Knot to Yard per Second

A knot is one nautical mile per hour, where a nautical mile equals exactly 1,852 meters. It's the standard speed unit in maritime and aviation contexts.

1 knot = 1 nautical mile/hour = 1,852 m/h = 1.852 km/h = 0.514 m/s. One nautical mile = 1,852 meters exactly.

To km/h: × 1.852. To mph: × 1.151. To m/s: × 0.514. To ft/s: × 1.688.

Ship cruising speeds (cruise ships: 20–25 knots), aircraft speeds (Boeing 747: 490 knots cruise), wind speed in aviation weather reports (METAR), and sailing.

Fastest ship: 60+ knots (naval vessels). Blue whale swim: 5–20 knots. Jet stream winds: 80–140 knots. Hurricane-force winds: 64+ knots.

Saying 'knots per hour' — incorrect! A knot already includes 'per hour.' Just say 'knots.' Also, confusing nautical and statute miles.

1 knot ≈ 1.85 km/h. Roughly: 10 knots ≈ 20 km/h. Remember: knots are for sea and sky, km/h and mph are for land.

Yard per second measures distance in yards traveled in one second.

1 yd/s = 0.9144 m/s = 3.29 km/h = 2.045 mph = 3 ft/s.

To ft/s: × 3. To m/s: × 0.9144. To mph: × 2.045.

Sprint speeds in track and field (10–12 yd/s for elite sprinters), projectile velocities, and some fluid flow measurements.

Usain Bolt peak: ~13.5 yd/s. NFL wide receiver sprint: ~11 yd/s. Baseball thrown: ~40–45 yd/s.

Confusing with ft/s — yd/s is 3× faster. Mixing up with mph.

1 yd/s = 3 ft/s = 0.9144 m/s. Multiply by ~2 to get approximate mph.