Currently browsing: Nautical Instruments

Forecasting the weather In the time of the sailing ships when no weather forecasts were broadcast nor were there any radio communications, forecasting the weather was of primary importance to the sailor. He relied on his own experience and on simple instruments such as the barometer that shows the atmospheric [...] Περισσότερα

Measuring depth The lead The lead is one of the oldest navigational instruments and was used to measure the depth of the sea. This measurement was essential when the ship passed shallow waters near reefs, approaching ports of destination or in unknown harbours. It was usually made of lead and [...] Περισσότερα

Measuring speed - Hand log In the ships’ books, distances were referred to in the beginning as days of the journey. Later they were calculated from the speed of the ship multiplied by the time it took. Measurement of the speed was useful also to confirm the position. The oldest [...] Περισσότερα

Plotting the course To determine the ship’s course, nautical charts and compass were used as well as the hand log that measured its speed. The course of the ship was plotted on the nautical chart and distances were measured in nautical miles. Galaxidian sailors used charts of various origins but [...] Περισσότερα

Navigation For thousands of years seafarers, who crossed the seas far from land, had only the sky to help them. They learned early on how to use the position of celestial bodies, the sun, moon and stars to guide their course. The astrolobe is an ancient instrument for estimating the [...] Περισσότερα