The American Practical Navigator

by Nathaniel Bowditch

This is the best selling boating-book ever. 1,000,000 copies sold over 200 years. Everything a marine navigator could possibly need to know. 2011 Edition: Updated by National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. USA Government Publication. Although it appears intimidating, it's actually quite readable. It happens also to be the very pinnacle of all marine navigation guides; all others refer to it and every professional and serious navigator/pilot does own a copy. It's enormous in both physical volume and weight. 885 pages. 36 Chapters and 36 associated mathamatical documents: PART 1 - FUNDAMENTALS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION TO MARINE NAVIGATION. CHAPTER 2. GEODESY AND DATUMS IN NAVIGATION. CHAPTER 3. NAUTICAL CHARTS. CHAPTER 4. NAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS PART 2 - PILOTING CHAPTER 5. SHORT RANGE AIDS TO NAVIGATION. CHAPTER 6. COMPASSES. CHAPTER 7. DEAD RECKONING. CHAPTER 8. PILOTING. CHAPTER 9. TIDES AND TIDAL CURRENTS. PART 3 - ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION CHAPTER 10. RADIO WAVES. CHAPTER 11. SATELLITE NAVIGATION. CHAPTER 12. LORAN NAVIGATION. CHAPTER 13. RADAR NAVIGATION. CHAPTER 14. ELECTRONIC CHARTS. PART 4 - CELESTIAL NAVIGATION CHAPTER 15. NAVIGATIONAL ASTRONOMY. CHAPTER 16. INSTRUMENTS FOR CELESTIAL NAVIGATION. CHAPTER 17. AZIMUTHS AND AMPLITUDES. CHAPTER 18. TIME. CHAPTER 19. THE ALMANACS. CHAPTER 20. SIGHT REDUCTION. PART 5 - NAVIGATIONAL MATHEMATICS CHAPTER 21. NAVIGATIONAL MATHEMATICS. CHAPTER 22. CALCULATIONS AND CONVERSIONS. CHAPTER 23. NAVIGATIONAL ERRORS. CHAPTER 24. THE SAILINGS. PART 6 - NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY CHAPTER 25. NAVIGATION PROCESSES. CHAPTER 26. EMERGENCY NAVIGATION CHAPTER 27. NAVIGATION REGULATIONS. CHAPTER 28. MARITIME SAFETY SYSTEMS. CHAPTER 29. HYDROGRAPHY. PART 7 - OCEANOGRAPHY CHAPTER 30. THE OCEANS. CHAPTER 31. OCEAN CURRENTS. CHAPTER 32. WAVES, BREAKERS AND SURF. CHAPTER 33. ICE NAVIGATION. PART 8 - MARINE METEOROLOGY CHAPTER 34. WEATHER ELEMENTS. CHAPTER 35. TROPICAL CYCLONES. CHAPTER 36. WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. CHAPTER 37. WEATHER ROUTING. NAVIGATION TABLES

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

884 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1802

About the author

Nathaniel Bowditch was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book The New American Practical Navigator, first published in 1802, is still carried on board every commissioned U.S. Naval vessel. In 2001, an elementary and middle school in Salem was named in his honor.

Father of:
Henry Ingersoll Bowditch
Nathaniel Ingersoll Bowditch
and grandfather of:
Henry Pickering Bowditch
Charles Pickering Bowditch

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly out of date but the calculation tables are handy.

[John Clements · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the classic navigator's textbook and reference guide. It is revised every two years, and continues to summarize all of the essential tools a navigator needs. Indeed, the organization of the book is an education in itself; these are the important things. With the latest edition (currently 2019), the book is now available as a free pdf. Printing it all out, though, will doubtless set you back considerably more than just buying a copy. It's readable and meticulous.

[Daniel De Ramos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gud

[for-much-deliberation ...]

... a comprehensive manuscript on the art of navigation, also serves as a handbook on oceanography and meteorology related to the field...

the contents include the following, (got this outline from wikipedia):

Part I
Fundamentals, includes an overview of the types and phases of marine navigation and the organizations which support and regulate it. It includes chapters relating to the structure, use and limitations of nautical charts; chart datums and their importance; and other material of a basic nature.

Part II
Piloting, emphasizes the practical aspects of navigating a vessel in restricted waters.

Part III
Electronic Navigation, covers the primary means of positioning of the modern navigator. Chapters deal with each of the several electronic methods of navigation, organized by type.

Part IV
Celestial Navigation, contains techniques, examples and problems and a chapter on sight reduction.

Part V
Navigational Mathematics, includes chapters relating to such topics as basic navigational mathematics and computer use in the solution of navigation problems.

Part VI
Navigational Safety, discusses aspects of the new distress and safety communications systems now in place or being implemented in the next several years, as well as navigation regulations, emergency navigation procedures, and distress communications.

Part VII
Oceanography, contains chapters on practical oceanography of use to the mariner.

Part VII
Marine Meteorology, incorporates weather routing and forecasting methods as well as color plates of the Beaufort Sea States.

[Aries · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bible of the Navigators.

No wonder why this book laboured by the mathematician Bowditch become a must in every shelves on every ship. With almost a thousand of pages, of course it is not that handy. But nevertheless, every page is condensed to contain vital information that have practical application on navigation. This book is a recommended to every navigators who wanted just one reference in their study.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read this book from cover to cover. Since it is unlikely I will ever be able to spend any length of time on an ocean going ship this book is my chance to live vicariously through those who put a reference work such as this to practical use. Sometimes I will put some music on and read a few pages, then skip ahead or back and read a few more. So much better than a cheesy nautical tattoo.

[William Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a ton of useful information in this huge book. I wouldn't use it as a starting point if you are trying to learn celestial navigation, unless you are taking a class. This is a great resource and adjunct to other references and is probably one of the most in depth available. This does not contain any of the tables of ephemera required to do sight reductions.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bowditch discovered the line of position.

[Amy]

Actually, this isn't the translation I'm reading, but its close enough :D

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

1938 edition.

[Royce · Rating 5 out of 5]

The navigator's Bible.

[Rachel Bayles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A labour of love.

[Steve Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

The marine reference covering dead reckoning, celestial navigation, and weather clearly, thoroughly and concisely.