What is a chain in surveying terms?

A chain is a traditional surveying length unit equal to 66 feet or 20.1168 metres, often used historically in land measurement.

How long is the UK nautical mile compared to the international one?

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

Why would I need to convert from chains to UK nautical miles?

Converting between these units helps interpret historical land and maritime measurements for accurate mapping, navigation, and legal reconciliation.

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

Learn how to convert length measurements from the surveying unit chain [ch] to the UK nautical mile [NM (UK)] using this online unit converter. Understand key definitions, use cases, and conversion examples to aid historical and maritime applications.

Chain [ch]

Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)]

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

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

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

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What Is This Tool?

This tool allows you to convert length measurements from chain [ch], a traditional surveying unit, to the UK nautical mile (NM UK), a historical maritime measurement. It supports tasks related to land surveying, navigation, and historical data conversion.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the value in chains [ch] that you want to convert.
Select the target unit as nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)].
Click the convert button to get the equivalent measurement.
Use conversion results for mapping, navigation, or legal documents.

Key Features

Converts length units from chain to UK nautical mile accurately based on defined rates.
Ideal for interpreting historical surveying, cadastral, and maritime records.
Browser-based and easy to use without installation.
Supports understanding legacy measurements and navigation data.

Examples

10 chains = 0.108552632 NM (UK)
50 chains = 0.54276316 NM (UK)

Common Use Cases

Interpreting historical property deeds and survey plans for modern GIS systems.
Converting legacy maritime distances from Admiralty charts to current units.
Analyzing old engineering or railway survey records using imperial units.
Restoring navigation tools and datasets that use UK nautical miles.

Tips & Best Practices

Verify whether the nautical mile definition matches your data source to avoid mix-ups.
Use the tool when dealing with historical land and maritime records that reference chains or UK nautical miles.
Cross-check converted values when integrating with modern international units.
Apply caution when working with legacy documents due to potential measurement precision limits.

Limitations

The UK nautical mile used here is slightly longer than the international nautical mile.
Chains are primarily historical units and may not reflect modern survey practices.
Measurement precision and document accuracy may limit conversion reliability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a chain in surveying terms?: A chain is a traditional surveying length unit equal to 66 feet or 20.1168 metres, often used historically in land measurement.
How long is the UK nautical mile compared to the international one?: The UK nautical mile is defined as exactly 6,080 feet (1,853.184 metres), making it slightly longer than the international nautical mile of 1,852 metres.
Why would I need to convert from chains to UK nautical miles?: Converting between these units helps interpret historical land and maritime measurements for accurate mapping, navigation, and legal reconciliation.

Key Terminology

Chain [ch]: A traditional surveying unit of length equal to 66 feet (20.1168 metres), mainly used historically for land measurement.
Nautical mile (UK) [NM (UK)]: The UK nautical mile, historically the Admiralty nautical mile, defined as exactly 6,080 feet (1,853.184 metres).
Conversion Rate: The numerical factor used to convert one unit to another, here 1 chain equals 0.0108552632 UK nautical miles.

Quick Knowledge Check

What is the length of one chain in feet?

100 feet

66 feet

50 feet

The UK nautical mile is defined as exactly how many feet?

6080 feet

6000 feet

6200 feet

Which of the following is a common use for chain units?

Modern GPS surveying

Historical land measurement

Marine depth measurement

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