What Is This Tool?
This unit converter enables users to change length measurements from the historical US survey furlong to the traditional nautical fathom. It helps bridge older land measurement systems with maritime units.
How to Use This Tool?
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Enter the value in furlongs (US survey) that you wish to convert.
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Select furlong (US survey) as the input unit and fathom as the output unit.
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Click the convert button to get the equivalent measurement in fathoms.
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Use the results to aid in understanding historical land or nautical data.
Key Features
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Converts furlong (US survey), a historic land length unit used in US surveying.
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Converts to fathom, a nautical unit traditionally used for measuring water depth and rope lengths.
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Provides precise conversion based on exact definitions and rates.
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Supports use in interpretating historical surveys and nautical navigation contexts.
Examples
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2 furlongs (US survey) convert to 220.0004400008 fathoms.
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0.5 furlong (US survey) converts to 55.0001100002 fathoms.
Common Use Cases
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Reconciling historical land measurements with nautical depth measurements.
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Interpreting and converting older cadastral survey records and legal land descriptions.
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Supporting maritime navigation, especially in depth soundings and nautical charting.
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Analyzing traditional race distances and historical documents using customary units.
Tips & Best Practices
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Verify whether the source data uses US survey furlongs to ensure accurate conversion.
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Be cautious when interpreting results due to historical unit variations.
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Use conversions primarily for historical research, nautical purposes, or specialized applications.
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Cross-check converted values when applying them in legal or navigational contexts.
Limitations
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Furlong (US survey) is a historical unit and might lack global standardization.
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Fathoms are mainly used for water depth, limiting practical land measurement applications.
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Minor approximation differences may arise from variations between US survey and international units.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a furlong (US survey)?
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It is a historical non-SI unit of length used in US surveying, defined as exactly 660 US survey feet, or 1/8 of a US survey mile.
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What is a fathom used for?
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A fathom is a traditional English unit measuring 6 feet, historically used for water depth and lengths of ropes or cables in nautical contexts.
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Why convert furlong to fathom?
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Converting furlongs to fathoms helps reconcile historical land measurements with nautical depth units, useful in maritime and survey research.
Key Terminology
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Furlong (US survey)
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A historic US surveying length unit equal to 660 US survey feet, typically used in cadastral surveys and land descriptions.
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Fathom
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A traditional English length unit of 6 feet, used mainly in nautical settings to measure water depth and lengths of cables.
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US Survey Foot
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A unit of length used in the US survey system, forming the basis for the furlong's length definition.