# Book Recommendation Needed - Marine Navigation **URL:** \ **Category:** Maritime Training & Licensing\ **Created:** [June 12, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723 "2009-06-12T12:16:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hawespiper5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/hawespiper5/32/37029_2.png) [@Hawespiper5](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hawespiper5)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/1 "2009-06-12T12:16:05Z")
I’d appreciate any book recommendation’s on Terrestrial Navigation, Dead Reckoning, etc. The basics. I was thinking of calling one of the schools that I may end up attending and seeing if I could buy a text book. Thought I’d see if somethin better’s out there first though. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![sean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@sean](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/sean)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/2 "2009-06-12T12:25:55Z")
If you’re looking for the bible, try Bowditch (The American Practical Navigator). Dutton’s Navigation and Piloting is good too. There are lots of alternatives though. Look around on Amazon. You can get Dutton’s and Bowditch there. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly\_Tar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jolly_tar/32/1914_2.png) [@Jolly\_Tar](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jolly_Tar)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/3 "2009-06-12T14:20:14Z")
Not sure what SWO experience carried with you. Terrestrial Nav kicked my ASS down to Houston Marine. It was six day class taught by a math genius and every day I felt dumber LEAVING class than did when I arrived, though I DID manage to be one of the two of seven who actually passed the class. If you can learn that stuff on yer own, BZ to YOU, Sir! Retired NAVY CPO sends ---
**Author:** ![john](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/john/32/5_2.png) [@john](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/john)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/4 "2009-06-12T16:38:53Z")
I always preferred Hobbs, but maybe it was because that’s what I started on. [Marine Navigation: Piloting and Celestial and Electronic Navigation](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1557503818?tag=gcaptaincom-20) There are a few more choices in our [gCaptain Store](http://astore.amazon.com/gcaptaincom-20). ---
**Author:** ![Hawespiper5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/hawespiper5/32/37029_2.png) [@Hawespiper5](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hawespiper5)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/5 "2009-06-12T21:15:08Z")
My local library has Dutton’s so I will start there. Free is always good. I also read a review that said it’s the easiest to absorb and a good place to start. So Easy and Free sound good for now. I will also get Bowditch and/or Hobbs next. ---
**Author:** ![Jeffrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ea5d25/32.png) [@Jeffrox](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jeffrox)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/6 "2009-06-13T00:28:19Z")
Quartermaster 3 & 2, [http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14221/](http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14221/) Quartermaster 1 and C, [http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14220/](http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14220/) ---
**Author:** ![john](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/john/32/5_2.png) [@john](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/john)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 9:30am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/7 "2009-06-13T09:30:38Z")
Here’s Bowditch in a [downloadable zip](http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Bowditch.zip). ---
**Author:** ![Hawespiper5](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/hawespiper5/32/37029_2.png) [@Hawespiper5](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hawespiper5)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/8 "2009-06-13T12:38:45Z")
> [@john;13802](#): > > Here’s Bowditch in a [downloadable zip](http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Bowditch.zip). Thats awesome. Thanx. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneelbeforeZod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@KneelbeforeZod](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KneelbeforeZod)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 12:54pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/9 "2009-06-13T12:54:34Z")
[http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=1309741185&searchurl=tn%3Dpiloting%2Band%2Bdead%2Breckoning%26x%3D0%26y%3D0](http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=1309741185&searchurl=tn%3Dpiloting%2Band%2Bdead%2Breckoning%26x%3D0%26y%3D0) This my favorite and it’s only a dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Fran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Capt\_Fran](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Fran)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/book-recommendation-needed-marine-navigation/1723/10 "2009-06-13T16:16:11Z")
[QUOTE=Jeffrox;13783]Quartermaster 3 & 2, [http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14221/](http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14221/) Quartermaster 1 and C, [http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14220/[/QUOTE]](http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14220/%5B/QUOTE%5D) Bowditch is, of course, the bible, and we all know that “Nate knows” everything. But, before you can speak Nathaniel, it helps to review Dutton’s. As a matter of fact, whenever I refer to Bowditch, I’ve got my Dutton’s handy in case I can’t quite figure out what the heck Bowditch is saying. And Bowditch Vol II is priceless. The glossary alone got me through my first license exams. I also like the tpubs that Jeffrox listed. Clear explanations of every procedure. No PhD in math required.