Norie's Nautical Tables - Revised Edition

Since J W Norie published the first edition of his Complete Set of Nautical Tables and Epitome of Practical Navigation in 1803, many changes to the tables have been necessary in both content and presentation. New tables have been included, obsolete ones deleted to conform with changing techniques of navigation, with the aim of improving the accuracy of the calculated position and reducing the tedium of the calculation.

Since the commissioning of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), its proven accuracy and reliability in all weather conditions have resulted in confidence and almost unquestioning dependence on its ability to provide a vessel's position, course and speed. Its use is widespread but the marine environment is a hostile one and failure of electronic equipment or of the system itself is a possibility. No prudent seafarer would proceed on an ocean passage without a reliable navigational back-up. The Explanation is in the form of a detailed step-by-step description, by means of worked examples, of the different methods of performing navigational calculations using a scientific calculator and/or the tables.

A number of esteemed editors have worked on Norie's Nautical Tables over the years and this edition includes new contributions from François Hugo. This edition now presents formulae in an appropriate format for direct entry to a scientific calculator. Because the possibility of navigation without even an appropriate calculator exists, the logarithms have been retained.

• All the tables required for coastal and deep sea navigation are included
• A simple uniform method of interpolation for all the trigonometrical tables is used
• Certain tables and Digital are also included which are not readily available on board ship or are only used in the examination room.

Since J W Norie published the first edition of his Complete Set of Nautical Tables and Epitome of Practical Navigation in 1803, many changes to the tables have been necessary in both content and presentation. New tables have been included, obsolete ones deleted to conform with changing techniques of navigation, with the aim of improving the accuracy of the calculated position and reducing the tedium of the calculation.

Since the commissioning of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), its proven accuracy and reliability in all weather conditions have resulted in confidence and almost unquestioning dependence on its ability to provide a vessel's position, course and speed. Because of this, its use is widespread and some seafarers feel that the traditional navigational methods are obsolete. One might ask why ships should still be required to carry navigation equipment and publications.

The marine environment is a hostile one and failure of electronic equipment is a constant possibility. Currently solar activity is increasing with the possibility of severe solar storms affecting GNSS accuracy or damaging satellites. The possibility of such failure should ensure that no prudent seafarer would proceed on an ocean passage without a reliable navigational back-up.

The Explanation is in the form of a detailed step-by-step description, by means of worked examples, of the different methods of performing navigational calculations using a scientific calculator and/or the tables.

The current edition has been revised to present the formulae in an appropriate format for direct entry to a scientific calculator. Because the possibility of navigation without even an appropriate calculator exists, the logarithms have been retained.

• All the tables required for coastal and deep sea navigation are included
• A simple uniform method of interpolation for all the trigonometrical tables is used
• Certain tables and data are also included which are not readily available on board ship or are only used in the examination room.

The editor wishes to thank those who have suggested improvements to the tables and will welcome any further useful ideas which users may care to make, though the physical dimensions of the book impose limits on what the editor can include.

François Hugo
Southampton 2022

Contents Listing

PREFACE
ABBREVIATIONS

EXPLANATION AND USE OF TABLES

COMPUTATION TABLES
Traverse Table
Meridional Parts of the Terrestial Spheroid
Logarithms of Numbers
Logarithms of Trigonometrical Functions
Haversines
Natural Trigonometrical Functions of Angles

CELESTIAL NAVIGATION
A, B, C Azimuth Tables
True Azimuths at Rising and Setting
Ex-Meridian Table 1
Ex-Meridian Table 2
Ex-Meridian Table 3
Ex-Meridian Table 4
Dip of the Sea Horizon
Parallax in Altitude of the Sun
Monthly Mean Diameter of the Sun
Reduction of the Moon?s Horizontal Parallax
Augmentation of the Moon?s Semi-Diameter
Mean Refraction
Refraction, Additional Corrections
Total Correction, Sun?s Lower Limb
Total Correction, Sun?s Upper Limb
Total Correction, Stars
Total Correction, Moon?s Lower Limb
Total Correction, Moon?s Upper Limb

COASTAL NAVIGATION
Day?s Run - Average Speed Table
Measured Mile Speed Table
Speed and Distance Tables
Distance of the Sea Horizon
Extreme Range Table
Range by Vertical Sextant Angle
Range by Sextant
3cm Radar Range Table

CONVERSION TABLES
Imperial, SI and USA Units
Conversion of Arc into Time
Conversion of Time into Arc
Hours, Minutes and Seconds to Decimals of a Day
Barometric Pressure, hectoPascals and Inches of Mercury
Celsius and Fahrenheit Temperatures
Imperial Gallons, USA Gallons and Litres
Kilometres, Statute Miles and International Nautical Miles
Metres and Fathoms
Decimals of a Degree

SEAPORTS OF THE WORLD
List of Seaports
Index of Seaports

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