How to Convert Wind Speed to Miles Per Hour

Converting wind speed, or knots, to miles per hour can help you keep perspective on your speed, especially if you are new to sailing. It is relatively easy, whether done with a calculator or in your head. Once you are more comfortable with thinking in terms of knots on the water, however, you should no longer need to convert the velocities at all.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator (optional)

Instructions

1. Know that a knot is about 15 percent faster than going 1 mile per hour. So if a car is going 1 mph and a boat is sailing at 1 knot, the boat will be going slightly faster.

2. Convert knots to miles per hour in your head by multiplying the knots you are traveling by 1.15. So if you are sailing 20 knots, you are going 23 mph (or 20 x 1.15 = 23). An easy tip for mental math in this case is to add 10 percent and 5 percent of your knot speed. So if you are going 20 knots, 10 percent is 2, 5 percent is half of 10 percent (or 1) for an additional 3, making 23 mph.

3. Multiply your knots by 1.15077945 to determine exactly how many miles per hour you are going. Obviously, determining this product will require a calculator, but it can give you exact results if you need them.

Tips & Warnings

• Of course, you can go from miles per hour to knots by dividing your miles per hour by 1.15 or 1.15077945.

References

• Offical knots to mph conversion table