Convert Feet (ft) to Fathoms (ftm)

1 feet equals 0.166667 fathoms.

Formula: ftm = ft × 0.166667

Foot to Fathom Converter

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How to Convert Feet to Fathom

1 foot = 16 fathoms

Fathom = Feet × 16

Example: 1 ft × 16 = 16 ftm

Reverse Conversion

To convert fathoms back to feet:

  • Remember, 1 fathom equals 6 feet.
  • To convert 16 ftm to ft, multiply 16 x 6, resulting in 1 ft.

Common Feet to Fathom Conversions

Feet to Fathom (Part 1)
Feet Fathom Actions
1 foot 16 fathoms
5 feet 0.833333 fathoms
10 feet 23 fathoms
25 feet 16 fathoms
Feet to Fathom (Part 2)
Feet Fathom Actions
50 feet 13 fathoms
100 feet 16.6667 fathoms
500 feet 83.3333 fathoms
1000 feet 166.667 fathoms

Feet to fathoms Conversion Table

Reference table with common feet to fathoms conversions. All values calculated with high precision.

Feet to Fathoms Table
0.001 to 5

Feet Fathoms Actions
0.001 ft 0.000166667 ftm
0.0025 ft 0.000416667 ftm
0.005 ft 0.000833333 ftm
0.01 ft 0.00166667 ftm
0.025 ft 0.00416667 ftm
0.05 ft 0.00833333 ftm
0.1 ft 0.0166667 ftm
14 ft 0.0416667 ftm
12 ft 112 ftm
1 ft 16 ftm
12 ft 0.416667 ftm
5 ft 0.833333 ftm

Feet to Fathoms Table
10 to 1000000

Feet Fathoms Actions
10 ft 23 ftm
25 ft 16 ftm
50 ft 13 ftm
100 ft 16.6667 ftm
250 ft 41.6667 ftm
500 ft 83.3333 ftm
1000 ft 166.667 ftm
2500 ft 416.667 ftm
5000 ft 833.333 ftm
10000 ft 1666.67 ftm
25000 ft 4166.67 ftm
50000 ft 8333.33 ftm
100000 ft 16666.7 ftm
250000 ft 41666.7 ftm
500000 ft 83333.3 ftm
1000000 ft 166667 ftm

Fathoms to Feet Table
0.0001 to 12

Fathoms Feet Actions
0.0001 ftm 0.0006 ft
0.00025 ftm 0.0015 ft
0.0005 ftm 0.003 ft
0.001 ftm 0.006 ft
0.0025 ftm 0.015 ft
0.005 ftm 0.03 ft
0.01 ftm 0.06 ft
0.025 ftm 0.15 ft
0.05 ftm 0.3 ft
0.1 ftm 0.6 ft
14 ftm 12 ft
12 ftm 3 ft

Fathoms to Feet Table
1 to 100000

Fathoms Feet Actions
1 ftm 6 ft
12 ftm 15 ft
5 ftm 30 ft
10 ftm 60 ft
25 ftm 150 ft
50 ftm 300 ft
100 ftm 600 ft
250 ftm 1500 ft
500 ftm 3000 ft
1000 ftm 6000 ft
2500 ftm 15000 ft
5000 ftm 30000 ft
10000 ftm 60000 ft
25000 ftm 150000 ft
50000 ftm 300000 ft
100000 ftm 600000 ft

Definition of Fathom

Definition
Maritime unit equal to six feet, traditionally used for measuring water depth.
Exact factor
1 fathom = 6 ft = 1.8288 m
Sources
NIST SP 811

About the Foot

Facts & Uses

  • Foundation of US construction: room dimensions, ceiling heights, lumber lengths (2×4×8 ft); building codes specify clearances in feet.
  • Aviation standard: altitude measured in feet globally (Flight Level 350 = 35,000 ft), regardless of country's measurement system.
  • Surveying and real estate: property descriptions, lot dimensions, setback requirements; square footage for area calculations.
  • Sports: American football (100-yard field with yard markers), basketball (10-ft rim), diving platforms.

Curiosities

  • Ancient origin from human foot length; standardized to avoid measurement disputes in trade and law.
  • Exact definition: 0.3048 meters (1959 international yard and pound agreement).
  • Notation mixing: feet-inches (5'6") vs. decimal feet (5.5 ft) in different industries and applications.
  • International aviation uses feet for altitude despite metric adoption elsewhere; ensures global air traffic safety.

Sources

About the Fathom

Facts & Uses

  • Maritime depth: traditional water depth measurement for navigation, anchoring, and harbor charts.
  • Nautical tradition: ship rigging measurements, rope lengths, and cable specifications in traditional sailing.
  • Fishing industry: net depths, fishing line measurements, and commercial fishing equipment specifications.
  • Historical surveying: land measurement in coastal areas, maritime boundaries, and underwater mapping.

Curiosities

  • Origin: span of outstretched arms; "fathom" derives from Old English fæðm meaning "embrace".
  • Modern definition: exactly 6 feet = 1.8288 meters; standardized for international navigation safety.
  • Literary usage: "to fathom" meaning "to understand deeply" comes from measuring unknown depths.
  • Largely replaced by meters in modern navigation, but persists in traditional sailing and historical contexts.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How many fathoms are in one feet?

One feet equals 16 fathoms. To convert, multiply the feet value by 16. For the reverse, divide the fathom value by 16 (or multiply by 6).

What is 100 feet in fathoms?

100 feet = 16.667 fathoms. This is one of the most commonly searched conversions for this pair.

How precise is the feet-to-fathom conversion?

The factor 16 is accurate to 6 significant figures, derived from international measurement standards. Our calculator uses full precision internally.

Looking for the reverse? Convert Fathom to Feet

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Conversion factors verified against NIST, BIPM, ISO 80000-3 1 inch = 2.54 cm by international agreement (1959). Last reviewed: March 2026
Tiago Fernandes Reviewed by Tiago Fernandes

All unit conversions on CoolConversion use conversion factors defined or documented by internationally recognised standards bodies (such as ISO and NIST), including both SI and non-SI units.