Maritime Glossary
Knot
Also known as: kn, kt
A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, universally used in maritime and aviation navigation.
Status: ActiveVerified: Source confidence: high (98%)
Full Definition
A knot equals 1,852 m/h (~1.151 mph). The term derives from the practice of counting knots in a log-line as it ran out in a fixed time interval. Speed through water (STW) is measured by a ship's log; speed over ground (SOG) is provided by GPS. Wind speed, current, and tidal stream are also expressed in knots. A vessel at 20 knots covers approximately 480 NM in 24 hours.
Domain Tags
navigationseamanship