SAILING GLOSSARY

Nautic miles

A nautical mile is a unit of measurement used in maritime and aviation navigation to express distances. One nautical mile is exactly 1.852 kilometres. This unit is linked to the Earth's geographic coordinates: it corresponds to one minute of latitude. Distances on nautical charts are generally measured in nautical miles, as are the distances travelled by a sailboat. It should not be confused with the statute mile, which is shorter and equals approximately 1.609 kilometres. In navigation, when someone says there are 20 miles to go, that’s not quite the same trip as 20 kilometres!