Books by David Burch

Designed to make the sight reduction of all celestial bodies flow in the same logical procedure that matches how data are presented in the Nautical Almanac and in the various sight reduction tables.

No power, and batteries used up? This book and a Mark 3 sextant lets you carry on. It's a short book, mostly tables. You can read it in an hour or two, master the sights in less than that, and find your position the next time you see the sun at noon.

For the past 30 years, this book has been the authoritative source for all matters of small-boat navigation. Learn how to find and keep track of your position, adjust to changing conditions, and paddle the seas safely and confidently. Includes how to chart an accurate course and maintain it underwayΓÇöwhether touring locally, on open water, or between islands. This updated text includes everything you need to know, from traditional map and compass navigation through state-of-the-art electronic navigation. Knowledge gained here will enhance the safety and efficiency of any outing.If you are a sea kayaker or long-distance paddler of any craft, this is definitely a book to have and to study. Most kayak instructors nationwide would agree. It covers the principles of navigation that are pertinent to kayaks in clear practical terms, with special emphasis on the effects of wind and current. Piloting techniques are distilled down to those that can be done from the seat of a kayak.The treatment of tides and currents is more thorough in this book than in most others on the market, especially when it comes to reading the water to interpret currents and for estimating the effects of wind on progress to weather. There are also convenient tricks includedΓÇösuch as how to quickly predict the current at times between peak flow and slackΓÇöthat do not appear in other books.The section on the Navigation Rules is a unique treatment of the subject that applies to all self-powered craft, including canoes and paddle boarders, as it addresses the issues and rules that pertain to all vessels, being "every description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water." This is an important perspective to keep in mind, even for sailors and power boaters, as it brings to the front the basics that underlie the details. Who has right of way in specific circumstances is a detail; evaluating risk of collision is a basic, and so on.Updates in the Revised Edition include reports on progress of the print on demand charts (gets A+); new developments in echarts and how this affects latest nav apps; and updates on technology, including, believe it or not, an actual AIS receiver the size of two 9V batteries that is perfectly usable in a kayak viewing the live traffic signals on an Android app in a phone. There are also many important developments in external battery packs, which are needed when navigating by a phone or tablet. All of the online links in the book are updated, as well as the rest of the references cited. The online support and resources page at starpath.com/kayaknav has been expanded.

This book is an updated and expanded edition of a text that has been used in navigation courses for 30 years. It covers practical small-craft navigation (sail, power, or paddle), starting from the basics and ending with all that is needed to navigate safely and efficiently on inland and coastal waters in all weather conditions. It is for beginners, starting from scratch, or for more seasoned mariners who wish to expand their skills. Topics include: Charts, Chart Reading, and Chart Plotting Instruments and Logbook Procedures Compass Use Piloting and Dead Reckoning Lights and Buoyage Tides and Currents Rules of the Road GPS and other Electronic Aids The GPS tells us where we are and how fast we are moving in what direction, but it can never tell us the safest, most efficient route to our destination. That fundamental task requires the basic navigation skills taught in this book, which we can use as well to check the GPS underway, and then be prepared to navigate without the GPS if we need to. The hallmark of good seamanship is to look ahead and be prepared.The text covers not only the long tested traditional methods of navigation but also the efficient use of the latest technology in electronic navigation and charting.

Tous les navigateurs savent que les instruments peuvent tomber en panne. Les choses peuvent se mouiller, se casser ou passer par-dessus bord. Que vous soyez en sécurité sur votre bateau ou dérivant sur un radeau de sauvetage, David Burch vous montre comment trouver votre route quels que soient les instruments de navigation à votre disposition. En s'appuyant souvent sur des objets courants tels qu'un petit bâton, un morceau de doublure ou même une paire de lunettes de soleil, allant des techniques des anciens Polynésiens aux traînées de condensation des avions de ligne, David Burch vous explique comment utiliser tous les moyens disponibles pour calculer vitesse, direction, latitude et longitude ainsi que pratiquer tous les aspects du pilotage et de la navigation à l'estime.

The ship's logbook has been a maritime tradition since ancient times. It is used to document the voyages and movement of the vessel and events that take place on board related to safe navigation and the well being of the crew and cargo. Designed for sailors by sailors. The simple layout of these record sheets has been tested over thousands of miles of offshore and coastal sailing, racing and cruising.

Practical knowledge for Inland, Coastal, and Ocean waters that makes your sailing safer and more efficient. Special topics in navigation and weather from the "Burch at the Helm" column in Blue Water Sailing magazine.

Sextants are used to measure angular heights of celestial bodies above the horizon to find the latitude and longitude of the observer. They can also be used on land with artificial horizons. Sextants can also be used to find the correct Universal Time by measuring the angular distance between the moon and another body along its path across the zodiac. In coastal waters or on land, sextants can be used for very accurate piloting by measuring the horizontal angles between charted landmarks. The vertical angle of a peak above its baseline determines the distance to it, which, combined with a compass bearing, yields a position fix from just one landmark. The angular dip of an object (island or vessel) below the visible horizon can also be used to determine the distance to it. This booklet explains how to get the best results from plastic sextants, and presents numerical comparisons with similar data from metal sextants. Sextant piloting techniques are also reviewed as they are an ideal use of a plastic sextant.

Helps you become an expert small-craft radar operator. This book enables you to plot a fix from just a single buoy or landmark, and it is the only navigation tool that tells you not just where you are, but who else or what else is out there with you.

Shows you how to find your way on the water - even if your navigation equipment is damaged or lost - using ancient and modern skills or rudimentary materials like a stick, a piece of string or a pair of sunglasses. This guide includes navigation methods, graphics and lists. It offers a useful backup for every ocean mariner.