Fathoms to Meters Converter
Type a length in fathoms and the converter returns meters, rounded to four decimal places. One fathom equals exactly 1.8288 meters, which is six international feet.
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Created by the Reeliy Editorial Team. Last updated: Oct 19, 2026
How many meters are in a fathom?
A fathom is a traditional unit of length defined as 6 feet. Because the international foot is fixed at exactly 0.3048 m, one fathom comes to exactly 1.8288 meters. Read the other way, one meter is a little over half a fathom, about 0.5468.
meters = fathoms × 1.8288To convert meters to fathoms, divide by 1.8288 instead.
The factor is exact, not rounded, so any digits you see after four decimals come from the length you typed rather than from the conversion itself.
Where fathoms and meters are used
The word goes back to an old English term for the span of two outstretched arms, which is close to six feet for an average adult. Sailors measured water depth by lowering a weighted line and counting the arm-spans that ran out, and the habit stuck: older nautical charts, pilot books and some anchoring and cable work are still written in fathoms. The classic riverboat call mark twain meant two fathoms of water under the keel, or 3.6576 m.
The meter is the SI base unit of length. Since 1983 it has been tied to the speed of light: it is the distance light covers in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second. Modern sonar, most national charts and scientific papers report depth in meters, so anyone working from an older chart and a newer depth sounder ends up converting between the two.
How to convert fathoms to meters
- Enter the number of fathoms in the first box.
- Read the length in meters in the second box. It refreshes as you type.
- To go back from meters to fathoms, divide your figure by 1.8288.
Example 1. A chart marks 27 fathoms over a reef. 27 × 1.8288 = 49.3776 m, so a vessel with a 5 m draught has plenty of clearance.
Example 2. A depth sounder reads 100 m on a wreck. 100 ÷ 1.8288 = 54.68 fathoms, which is 54 fathoms and roughly 4 feet.
Some old charts print soundings as fathoms and feet, for example 4 fathoms 3 feet. That is not 4.3 fathoms. It is 4 × 6 + 3 = 27 feet, or 8.2296 m.
Fathoms to meters conversion table
| Fathoms | Meters (m) | Feet (ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.8288 | 6 |
| 2 | 3.6576 | 12 |
| 3 | 5.4864 | 18 |
| 5 | 9.144 | 30 |
| 10 | 18.288 | 60 |
| 20 | 36.576 | 120 |
| 25 | 45.72 | 150 |
| 50 | 91.44 | 300 |
| 100 | 182.88 | 600 |
| 500 | 914.4 | 3,000 |
| 1,000 | 1,828.8 | 6,000 |
Related length conversions
If your source gives depth in feet instead, the fathoms to feet converter is a plain multiplication by 6. For other everyday length conversions between metric and imperial units, try the metric converter or browse the distance converters.
Frequently asked questions
How many meters are in one fathom?
Exactly 1.8288 meters. A fathom is 6 international feet and each foot is 0.3048 m.
How do I convert meters to fathoms?
Divide the meters by 1.8288. For example, 50 m ÷ 1.8288 = 27.34 fathoms.
Is a fathom the same as 6 feet?
Yes. The fathom is defined as six feet, so it follows whatever the foot is. With the international foot of 0.3048 m, a fathom is 1.8288 m.
Are fathoms still used today?
They survive on some nautical charts and in anchoring and rope work. Most modern charts, sonar and dive equipment use meters or feet instead.
References
- NIST Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)
- BIPM, The International System of Units (SI Brochure)
- International Yard and Pound Agreement of 1959
Cite this converter and page
If you use this page in your work, you can cite it as:
Reeliy Editorial Team. (2026). Fathoms to Meters Converter. Reeliy. https://reeliy.com/converters/convert-fathoms-to-meters“Fathoms to Meters Converter.” Reeliy, 2026, https://reeliy.com/converters/convert-fathoms-to-meters.