Convert Feet per Second to Knots
Feet per second to knots is the conversion that bridges a plain physics-style speed measurement with the unit sailors and pilots actually use. One foot per second is about 0.592484 knots, so the number gets smaller when you switch from ft/s to knots.
Feet per second to Knots conversion table
| Feet per second (ft/s) | Knots (kn) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.592484 |
| 2 | 1.184968 |
| 3 | 1.777451 |
| 5 | 2.962419 |
| 10 | 5.924838 |
| 20 | 11.849676 |
| 50 | 29.62419 |
| 100 | 59.24838 |
| 500 | 296.241901 |
| 1,000 | 592.483801 |
The formula
To convert feet per second to knots, multiply the speed in feet per second by 0.592484:
knots = feet per second × 0.592484
A worked example
Say a wind gauge on a boat reads a 60 feet-per-second gust and you want that in knots:
60 × 0.592484 = 35.55 knots
That's a strong gale-force gust — the kind of reading that would make a sailor take notice.
Why it's an approximation
A knot is defined as one nautical mile per hour, and a nautical mile (1,852 metres) doesn't divide evenly into feet the way a mile or a kilometer does. Working through the unit conversion produces a decimal that never neatly terminates, so 0.592484 is a rounded version of the true ratio — accurate for everyday use, but not an exact figure.
When you'll use it
Translating wind speed or projectile speed from a physics or engineering context into the units used in aviation and sailing, checking a radar-measured object's speed against nautical charts, and comparing feet-per-second readings from equipment against knot-based weather reports.
Frequently asked questions
How many knots are in a foot per second?
About 0.592484 knots. It's a rounded decimal — the exact relationship involves the length of a nautical mile, which doesn't divide evenly into feet per second — so any figure you see displayed is an approximation.
Is the feet-per-second to knots conversion exact?
No, it's an approximation. A knot is one nautical mile per hour, and a nautical mile doesn't convert to feet in a clean, terminating way, so 0.592484 is a rounded stand-in for a number with more digits.
What's a quick way to estimate feet per second in knots?
Roughly multiply by 0.6, or divide by 1.69. 100 ft/s is close to 59 knots. For navigation or aviation work, use the exact factor above.