Stabilizing binoculars ???

[SG]

I don't think Shackleton took the sights, as I recall. Regardless, it wasn't dead reckoning by any means after they left Elephant Island.

It's still an amazing bit of skill and good fortune.

A few years ago a group of adventurers tried it (for the Discovery Channel, or something like that) in a carbon fiber boat. They had to be rescued by a chase boat.

The descriptions of pumping out the rock ballasted open hull that was covered by a canvas cover to keep from taking-on green water still sticks with me. Our notion of challenge is relatively meek compared to theirs.

 

[steveebryant]

QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION:
Why would I chose the "Fujinon 14x40 IS" over the "Canon 18x50 IS" - Image Stabilized Binocular?

(I'm hoping some of you have considered the Canon stabilizing binoculars and will share your opinion.)

 

[jssailem]

@steveebryant perhaps you are asking the wrong crowd.. here is a link to some birders from England they give you answers to your query..
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=360104

 

[NotCook]

I'm still waiting for someone to make stabilized sextants. How Shackleton's crew managed accurate sites from a small boat is jaw dropping.

While I would say that, in general, the bigger the boat the less prone the movement by the seas for any given sea state. That being said, even on a big boat in high seas, I’m thinking chances are you aren’t going to have heavenly bodies to take a site from anyway, including the sun (assuming overcast/ storm conditions), and trying to figure out which wave top constitutes a “horizon” is probably the bigger challenge!

I’m wondering just how accurate their fixes were: +/- 60 miles?

 

[SG]

A few miles...Certainly not more than 10, would be my guess.

The weather wasn't "blue skies up above, everyone's in love" ;^)))

 

[Gunni]

I was just reading a review on the latest Fujinon stabilized binocs, the price was greatly reduced and the battery life was increased. Lower objective lense power too. Looked like a nice set of improvements. Will look for that review.

 

[steveebryant]

Well, I went ahead and ordered them, the Techno Stabil 14x40. We'll be on a three masted schooner sailing the Grenadines, hopefully after their arrival. I'm looking forward to testing them.