Does anyone measure distance in "Cables"?

[steve77]

We were sailing in the Med recently one evening with my wife on watch. Another vessel was showing as being on a course that was going to give a very close CPA per our AIS. She called the captain and he assured her that he would maintain a distance of six cables from us.

I heard this from conversation while down below in my berth, and I remember thinking "what on earth is a 'cable'?" I knew it was some unit of measure of distance but could not recall what it was.

So, for all the rest of you out there, am I alone in this? Is a "cable" still a common term in your usage?

BTW, I did look it up, and a cable is 0.1nm.

Steve

[boatman61]

Likely a UK skipper or someone trained there.. Continentals would say a kilometre..

[Hydra]

The Indian Navy measures distances (e.g. CPA) in cables.

Alain

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Hydra

The Indian Navy measures distances (e.g. CPA) in cables.

Alain

Hang over from the Empire..

[Jdege]

Personally, I prefer to measure distance in femtoparsecs.

[roverhi]

So how long is a cable??

[El Pinguino]

Its still in my vocab....

Yes... I would use it in that situation.... Ranges go thus.... a mile, a bit less than a mile, half a mile, ( maybe ) a quarter of a mile, 3 cables, 2 cables, a cable, a hundred metres ( or yards), 50 metres, 'brace yourself, sheila!!'....

I would use it for distance off other ships or the land etc.... its a handy part of a mile... what else would you use? Metres? cubits??

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by roverhi

So how long is a cable??

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. The unit is named after the length of a ship's anchor cable in the age of sail. The definition varies:
International:  1⁄10 nautical mile, or 185.2 m
Imperial (Admiralty):  1⁄10 Admiralty mile, or 608*ft (185.32*m), about 101 fathoms
The traditional British fathom varied from 5½ feet to 7 feet in the Merchant Navy.
U.S. customary (US Navy): 120 fathoms (720 feet, 219.456 m)

[SunnyJ]

The Royal Canuck Navy also uses cables (1 Cable = 200 Yards)(1 mile = 10 cables= 2000 yards=6000ft..eazy eh?)...We (Canada) also use "Very Good" instead of "Very Well" when acknowledging an order just like the Blokees (British). i.e. "30 degrees of Port Wheel on Sir"...Very Good says the Officer of the watch! That is because we (Canada, Australia , New Zealand , India and bunch more countries..sorry for brevity) are part of the "Empire". the Common Wealth!

SunnyJ

[Saleen411]

Anybody use the term "shots" when anchoring?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Anybody use the term "shots" when anchoring?

All secure for'ard.. think I'll have a shot of rum..

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Jdege

Personally, I prefer to measure distance in femtoparsecs.

Units approximately equal to 31 meters?

I think I'll start measuring distance in stadia.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Saleen411

Anybody use the term "shots" when anchoring?

If I recall correctly, a "shot" of chain is 15 fathoms or about 90 feet. A Cable is 100 fathoms or about 600 feet. A nautical mile is 115% of a statute mile or about 6076 feet. Aboard our boat and most of the ships (USN) I was aboard as a youngster, distance was measured in yards with 2000 yards assumed to be a "nautical mile". Measurements at sea/on the water are best related to things one can relate to easily. On our boat, standing in the cockpit, the horizon is seen to be about 3 miles away. We can interpolate distances from that although the radar gives us a much better measurement.

FWIW...

[Benz]

A cable's length is still the standard spool of rope length--600 feet, or 100 fathoms. Though some line manufacturers are caving in to the Metric system conspiracy and trying to make "200 meter spools," a spool with a cable's length on it is still the standard. I've heard it used by commercial ships in discussing anchoring distances.
Ben
zartmancruising.com

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by boatman61

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"]......................
...................... The unit is named after the length of a ship's anchor cable in the age of sail. ..................

This early meaning from Boatman is supported by the line from Longfellow's 1824 poem, "The Wreck of the Hesperus".

"Down came the storm and smote amain
The vessel in its strength;
She shuddered and paused, like a frightened steed,
Then leaped her cable's length."