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09-04-2020, 03:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-04-2020, 03:42 PM by BigBill.)
I found an Ebbco sextant online for a really great price and had to have it. Everything on it is in top shape except a couple of the shades were darkened to the point of uselessness or someone replaced them with opaque material. I have some theatrical gels so it was simple enough to fix.
I could probably make some adjustments to the mirrors but the error has remained consistent over several days. Its probably best to just subtract from the sighting, rather than go messing around, loosening things ups that might not tighten again.
Yesterday was my first attempt at a sight reduction and I found it works quite well. I rather like it. Given the poor conditions, wind blowing the artificial horizon around and pushing tree limbs into the line of sight, the accuracy was well within expectations especially for a new piece of gear. I have a Davis Mk15 and the Ebbco (so far) seems a little more consistent and accurate. The error varies more with the Davis.
I used to be a normal person, then I discovered how to locate myself on this planet using a star.
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BigBill,
Is that the sextant that's similar to the "life-boat" sextant? It's pretty simple if the web pictures are correct.
Is there a telescope or just a sight tube?
Doesn't it feel good to have a simple sextant that's not so darn delicate?!
Good day!
Lou
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(09-06-2020, 12:13 PM)LouisC Wrote: BigBill,
Is that the sextant that's similar to the "life-boat" sextant? It's pretty simple if the web pictures are correct.
Is there a telescope or just a sight tube?
Doesn't it feel good to have a simple sextant that's not so darn delicate?!
Good day!
Lou
Seems similar, yes.
This one came with a telescope. Its interchangeable with the Davis eye piece.
Seems like a pretty good practice device or emergency back up. My first sights worked out well.
Honestly, the only thing I dislike is the manual it comes with, which lacks a lot of detail on the sextant itself. If you already know how the drum is graduated etc, from using other sextants, no problem otherwise you have to figure it out.
I used to be a normal person, then I discovered how to locate myself on this planet using a star.
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The EBBCO sextant was made by (or for) the East Berks Boat Company, a lifeboat manufacturer in Berkshire, UK. The sextant was intended for emergency use in the lifeboat and came with a set of very basic instructions. The company no longer exists, but these sextants continued to be marketed under diffferent marques, e.g. Plastimo Antares
I have a number of EBBCOs, collected over the years, that I use in class for instruction - it's a perfectly adequate sextant for such purposes, but not really intended as a serious navigational tool - that said, numerous ocean passages have been made successfully with this instrument.
Beware of replacing the shades with any old smoked glass or shady material. After a good deal of research I found the most suitable material to be exposed and processed monochrome film negative - proper B+W film contains silver halide that is effective in reflecting those harmful rays of sunlight that would otherwise damage the eye - do not use colour film. It is advisable to replace the shades of an Ebbco, no matter how good they appear to be, as there is no guarantee of their quality. The holders snap apart and back together quite easily.
More information about suitable materials can be found on websites dealing with the viewing of eclipses.
