Celestial Navigation

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Basic Celestial Navigation (ASA 117)
Celestial Navigation (ASA 107)

We offer both traditional Celestial Navigation (ASA 107) and the new Basic Celestial Navigation (ASA 117). Either one can be taken as a classroom course or independent study /correspondence.

Basic Celestial Navigation (ASA 117)

The Basic Celestial course provides students the basic knowledge needed to fix their position at sea when completely out of sight of land. There are no prerequisites for this class. Basic Celestial does not require students to learn and master the more cumbersome calculations required in ASA’s 107 level Celestial Navigation course. 

Students will get hands-on experience with the sextant and learn the fascinating concepts that make celestial navigation possible.  We highly recommend this course not only as an important skill set for emergency navigation, but also as a fun learning exercise that will allow you to better understand everyday occurrences such as the changing length of the day throughout the year and why the sun never sets in the summer in most of Greenland. 

Schedule for Classroom Course: January 2010.
      9AM-4PM Saturdays, with lunch break
      1/2, 1/9, 1/16 (Exam)

Course Fee: $299, including text materials. Optional Star Finder and sextants sold separately.

Classroom Location: Spirit of Hope Church 7600 Harold Ave, Golden Valley, MN 55427.

Directions: Located adjacent to Hwy 55 just west of Hwy 100 or just east of Hwy 169. From Hwy 100 exit Glenwood Avenue and go west to Harold Avenue just one block from Hwy 55, turn west or left. The church is on the right. From Hwy 169 exit Hwy 55 east. Turn right on Winnetka Avenue and left on Harold Avenue. The church is on the left.

 Independent Study Class / Correspondence. This course can also be completed by students who are remotely located. It usually requires some time spent with a navigation instructor by e-mail or telephone. Cost is $149 which includes the textbook. We like to interview prospective students in this category. Please call.


 Celestial Navigation (ASA 107)

In addition to the material covered in Basic Celestial Navigation, ASA 107 teaches students how to do sight reductions and navigate with the sun, moon, planets and stars other than Polaris. ASA 107 is a prerequisite for ASA-108, Offshore Passagemaking. This more advanced course covers how to find your position at sea plus other routine and special procedures for safe, efficient offshore navigation. No previous navigation experience is required and the only math involved is arithmetic.

This is not just a "celestial" course, it is an ocean navigation course — how to find out where you are with a sextant is just one part of ocean navigation. At the end of the course, you will feel completely confident to head offshore and get to where you want to go without any fear of what to do if the GPS might fail underway. And we also cover how to make the most of the GPS while it is working. Topics include:

  • Latitude, Longitude, and nautical miles
  • Principles of celestial navigation
  • Sextant usage and care
  • Noon sights for latitude
  • Running fixes from the sun and other bodies
  • Ocean dead reckoning
  • Time keeping
  • Sight reduction of sun, moon, stars, and planets
  • Star identification and sight planning
  • Daily procedures and logbooks
  • Route planning
  • Compass checks at sea
  • High seas radio usage
  • Landfall procedures
  • Use of StarPilot and other computer aids
  • Use of GPS
  • Special issues of ocean navigation under sail
  • Emergency navigation techniques
     

Schedule for Classroom Course: TBD.

Course Fee: $299, including text materials.

Independent Study Class / Correspondence. This course can be completed by students who are remotely located. It usually requires some time spent with a navigation instructor by e-mail or telephone. Cost is $199 which includes the Starpath DVD (see below). We like to interview prospective students in this category. Please call.

We recommend that you purchase a 2102-D Star Finder which goes with the Star Finder book that comes in the package. We offer the Weems & Plath Star Finder listed below.

 

The Starpath Celestial Navigation Home Study Course includes a total paper course package as well as a comprehensive electronic version of the entire course on a CD-ROM. With this combination you can choose the media that is most convenient to you at the time. Use the search engines and software resources from the computer and use the printed texts for study away from a computer.

 

Available for purchase: Navigation instruments by Weems & Plath.
2102-D Star Finder: $39.00
8" Rolling parallel plotter: $18.00* - or - 12" parallel rules: $14.00*
Ultra light 7" dividers: $17.00.
Nautical Slide Rule: $19.00.
Chart Protractor: $20.00.
Chart No. 1: $12.00.
Coast Guard Navigation Rules: $13.00.  (All prices include tax.)

*Both instruments are ideal for chart books.

 

Call Northern Breezes Sailing School at 763-542-9707 to register or with questions.

Prerequisite for this course: 
None per ASA, although we recommend taking Coastal Navigation (ASA 105) prior to enrolling in Celestial Navigation.

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Northern Breezes Sailing School
 3949 Winnetka Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN  55427
Call For Free Brochure (763) 542-9707
 American Sailing Association Sailing School

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Basic Celestial Nav Class (ASA 117) N1  Celestial Nav Class (ASA 107) N2
Celestial Independent Study N3

 

 


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