I don't know how the other list defined the "real" sextant being lamented, but the metal sextant isn't dead. I have a Celestaire Astra IIIB which can be bought new for about $650 from a number of sources, including West Marine. The Celestaire website says 27,000 of them have been sold in the US alone. I happen to have an original Chinese model (Celestaire is made in China) with all the documentation in Cantonese that I bought on E-bay for about $250.
You can also buy Tanaya, C Plath, Cassans and Plath, and other brands from various sources like LandfaLL Navigation and weems & Plath. The Davis plastic sextants are available but surprisingly expensive. A MK3 is $60 and a MK25 is more than $250. Given the basic inaccuracy of the plastic sextants, that's not a real bargain. Now there are bargains on E-Bay. The surplus Russian military sextants start around $60. There's a nice Tayana going for $250, and a number of US Navy sextants made between the early 40s and the late 60s starting around $150. I suppose once you weed out the "nautical decor" and the "antiqued reproductions" there are a hundred or more quality nautical instruments on E-Bay right now. I guess the availability of used sextants is a sign of the aging population, and all the new boaters that who haven't the foggiest idea how to read a chart or navigate by any method but GPS. I could buy a whole bunch of AA batteries for a handheld GPS for what I spent for my sextant and the nautical almanacs over he years. But I'll stick with my sextant. I suppose it's a matter of pride that I try to practice proper seamanship, I can actually tie a cleat hitch, and I know how to pilot and navigate my boat by traditional methods. Rick Brass Washington, NC -----Original Message----- From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Wally Bryant Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2013 6:42 PM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Subject: Re: Stus-List Mounting chartplotter now Compass Deviation I have a plastic sextant, which is all you can get these days. I remember hearing a sad lament on another list about ten years ago when the last 'real' sextant was made. Wal _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
