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The American Practical Navigator: Bowditch Hardcover – Illustrated, December 1, 2015

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 138 ratings
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THIS EDITION IS THE 2002 EDITION. Nathanial Bowditch first published this encyclopedic work in 1802. During the last two centuries over 75 editions, almost 1,000,000 copies, of Bowditch have been published by the US Government. It has lived because it has combined the best technologies of each generation of navigator. This edition includes the latest advances in electronic navigation and digital charting technology. It also covers non-electronic navigation such as celestial, plotting and dead reckoning. Bowditch contains numerous tables which have been valued for years by practicing navigators. Bowditch is carried on the bridge of every U.S. Navy ship and should be the mainstay of any serious navigator's library.
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  1. Print length
    896 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Paradise Cay Publications
  4. Publication date
    December 1, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    8.5 x 2 x 11 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0939837544
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1438948904
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Paradise Cay Publications; 2002nd edition (December 1, 2015)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 896 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0939837544
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1438948904
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 2 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 138 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
138 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Jackbooted thug
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible amount of information
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2024
Verified Purchase
This is a must have reference for anyone that wants knowledge about the world.
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Jon N. Nylander
5.0 out of 5 stars No vessel should be without one.
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2005
Verified Purchase
More than 30 years ago a salty old sea dog who had made his way from the Faeroes to the South China Sea and back, told me, "Son, no vessel should ever be without a Bowditch. There's more in this book than you can ever use."

For the past 30 years I have borrowed and begged and thumbed through other's copies of Bowditch, but until I took the time to peruse my own copy, I never realized how much this one volume actually contained.

Primarily nautical, the wealth of material covered has much wider applications than sailing and navigation: weather observation, cloud types, winds, conversion tables, logarithms, sight reductions.

Whether you are a professional mariner, a weekend sailboater, or a landlubber, the old sea dog's words ring true; "There's more in this book than you can ever use."
16 people found this helpful
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Staten Island Dan
5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you wanted to know about navigation, but were afraid to ask.
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2008
Verified Purchase
A newfound interest in celestial navigation and all things nautical prompted me purchase this book. As far as celestial goes, the book concentrates on sight reduction by tables rather than by calculator or computer. In that respect, it's disappointing. The background chapters for navigation astronomy are pertinent to all forms of sight reduction.

I was also interested in navigational mathematics and "The Sailings". Those subjects are well represented and easy to understand.

The book is physically imposing and the depth of information is astounding. It's divided into sections, so you can cover areas of interest a bit at a time. It's easy to read - for a textbook.

If you enjoy this subject matter, this is one of the "go to" books. It's well worth the money.
2 people found this helpful
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Sean Daggett
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, very important for any navigator.
Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is the quintessential book for any and all navigators. It is perfect for learning the first time, as well as reviewing theory and the like in the future. Great purchase, though you may want to think about getting the Bowditch Volume 2 either as well or in place of this book. The volume 2 Bowditch (the 1981 short and fat version that is favored) sadly is extremely difficult to find on Amazon. It has much of the same information that this Bowditch contains, but is often found to be much more useful, as well as easier to carry around. In fact, my volume 2 is sitting next to me in this very instant as I write this review, while my big volume one (or whatever they call this) Bowditch is somewhere on a bookshelf in my room at home. The big one was definitely helpful at times and I'm sure has a lot more information contained in it than my little volume 2 does, so in no way would I discourage you from purchasing this book, as it will without a doubt be useful, I am just urging you to not be silly and go get yourself one of the Volume 2s as well. Aside from the book itself and my suggestions, I must add that the seller in this purchase was great and easy to work with, shipped in a timely manner, and overall I had no issues with them. :)
3 people found this helpful
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Lee King
5.0 out of 5 stars VIEWPOINT OF A LANDLOCKED MAN
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
I sail the seas of Kansas, and saw a

I sail the vast seas of Kansas, and after having a former navy man loan me his 1968 edition of Bowditch I promptly bought a 2002 edition for myself. As an amateur astronomer I find the information in it informative and fascinating. I sometimes tutor students and will make use of what I am learning. It has a home in my library as long as I have a library. What mass of information in one book.
Sincerely,
M. L. King
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Robert O. Kedney
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for all who love the sea
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2007
Verified Purchase
30 years in the Navy, 13 at sea. This is the bible for all true Navy persons. I recall hours reading it, and endeavoring to absorb the wisdom of the sea as recounted by generations of those before me.

