SOLVED. Fiction (probably YA): Sailor good in math learns to navigate [s]

[Daniel]

I read this in 8th grade, like 14 years ago, and it was not a recent book.
This is probably a young adult book.
All I remember is a young man was good in mathematics and so as a sailor learned how to navigate correctly, using the stars (and or the moon and sun). Other than this, I cannot recall a plot or anything else.
I'm not sure what the genre is.
Plain ol' dead tree :(

[Bargle]

Maybe Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester. I remember he doesn't make the error in some difficult problem that most of the other sailors in the course do.

[Amanda]

This sounds a lot like Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham. It's actually based on Bowditch's life (fictional biography), so that might be why you don't remember much of a plot.

[Daniel]

@Bargle, @Amanda Thanks. I did somewhat think the character was a John, Nick, or Nate. So Nat, Nathaniel, definitely hits the mark right on. Thank you very much! Solved! Carry On, Mr. Bowditch was the book!