Talking about the abundant sunshine and lovely destinations is all fun and games but to be a real mariner you need to walk the walk (or at least understand the lingo). Here is the first of many small steps to making you a true salty dog.

 The question for today: How do “miles per hour” compare to “knots per hour”?

1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour = 6,076 feet per hour
1 mph = 1 mile per hour                 = 5,280 feet per hour
So a car going about 35 miles per hour would travel at the same speed as a boat going about 30 knots. Wind blowing at around 75 miles per hour on land would blow at around 65 knots over water.
 
 Don’t feel bad if you aren’t doing these conversions in your head. Remember that 1 knot is greater than 1 mph and you will be off to a good start.