As a Commanding Officer I would put notes in the Night Orders which would cause the watchstnders to research during quiet time, usually they could find the answers in Bowditch.

A real gem, I still keep my copy close to read, when the lack of salt air causes me to feel remorse for my retired life.

Rok Kedney

CDR USN (ret)
20 people found this helpful
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Rex Stevens
5.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Marine Navigation Reference
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2007
Verified Purchase
What's to say? Bowditch is the best. Even though The American Practical Navigator is now on Line in PDF, for free, the Hardcopy of this reference book is essential. It is filled with information that would excite anyone interested in navigation. The descriptions of physical objects, sextants, for example, are beautiful. It is one of the finest and most error-free technical reference book ever printed. It is on par with Charles Evans' "Bibliography of American Books" (13 volumes) in which no one has ever found a single mistake.
One person found this helpful
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Surfer Shane
5.0 out of 5 stars Just as Useful in the Southern Hemisphere
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2010
Verified Purchase
A classic maritime reference book; although titled the "Practical American Navigator" it is much more than a basic Northern American navigation text. In fact, I would describe it more as a comprehensive academic text of applied navigation and the associated global oceanography and meteorology. As such, this book is as universal a text as the "Oxford Dictionary".

The other great thing is that the majority of the text is written in clear and plain English.
5 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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"BugSmasher"
5.0 out of 5 stars A Wealth of Info be you a Mariner, Student or have interests on the subject.
Reviewed in Canada on December 3, 2015
Verified Purchase
Definitely 5 Stars but of course not for everyone. I had a copy years back that I lent out & of course through whatever reason lost track of it. More than a few times I had wished I had it back just for simple reference & personal interest regards to many questions not only I would come up with but others as well. If a person is serious about an occupation on the high seas as a Mariner I certainly believe this book will be a definite asset. No doubt many times a person will be relying on this book for whatever answer whether it be on the seas or in the classroom. Be you a Mariner or a Pilot the book is a wealth of interest & knowledge but of course geared more for the Mariner. Weather Observations, Marine Navigation, Calculations & Conversions,Marine Navigation Glossary, Marine Abbreviations & Acronyms,Tides,Currents, Routing, Planning, etc, etc, etc - It's all here. For the serious Mariner as I would seriously reckon as there's a lot of copies of this book carried aboard on many high seas vessels today as other reviewers have noted. Even in your home bookcase for handy reference if your desires have an interest in this field. Some say this book is the best book so skip the others, just buy this the best book first. Very happy of course with this book for my interests.
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K.Michael Marquardt
4.0 out of 5 stars This is a Classic
Reviewed in Germany on January 3, 2016
Verified Purchase
Whatever one needs to know in the vast Ocean of Maritime Navigation he/she will find it in the Bowditch.
Concise and clear and the latest developments of Bridge Resource Management are as well covered as the traditional Celestial Navigation.
A must for every prudent seaman.
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J. L. Oscar Ferrando Casanova
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfecto
Reviewed in Spain on November 10, 2014
Verified Purchase
Todo muy bien, precio, envio, producto, todo. Estoy muy contento con esta compra, es de los pocos productos a los que he puesto cinco estrellas.
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giamba
5.0 out of 5 stars the american practical navigator
Reviewed in Italy on August 31, 2014
Verified Purchase
per un volume di questo calibro ottimo il prezzo, ottima la spedizione consigliabile vivamente. top seller. Amazing, thanks a lot.
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Peter
5.0 out of 5 stars Bowditch Navigation book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2013
Verified Purchase
The American Practical Navigator is the reference for navigation. Written as a reference book only but full of excellent basic facts on all aspects of oceanography and navigation.
Recommended reading for anyone really interested in the basic understanding of navigation at sea.
One person found this helpful
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