Sailing To Africa: How Far Is Too Far?

how many miles to go to africa on a boat

The distance between Africa and the US varies depending on the departure location. For example, flights from Atlanta or New York to Johannesburg take approximately 15 hours, whereas a flight from LAX to Europe lasts around 11 hours. In the 18th century, it would have taken around 25 to 30 days to sail from New York to the English Channel, with ships logging 100-150 miles per day on average.

Characteristics Values
Distance from the English Channel to the Coast of America 3000 nautical miles
Typical passage time from New York to the English Channel 25-30 days
Average speed over the ground 4-6 knots
Average distance per day 100-150 miles
Flight duration from the US to Africa 15-21 hours

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The distance between the English Channel and the Coast of America is roughly 3000 nautical miles

The distance between the English Channel and the East Coast of America is roughly 3000 nautical miles. This equates to an average speed of about 4 to 6 knots, or 100 to 140 miles per day. In the 18th century, it would take a well-found sailing vessel of about 2000 tons around 25 to 30 days to make this journey. A nautical mile is defined as 1.852 km or 1.151 statute miles. Speed at sea is measured in knots, with one knot being equal to one nautical mile per hour.

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This equates to about 100 to 140 miles per day

The distance travelled per day on a boat depends on the type of boat and the weather conditions. A well-found sailing vessel of about 2000 tons can travel 100-150 miles per day on average. This equates to about 100 to 140 miles per day, which is a speed over the ground of about 4 to 6 knots. This is based on an average distance of approximately 3,000 miles.

The speed of a boat is measured in knots, with a knot being one nautical mile per hour. A nautical mile is defined as 1.852 km or 1.151 statute miles. Therefore, a boat travelling at 4 to 6 knots is moving at a speed of approximately 4 to 6 nautical miles per hour, or 4.6 to 6.9 miles per hour.

To put this into context, the distance between the English Channel and the Coast of America is roughly 3000 nautical miles. This would take a well-found sailing vessel of about 2000 tons around 25 to 30 days to complete.

It's important to note that modern boats can travel much faster than this, with speeds of up to 50 knots or more. However, this example gives us an idea of the speed and distance travelled by boats in the 18th century.

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shunwild

The standard nautical mile is 6080 feet or 1.151 statute miles

The distance between Africa and the US is around 3,000 miles. This distance is usually travelled by plane, with flights from Atlanta or New York to Johannesburg taking approximately 15 hours.

shunwild

Speed at sea is measured in knots, with one knot being one nautical mile per hour

The distance between the English Channel and the Coast of America is roughly 3000 nautical miles, which equates to an average speed of 4 to 6 knots per day. This means that a well-found sailing vessel of about 2000 tons would take around 25 to 30 days to travel from New York to the English Channel.

In comparison, flights from the US to Africa can take anywhere from 11 to 21 hours, depending on the departure location and whether there are any stopovers. For example, a direct flight from New York to Johannesburg takes approximately 15 hours, while a flight from LAX to Europe with a connection is around 11 hours.

shunwild

Ships in the 18th century logged 100-150 miles per day on average

The distance between Africa and the US is around 15 hours by plane. However, in the 18th century, ships would have been used to make the journey.

The speed of ships varied depending on the type of ship and the weather conditions. A ship-of-the-line could make about 12 knots, a frigate 14 knots at most, and averages were between 5 and 8 knots. A for-and-aft rigged ship could sail faster than a square-rigged ship. Reducing sail can also help a ship to go faster, as a massive angle of heel increases drag and leeway.

Between 1750 and 1830, the speed of British ships rose by about 50%, while the sailing performance of ships from less industrialised countries such as the Netherlands and Spain lagged significantly behind.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on where you are travelling from. The distance between the English Channel and the Coast of America is roughly 3000 nautical miles, which would take a sailing vessel around 25 to 30 days.

Flights from Atlanta or New York to Johannesburg take approximately 15 hours.

By plane.

By boat.

A plane journey to Africa takes around 15 hours, whereas a boat journey would take 25-30 days.

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