What is the US survey chain used for?

It is a traditional unit of length historically used in U.S. land surveying and cadastral work, equal to 66 US survey feet and subdivided into 100 links.

How does the UK nautical mile differ from the international nautical mile?

The UK nautical mile is defined as exactly 6,080 feet or 1,853.184 meters, making it slightly longer than the international nautical mile of exactly 1,852 meters.

Why might conversions between these units require caution?

Because the US survey foot differs from the international foot and the UK nautical mile differs slightly from the international nautical mile, minor discrepancies can appear, especially in modern applications.

How to Convert from Chain (US survey) [ch] to Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)]?

Learn how to accurately convert lengths from the traditional US survey chain unit to the UK nautical mile using this reliable unit conversion guide.

Chain (US survey) [ch]

Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)]

Please check your input. It must be a valid numeric value.

Chain (US survey) [ch] to Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)] Conversion Table

Chain (US survey) [ch]	Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)]

Custom Unit Conversion Table Generator – Instant Printable Conversion Tables

Start Value

Enter the starting number (positive decimal or integer ≥ 0). Example: 0.1, 1, 5.

End Value

Enter the ending number (positive decimal or integer > Start Value). Example: 10, 50, 100.

Interval

Enter the step size (positive decimal > 0 and < End Value – Start Value). Example: 1.0, 2.5.

Chain (US survey) [ch] to Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)] Conversion Table
Chain (US survey) [ch]	Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)]

Explore More Length Units Converter

What Is This Tool?

This unit converter allows you to transform measurements from the US survey chain, a traditional land surveying length, into the UK nautical mile, a historical maritime distance unit, facilitating the interpretation of legacy data in modern contexts.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the length value measured in chain (US survey) in the input field.
Select 'chain (US survey) [ch]' as the from-unit.
Choose 'nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)]' as the to-unit.
Click 'Convert' to view the equivalent distance in UK nautical miles.
Use the result to interpret or compare historical measurements in maritime or land survey contexts.

Key Features

Converts length values from chain (US survey) to nautical mile (UK).
Supports legacy measurement conversions for land surveying and maritime applications.
Browser-based and easy to use for quick unit translations.
Accommodates historical and cadastral surveying data for accurate reinterpretation.
Helps bridge US land surveying distances with UK maritime navigation metrics.

Examples

Converting 10 chains (US survey) equals approximately 0.108552849 nautical miles (UK).
A length of 50 chains converts to about 0.542764245 nautical miles (UK).

Common Use Cases

Interpreting distances recorded in historic US land deeds and cadastral surveys.
Translating legacy survey measurements into UK maritime navigation units.
Reconciling old maritime and cadastral records for GIS mapping projects.
Comparing historical UK Admiralty chart distances with US survey data.
Supporting restoration or analysis of older navigation instruments and museum exhibits.

Tips & Best Practices

Verify the source of your measurement to confirm the use of US survey feet for accurate conversion.
Be mindful that UK nautical miles differ slightly from international nautical miles when applying results.
Use this conversion primarily for historical or legacy data interpretation rather than modern engineering purposes.
Cross-check converted values when integrating into GIS or mapping software to ensure consistency.
Maintain awareness of differences between US survey foot and international foot to reduce minor discrepancies.

Limitations

The US survey chain uses the US survey foot, which is not identical to the international foot, possibly causing slight variances.
The UK nautical mile definition differs from the international nautical mile, so conversions may not align with modern standards.
Historical units may lack the precision required for current legal, engineering, or scientific applications without adjustments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the US survey chain used for?: It is a traditional unit of length historically used in U.S. land surveying and cadastral work, equal to 66 US survey feet and subdivided into 100 links.
How does the UK nautical mile differ from the international nautical mile?: The UK nautical mile is defined as exactly 6,080 feet or 1,853.184 meters, making it slightly longer than the international nautical mile of exactly 1,852 meters.
Why might conversions between these units require caution?: Because the US survey foot differs from the international foot and the UK nautical mile differs slightly from the international nautical mile, minor discrepancies can appear, especially in modern applications.

Key Terminology

Chain (US survey): A traditional length unit used in US land surveying equal to 66 US survey feet and divided into 100 links.
Nautical mile (UK): A maritime unit of length defined as exactly 6,080 feet or 1,853.184 meters, historically used in UK Admiralty navigation.
US survey foot: A measurement unit slightly different from the international foot, foundational to US survey chain measurements.

Quick Knowledge Check

What traditional measurement is the US survey chain based on?

100 international feet

66 US survey feet

50 UK feet

How long is the UK nautical mile in feet?

6076 feet

6080 feet

6000 feet

What is a common use for converting chain (US survey) to nautical mile (UK)?

Modern construction engineering

Interpreting legacy survey and maritime data

Everyday distance measurement in the US

Share Us

Similar Calculators

Online Surface Current Density Units Converter Online Heat Flux Density Units Converter Online Heat Density Units Converter Online Weight and Mass Units Converter Online Flow Molar Units Converter