewhere near João Pessoa in Brazil, Kris sailed most of the way there single handed traveling from Darwin, East to West. His rout took him north of Madagascar and following the African East coast he sailed on the southern ocean and across the South Atlantic (Ok it seems the long way round but he knew exactly where he was going!). Based on Kris's past form he would have navigated the entire journey by sextant. Kris sails with no satellite navigation, not even a compass, (Or motor).

OK that's enough of a plug for the fella they call 'Longrasser'. Just buy a copy and read for yourself.

Other reads

If you're into navigation and want to really challenge your capacity to combine cosmology or cultural narrative with science try reading:

The Last Navigator.by Steve Thomas (see Amazon HERE). 

Or if you're into bicycle maintenance:

SHELDON BROWN.COM

My favorite writer of technical instruction was the Bike Guru Mr Sheldon Brown (1979–2008).

Sheldon Brown hand built the best database of bicycle technical information and practical advice I've ever seen. I discovered his website back in about 2005 and referred to it regularly. When I wanted to know more I'd send Sheldon an email and he used to reply to me. At the time I had no idea exactly how popular he was, he must have had 1,000s of people contacting him every week! Sadly Sheldon passed away in 2008, he is a legend in the world of cycling and is much missed.

Sheldon Brown.com is a must for backyard bicycle mechanics.

Long grass sinking

Long Grasser by Geoff McKenzie

There's a freedom you can't buy and a slavery you can't buy your way out of

There are a 1,000 sails calling me to sea and a crack in the earth keeping me here

I hug the earth

A bed of cans and foil plastic pillow

drinking sinking, no sailing today

Twilight Sailing

But first about - A Graduation Ceremony.
Before I get into the drama's of learning to sail stories I'd like to mention that today (oops technically yesterday now) was CDU Graduation Day. This year for the first time CDU graduated some very special people who have managed to complete the Mawul Rom Project at Galiwin'ku. This was a very special occasion, graduands received a Masters in Indigenous Knowledges! Congratulations to those who graduated especially those members of my adopted Gupapuyngu family who have worked so hard! I was proud to see you there today! I wanted to jump for joy and cheer you but of course the atmosphere required a little more restraint!

(Academic protocol doesn't encourage emotional explosions)

Sailing


Over the past few months I've managed to complete two basic skills courses in Sailing and have even attended 4 Twilight races at the Darwin Sailing Club. It's been a real hoot! I love being on the water. Attending sailing classes has made it possible for me to experience some of the basics of sailing a yacht and provided some great moments bobbing around in the sea.

Today was the Darwin Sailing Club's final Twilight Series 'Non Serious' sailing race. This was possibly my last chance to sail until next year and I kind of spoiled it a bit by being a little too blase. Today there were no Pacer dinghies available and my regular sailing partner deserted me to crew on another boat so I had to take out a Pico. Actually I was looking forward to finally sailing solo and not having to share any of the boat with someone else but the rapture soon wore off! Picos are smaller dinghies than Pacers and the reduction in hull size means, surprise surprise, they're more cramped! With no jib to watch for my boat's orientation in relation to the wind, I soon discovered that it is a little harder to avoid the no-go-zone! Another problem which made things worse for me was the fact that the hull is more like a flat platform, which means there's not leg room. I ended up nearly dislocating my right knee 3 times!

It happened all to quickly! Directly as a result of two important factors... My lack of experience in these boats coupled with lack of concentration lead to me trying to quickly move from one side of the boat to the other during a Tack or a Gibe, resulting in my torso and everything else moving in one direction while the lower part of my leg is caught sideways under the weight of my body! The result of this unfortunate maneuver was the unmistakable shooting pain of two leg bones unwilling to maintain their relationship within the bounds set by my kneecap! I experience it as a deep pain stemming from a knee that will not bend in the usual way. It hurts, I swear, I thump the side of the boat and there's a sickening feeling like my leg won't straighten, but I try and then *POP* it's back in place. This happened three (3) times!!! Strangely now, just after midnight I can feel the pain in my hip joint! How odd!
Despite the physical discomfort and frustrating lack of skill at sea, I still managed to have a pretty good time. At least I was out there and it truly is beautiful to be propelled in a wind powered boat!

The sailing club is a new social experience for me. I found it quite a laid back and relaxing scene.When the race is over we all go back to the club and enjoy a bit of social activity and one or two free drinks from the esky. It's good fun actually but unfortunately the season is over which will mean I am at risk of forgetting everything I've learned before the season starts again next year. Looks like it's back to paddling around in the canoe with the kids.

Water craft (canoe)

Where to paddle?

You can cast me with the dreamers and see if I float!

For too long I've wanted to sail but done nothing about it! I hadn't realized how long I'd been dreaming (and talking) about it until I ran into a guy I used to work with who happened to ask me if I'd sailed around Australia yet!

"What?!" How did he know I'd been thinking about boats, sailing, the sea and fascinating exotic coasts lately?

When I asked, "What do you mean?", he just laughed and said, "You've been talking about that for years!"

Talk talk talk! That's about all I've done! Of course I haven't been in a position to just up stumps and set sail, I have responsibilities! But what good is just dreaming and boring people with 'one of these days' stories?

Well a few months ago I decided to do something about it and I bought my very first water going vessel! An old canoe from the tip shop!

It floats and paddles well but there aren't many places close to home that I can paddle it! So I'd been playing with the idea of turning it into an outrigger sailing canoe... I was getting pretty excited about how I might make it when the next step in my sailing life occurred. My wife suggested I could do a sailing course at one of the local Yacht clubs.

So last night I attended my first theory session and discovered there is quite a bit of physics involved with sailing a yacht! Suddenly the idea of chucking a few poles across the deck of my canoe, attaching a piece of polly pipe and erecting a couple of poles and a sheet (a sail not the piece of rope that controls the direction of the sail!), might get me into more trouble on the water than I'd expected! I learned about the significance of a keel and a whole bunch of other stuff that kind of blew my naive dream out of the water... or potentially onto a 'lee shore!'.

Yes marooned on a Lee Shore is where I could end up if I try to sail without a keel... Or capsized if I were to try to fix a sailboard mast to the hull of my vessel without any way of lowering the sail!

Ha already practical reality is taking the place of ignorant dreaming.. I hope as I continue through the course I will be able to maintain some of the romantic naivety that inspired me wonder about what could be just over the horizon!

Now I'm looking at the old canoe with fresh eyes!

Now I'm really pumped! They're only baby steps