1715 navigational artifacts

saltydog1733

Jr. Member
Feb 11, 2009
36
1
What types of navigational instruments would have been carried on the vessels of the 1715 fleet ships?

Were astrolabes still being used or did they use the quadrant by then? Has either instrument ever been found on any of the wreck sites?

I assume that every ship in the fleet had a pilot and that a pilot's chest would have contained one or several instruments. I don't recall reading anywhere of these types of artifacts being found on the 1715 wrecks, other than brass dividers.

Thanks for those that respond with factual & documented information and not just guesses.
 

saltydog1733:

Three suggested references for you:

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time Dava Sobel (1995)

The Last Voyage of the San Miguel de Archangel Dr. Robert H. Baer (2011)

Six Galleons for the King of Spain: Imperial Defense in the Early Seventeenth Century Carla Rahn Phillips (1986)

Good luck to all,

~The Old Bookaroo
 

I don't think any of the sailors or pilots on any of the 1715 fleet ships had any time to use any of the navigational instruments they had.If they had got a chance to use them then they wouldn't have wrecked where they did.I guess when there's no sun or stars in the middle of a storm all you have to rely on is dead wreckoning.In the hurricane eye you can see the sun or stars,but by then its too late. You are doomed.Unless you can keep up with the storm and stay in the eye till it fades away.
 

saltydog1733 said:
What types of navigational instruments would have been carried on the vessels of the 1715 fleet ships?

Were astrolabes still being used or did they use the quadrant by then? Has either instrument ever been found on any of the wreck sites?

I assume that every ship in the fleet had a pilot and that a pilot's chest would have contained one or several instruments. I don't recall reading anywhere of these types of artifacts being found on the 1715 wrecks, other than brass dividers.

Thanks for those that respond with factual & documented information and not just guesses.

Good question. Seems there's been alot of work on this fleet-- surely there have been some astrolabes, dividers or other navigational instruments found? Would these be in the local museums? I have an interest in navigational devices as well. Or were these sold off?
 

I believe astrolabes faded out in the mid 1600's.

Within the area of the 1715 fleet lies the San Martin the Almiranta of the 1618 Hunduras Fleet. Kane Fisher and crew found an astrolabe dated in the late 1593.

I do not recall anything other than dividers being found on "1715 wrecks" but my memory isn't the best and I don't know of everything found...
 

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