Reading a Chart in Metres

[Factor]

Ah grasshopper - that it easy, its gold of course. Because a Pound - as in the english currency unit - in value of gold weighs more in pounds and ounces than a pound - as in the currency unit - of feathers in the avoirdupois system of pounds and ounces. Of course now we have resolved that I can go and have a quiet drink of a few ounces (as in liquid measurement).

* this postulation is based on the current NYSE price for feathers.

Clearly the imperial system is so much better than metric.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Wotname

OK, it will be hard to drift this thread further but I will give it a go.

Which is heavier, a pound of gold or a pound of feathers?

Originally Posted by Factor

Ah grasshopper - that it easy, its gold of course. Because a Pound - as in the english currency unit - in value of gold weighs more in pounds and ounces than a pound - as in the currency unit - of feathers in the avoirdupois system of pounds and ounces. Of course now we have resolved that I can go and have a quiet drink of a few ounces (as in liquid measurement).

* this postulation is based on the current NYSE price for feathers.

Clearly the imperial system is so much better than metric.

Ahh Factor, you are indeed a learned gentleman; let me restate my question slightly differently.

Which is heavier, an ounce of gold or an ounce of feathers?

[Astrid]

Still the gold ounce as gold is measured in troy ounces (1/12 of a pound) while freathers by weight are measured in avoirdupois ounces (1/16 of a pound). An ounce of gold (other precious metals and gun powder) is nominally 480 grains while an ounce of most everything else is 437.5 grains. However, a troy pound, though made up of heavier, but fewer, troy ounces, weighs less than an avoirdupois pound (5760-grs versus 7000-grs). On the other hand, an ounce of lead and an ounce of feathers weigh exactly the same, although the feathers will have greater volume.

[h20man]

Originally Posted by AussieGeoff

Eh? I remember having similar thoughts when we went to metric. I was almost finished primary school and learned all the imperial units (which are slightly different to yours BTW).

Then we had to learn metric, so I had the benefit (though it didn't seem that way at the time) of learning both systems while still at school.


<snip>

A kilogram is 2.24 pounds. Close enough to 2 and a 1/4.

<snip>



AussieGeoff

A kilogram is 2.20462262 pounds (I think you forgot the 0).
Most people approximate as 2.2 lbs / kilo.......

(Unless an Aussie pound is heavier then a US pound.....)

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Astrid

Still the gold ounce as gold is measured in troy ounces (1/12 of a pound) while freathers by weight are measured in avoirdupois ounces (1/16 of a pound). An ounce of gold (other precious metals and gun powder) is nominally 480 grains while an ounce of most everything else is 437.5 grains. However, a troy pound, though made up of heavier, but fewer, troy ounces, weighs less than an avoirdupois pound (5760-grs versus 7000-grs). On the other hand, an ounce of lead and an ounce of feathers weigh exactly the same, although the feathers will have greater volume.

Thank you Astrid.

So we see that even inside one "system", one unit of measures (ounces) varies according to the material being measured and the relationship between the units of measurement (ounces to pounds) also varies. As Astrid explains, an ounce of gold is heavier than an ounce of lead but a pound of gold is lighter than a pound of lead. Ahgg...

I was born and bred as an ounces, pennies and inches man but due the many inconsistencies like the above example, I had no emotional pain converting to the metric system

If only our whole numbering system had been based on the multiple of 12 rather than 10 and thus a metric system would have the base 12, life would have been perfect.

[goboatingnow]

boy this thread is still going....

[Hydra]

Originally Posted by Wotname

If only our whole numbering system had been based on the multiple of 12 rather than 10 and thus a metric system would have the base 12, life would have been perfect.

The trouble is, there are roughly 12 moons in a year but people generally have 10 fingers in their hands.

You could also compute in base 16, like some computers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F...

Alain

[barnakiel]

Just convert your draft to meters and that's it.

If your boat is 6 ft draft then you need 1.9 m to keep her just floating.

Make your depth sounder read in meters from the water plane and you are fine too.

b.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Hydra

The trouble is, there are roughly 12 moons in a year but people generally have 10 fingers in their hands.......

Hmm... design error!
The beauty of using a base of 12 is that it is the first number that can be easily halved, "thirded" and quartered. All great options for simple mental arithmetic and simple engineering.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Hmm... design error!
The beauty of using a base of 12 is that it is the first number that can be easily halved, "thirded" and quartered. All great options for simple mental arithmetic and simple engineering.

Blame the Romans... they started it...

[Factor]

What have the romans ever done for us

apart from roads and aqueducts of course - I mean thats a given

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Blame the Romans... they started it...

Did they, I always thought it was the arabs who gave us the modern numbering system but there you go...I am wrong again.

Originally Posted by Factor

What have the romans ever done for us

apart from roads and aqueducts of course - I mean thats a given

Lots of unpronounceable mottos whose meanings are hidden from us common folk - well maybe not you but often me!

[boatman61]

[QUOTE=Wotname;833158]Did they, I always thought it was the arabs who gave us the modern numbering system but there you go...I am wrong again.
QUOTE]

The Arabs... Indian sub-Continent gave us a lot more than that... while folk were still slapping on the blue paint and living in caves with rabbits...
Till the return of Alexanders men...
But the Romans made working in 10's and multiples thereoff popular in the Med... their best known applications were military.. for example a Centurion would command 90 soliders, 9 junior officers.... making a century... today I guess they'd be called 9 x 10 men platoons and a company commander..
Opps.... forgot the sergants/leiutenants...

[Astrid]

There is evidence from Roman military records that the Romans introduced double entry accounting a thousand years before it caught on again in the 14th and 15th centuries.

[careka]

And, one Kilo is not always the same as 1 liter of water,
this is only when you have fresh water inside, when use of salt water it will be more heavy.
normal is 1.0sg, on fresh water, and 1.03sg on salt water, but there are diffs on that to. if more salt then more heavy.

i am metric. on all except, wind, then i use knots. and for boat speed also.