Convert length and distance units — meters, feet, inches, kilometers, miles, light years and more.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0.001 ftm | 0.072 in | |
| 0.01 ftm | 0.72 in | |
| 0.1 ftm | 7.2 in | |
| 1 ftm | 72 in | |
| 5 ftm | 360 in | |
| 10 ftm | 720 in | |
| 50 ftm | 3600 in | |
| 100 ftm | 7200 in | |
| 1000 ftm | 72000 in |
Multiply the number of Fathoms by 72 to get Inchs. Formula: in = ftm × 72. Example: 10 ftm × 72 = 720 in. To reverse, divide Inchs by 72 to get Fathoms.
| Fathom (ftm) | Inch (in) |
|---|---|
| 0.001 ftm | 0.072 in |
| 0.01 ftm | 0.72 in |
| 0.1 ftm | 7.2 in |
| 0.5 ftm | 36 in |
| 1 ftm | 72 in |
| 2 ftm | 144 in |
| 5 ftm | 360 in |
| 10 ftm | 720 in |
| 20 ftm | 1440 in |
| 50 ftm | 3600 in |
| 100 ftm | 7200 in |
| 250 ftm | 18000 in |
| 500 ftm | 36000 in |
| 1000 ftm | 72000 in |
| 10000 ftm | 720000 in |
To convert Fathom to Inch, multiply by 72. Example: 10 ftm = 720 in
To convert Inch back to Fathom, divide by 72 (multiply by 0.0138889). Use the swap button above.
Start with 100 Fathoms = 7200 in as your reference point. Scale up or down from there.
Ship draught is traditionally measured in fathoms while hull plate thicknesses, pipe diameters, and fitting dimensions are specified in inches. Shipbuilders and marine engineers convert between fathoms and inches in every build specification.
Anchor chain link dimensions are specified in inches while anchor rode length is expressed in fathoms. Marine equipment buyers convert between fathoms and inches when specifying and ordering anchoring systems.
Pre-metric British admiralty charts show soundings in fathoms alongside land features with inch-scale detail. Cartographic historians convert between fathoms and inches when digitising and georeferencing historical maritime charts.
Submarine cable installation depth is described in fathoms while cable outer diameter and armour wire dimensions are specified in inches — cable installation engineers convert between the two in installation specifications.
In the US, fathoms and inches have coexisted in maritime practice for centuries — fathoms for depth, inches for all physical hardware. US boatbuilders, riggers, and marine surveyors convert between the two daily.
Dive site depth guides use fathoms in traditional references while equipment dimensions (cylinder valves, BCD buckles, weight belt hardware) use inches — dive equipment retailers convert between fathoms and inches for product listings.
The Fathom is a unit of Length measurement (symbol: ftm). 1 ftm = 72 in. Used in scientific and practical Length measurement applications.
The Inch is a unit of Length measurement (symbol: in). It is part of an internationally recognised measurement system used alongside the Fathom.
The fathom derives from the Old English 'fæthm', meaning the span of outstretched arms — roughly 6 feet or 1.8 metres. It was the primary depth measurement unit used by mariners for millennia, recorded in the Bible and used by ancient Greeks. The word 'fathom' also entered English as a verb meaning to understand something deeply — from the idea of plumbing the depths. Despite metrication, fathoms remain on admiralty charts and in nautical tradition worldwide.
The inch has one of the most colourful origin stories in measurement history. An English statute from 1324 under King Edward II defined it as 'three grains of barley, dry and round, placed end to end'. Before that, it was often the width of a thumb — hence the word in many languages (French: 'pouce', Dutch: 'duim', both meaning thumb). The inch was standardised at exactly 25.4 mm in 1959 and remains the dominant length unit in the US and universally used for screen sizes.
Common use: Fathom to Inch conversion is needed when working with international standards, scientific publications, or reference materials that use different unit systems for Length measurement.