A cable length or length of cable is a nauticalunit of measure equal to one tenth of a nautical mile or approximately 100 fathoms. Owing to anachronisms and varying techniques of measurement, a cable length can be anywhere from 169 to 220 metres (185 to 241 yd), depending on the standard used.
A chain cable. A cable length is based on the historic length of a ship's cable.
The modern word cable is directly descended from the Middle English cable, cabel or kabel and also occurs in Middle Dutch and Middle German. Ultimately the word comes from Romanic, probably from a cattle halter.[1] A cable in this usage cable is a thick rope or by transference a chain cable.[1] The OED gives quotations from c. 1400 onwards. A cable's length (often "cable length" or just "cable") is simply the standard length in which cables came, which by 1555 had settled to around 100 fathoms (600 ft; 180 m) or 1⁄10 nautical mile (0.19 km; 0.12 mi).[1]
Traditionally rope is made on long ropewalks, the length of which determines the maximum length of rope it is possible to make. As rope is "closed" (the final stage in manufacture) the length reduces, thus the ropewalk at Chatham Dockyard is 1⁄4 mile (0.40 km) long in order to produce standard 220 metres (120 fathoms) coils.[2]
In 2008 the royal Navy in a handbook defined it as
A cable equals one-tenth of a sea mile - 608 ft. The length of a ship's hempen anchor cable was formerly 101 fathoms. 100 fathoms = 1 cable 10 cables = 1 nautical mile (very nearly)[4]
Fenna, Donald (2002), "cable, cable length, cable's length", A Dictionary of Weights, Measures, and Units, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 35, ISBN0-19-860522-6, OCLC 62608533, retrieved 12 January 2017. Also "fathom", from the same work (pp. 88–89, retrieved 12 January 2017).
Master Ropemakers Ltd (2023), "Showing you the ropes", Historic Dockyard Chatham, retrieved 20 December 2023 Various subpages within the ropery section.
cable, length, cable, length, length, cable, nautical, unit, measure, equal, tenth, nautical, mile, approximately, fathoms, owing, anachronisms, varying, techniques, measurement, cable, length, anywhere, from, metres, depending, standard, used, chain, cable, c. A cable length or length of cable is a nautical unit of measure equal to one tenth of a nautical mile or approximately 100 fathoms Owing to anachronisms and varying techniques of measurement a cable length can be anywhere from 169 to 220 metres 185 to 241 yd depending on the standard used A chain cable A cable length is based on the historic length of a ship s cable Contents 1 Etymology and origin 2 Definition 3 References 4 CitationsEtymology and origin editThe modern word cable is directly descended from the Middle English cable cabel or kabel and also occurs in Middle Dutch and Middle German Ultimately the word comes from Romanic probably from a cattle halter 1 A cable in this usage cable is a thick rope or by transference a chain cable 1 The OED gives quotations from c 1400 onwards A cable s length often cable length or just cable is simply the standard length in which cables came which by 1555 had settled to around 100 fathoms 600 ft 180 m or 1 10 nautical mile 0 19 km 0 12 mi 1 Traditionally rope is made on long ropewalks the length of which determines the maximum length of rope it is possible to make As rope is closed the final stage in manufacture the length reduces thus the ropewalk at Chatham Dockyard is 1 4 mile 0 40 km long in order to produce standard 220 metres 120 fathoms coils 2 Definition editThe definition varies International 185 2 m equivalent to 1 10 nautical mile UK traditional 100 fathoms 600 ft 180 m though The Admiralty used 1 10 of a sea mile 1 minute of latitude locally US customary US Navy 120 fathoms 720 ft 220 m 3 In 2008 the royal Navy in a handbook defined it asA cable equals one tenth of a sea mile 608 ft The length of a ship s hempen anchor cable was formerly 101 fathoms 100 fathoms 1 cable 10 cables 1 nautical mile very nearly 4 References edit a b c OED cable Master Ropemakers Ltd 2023 Fenna 2002 Royal Navy 2007 Citations editFenna Donald 2002 cable cable length cable s length A Dictionary of Weights Measures and Units Oxford Oxford University Press p 35 ISBN 0 19 860522 6 OCLC 62608533 retrieved 12 January 2017 Also fathom from the same work pp 88 89 retrieved 12 January 2017 Master Ropemakers Ltd 2023 Showing you the ropes Historic Dockyard Chatham retrieved 20 December 2023 Various subpages within the ropery section cable Oxford English Dictionary Online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 OED 2955013352 Subscription or participating institution membership required Royal Navy 2007 Navy Slang Cable Curry Royal Navy archived from the original on 2008 07 07 retrieved 1 February 2011 nbsp This sailing related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cable length amp oldid 1190887522, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
