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Slocum was the first solo-circumnavigator and used the Moon as the principle celestial body for observation.

He was a Lunarian.  That means he performed "Lunars" which required 2 bodies for site reduction; 

1- the moon

2- a star

The reduction was very time consuming.

From my reading Lunars didn't require a highly accurate chronometer and thus his complaint about his 25 cent tin clock and that a watchmaker wanted $1.50 just to rate it. 

Here's the story of his trip;

Joshua Slocum- Sailing alone around the World


Larry

Slocum is a hero of mine. Fighting off savages in The Strait of Magellan and the Chilean coast. What a mariner!

It's speculated he got holed heading for the Caribbean by perhaps a steamship which he no doubt hated (steamships, that is).