Paracord Dispenser

Improvised Artificial Horizon

A salsa container and a black plastic coffee can lid pair up well to form an improvised artificial horizon suitable for sextant celestial navigation practice when a sea horizon isn't available. Punch quarter inch holes around the perimeter of the coffee can lid to create a baffling effect that smooths and settles disturbances at the surface. Fill the salsa container to the rim with water then float in the plastic coffee can lid. Tap and spin the lid to remove any bubbles trapped under the lid.

Modified Double Becket Bend

The modified double becket bend will add extra friction over the single becket bend and insure this bend from slapping loose.

Cap Lanyard

A neck lanyard can serve double duty as a cap lanyard by leaving a 6 inch tail finished with a figure eight knot. Feed the cap strap through the eye and never lose a cap to the wind again.

Label Heat Exchanger Zinc

The engine heat exchanger zinc is frequently overlooked. A bright label will serve as a good reminder to inspect and replace the pencil zinc as necessary.

Turn a Prop Zinc into a Hand Lead

Make a Mark Twain (two fathom) hand lead using a shaft prop zinc for a weight. Bend to a spare sheet for measuring deeper depths.

Laptop Pub 229 Sight Reduction Calculator

Save this Pub 229 sight reduction calculator file to your laptop desktop to have an on the go anywhere means of performing celestial sight reduction.

file:///Users/greg/Desktop/Nav%20Calc/srt1.html

(Z) rules to get (Zn) azimuth of body when using the calculator

NORTH LATITUDE
L.H.A. greater than 180° Zn=Z
L.H.A. less than 180° Zn=360°–Z
SOUTH LATITUDE
L.H.A. greater than 180° Zn=180°–Z
L.H.A. less than 180° Zn=180°+Z

NGA Link:
http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=msi_portal_page_145&calcCode=01

Key Floatation

Save those wine corks ! One cork per key will buoy the key ring to facilitate an easy rescue from the drink. The corks also serve double duty as at hand damage control plugs for small holes.

Recovering Time

A modern variant of an ancient mariner celestial navigation technique called lunars is concisely explained by John S. Letcher in chapter 17 of his book Self-Contained Celestial Navigation with H.O. 208. If recovering time for a stopped chronometer ever becomes necessary this method offers a better than nothing means until a time signal can be received. Chapter 12 offers an additional more precise method of recovering time from a known position if time signals aren't available.