Convert fathom to chain Online | Free Length Converter

Fathom

A fathom is a unit of length traditionally used to measure the depth of water. It equals 6 feet or approximately 1.8288 meters.

Originating from the Old English word fæðm, meaning "to embrace" or "outstretched arms," the fathom was based on the average distance between a person's outstretched arms. It has been widely used by sailors and navigators to estimate sea depths and underwater distances.

Key facts:

• 
  

  1 fathom = 6 feet

  
  
• 
  

  1 fathom ≈ 1.8288 meters

  
  
• 
  

  1 fathom = 2 yards

  
  

Though modern sonar and electronic instruments now measure depth more precisely, the fathom remains a traditional unit in nautical contexts, especially in maritime charts and historical references.

Chain

A chain is a unit of length traditionally used in land surveying. The most common version is the Gunter’s chain, which equals 66 feet or 22 yards, approximately 20.1168 meters.

The chain was introduced by English clergyman Edmund Gunter in the 17th century to simplify land measurement. One chain consists of 100 links, each 0.66 feet long. It became a standard unit in British and American land surveying and was instrumental in defining land areas, especially in the U.S. Public Land Survey System.

Key Conversions:

• 
  

  1 chain = 66 feet

  
  
• 
  

  1 chain = 22 yards

  
  
• 
  

  1 chain ≈ 20.1168 meters

  
  
• 
  

  10 chains = 1 furlong

  
  
• 
  

  80 chains = 1 mile

  
  

Though now largely replaced by metric units and modern surveying tools, the chain still appears in older land deeds, maps, and rural property descriptions.