Navigation Through The Ages - Paperback

by Donald Launer (Author)

An authoritative historical overview of the art and science of navigation, from Ptolemy's first world atlas to modern GPS technology.

Front Jacket

Sailors have been navigating the seas for thousands of years, and navigational technology has progressed exponentially during that time. This concise yet comprehensive volume begins with the impressive developments in navigation made by early navigators and follows the art and science of navigation through the ages to their culmination in the huge advances made by our contemporaries.

With a focus on the navigational tools invented by each age and civilization, Launer traces the evolution of humankind's navigational skills from the Kamal of the Arabs and the Lead-line first used by the Romans to the radio and satellite communication devices available to modern sailors. He pays homage to the Polynesians who, in the absence of a written language were able to pass down their navigational skills through generations, and to the adventurous Vikings, who managed to find their way from Scandinavia to England, Iceland, Greenland and beyond; but he also covers the practical applications of the complex technologies found on most boats today, such as GPS. Generous illustrations help readers envision the tools in use.

Navigation Through the Ages will appeal to sailors and lay readers alikeanyone with an interest in the history of science and the exploration of our world.

Author Biography

Donald Launer has held a U.S. Coast Guard captain's license for over 25 years. He was Field Editor for the yearly Waterway Guide and he is currently contributing editor for Good Old Boat. He has lectured on navigational history at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, as well as many boating organizations throughout the Northeast. He is the author of A Cruising Guide to New Jersey Waters, Dictionary of Nautical Acronyms and Abbreviations (Sheridan House), and Lessons from My Good Old Boat (Sheridan House).