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zu: Mittelalterliches Seebuch = S/72

The spatial placement of the shipmaster on board varies greatly. From the stern location of the early period and in small ship navigation, to the midship location and, finally, the area immediately aft of the bow, numerous variations can be ascertained on the basis of the German Maritime Museum's historical collections - each with its own respective advantages and disadvantages. Brought about by growth in the size of the vessels as well as changes in the propulsion system, the change of location compelled the shipmaster - captain or watch officer - to delegate various aspects of his responsibilities. The guidance of the ship along its course, the control of its position and the regular inspection of its condition were taken over to some extent by special function bearers such as the helmsman, the lookout, etc. This development resulted in communication problems, however, adversely affecting safety and the shipmaster's flexibility. In a virtually cyclic manner, the substantial present-day technicalisation and further development of navigation systems serve to place the entire control and execution of the shipmaster's various tasks back into his own hand.

This contribution sketches the essential aspects of terrestrial navigation in the late middle ages and early modern times. The emergence of terrestrial navigation is seen in the context of changes taking place in both trade policies and vessel types directly prior to this epoch. Whereas ships had previously remained in the vicinity of the coast for purposes of protection, now every effort was made to keep a safe distance from the coast. This principle was reflected in new navigational methods completely lacking any theoretical basis, particularly in a specific type of icourse-pointö navigation (Wegpunktnavigation). The new methods depended entirely upon the aid of the sounding Iead, the compass and sailing directions passed along in both oral and written form. For territory-related reasons, the log and sea chart did not play a role in navigation until a much later date.