Are you planning to make an overseas passage or just set sail for a destination? Do you want to know how far can you sail in one day? Then, this article is for you! If you don’t know how far you can sail in one day, what you have to do is make a calculation to know when are you going to arrive at your destination. As you already know, the average one-day sailing distance of a boat is significant for planning passages. So, in order to determine how far your sailboat can travel in a day, there are some important factors to consider. So, keep reading in order to find out the average sailing distance, speed, as well as the proper calculation.

Important Factors Influencing the Sailing Distance

The sailing speed depends on factors like weight, i.e. displacement, type of hull configuration, i.e. single or multi-hull, the sailing ability of the boat in calm or rough waters, and how the crew treats the boat. Bear in mind that single-hull boats, and heavy cruising sailboats “displace” a certain amount of water. Imagine retrieving a sailboat from the sea and discovering that the “water hole” in which it was moored had not been refilled with water. The amount of water in that hole would roughly equal the sailboat’s advertised displacement.

A boat moving through the water generates a wave pattern, including one that runs along the vessel’s side and produces a crest of water at the bow and a trough at the stern. When the wavelength is similar to the boat length, it causes a huge crest that forces the boat back into its own trough, essentially slamming into an impenetrable wall of water resistance. A vessel can only withstand the resistance it produces if it has enough speed to raise its bow out of the water and skim, or plane, over the bow wave.

For instance, if a cruising sailboat advertises a displacement of 28,000 pounds, she will displace the same amount of water while in the sea. She must force this amount of water out of the way while sailing. But, this causes a great deal of friction and limits the maximum speed possible. So, basically, the length of your average sailing distance is determined by your speed. The following are the most significant factors that influence your vessel’s speed and thus its average sailing distance:

Boat’s Hull length

Keep in mind that longer waves travel faster than shorter waves, because the longer the boat, the longer the wave it produces at higher speeds. It’s extremely difficult for a boat to move faster than the speed of a wave similar to the boat’s length. The cruising speed of your boat is proportional to its length. Meaning that the longer the sail, the faster the boat goes.

A good way to measure the speed is with the Speed/Length Ratio. So, you divide the hull’s speed (in knots) by the square root of the waterline length (in feet). Note that a 25-foot sailboat traveling at 5 knots will have the same S/L Ratio as a 100-foot patrol vessel traveling at 10 knots, resulting in the same resistance per ton of displacement at those speeds. And, with no rig above the waterline to create windage, this resistance was a result of two factors; hull drag and wave-making resistance, for the S/L Ratio relation. So, on average, the following hull lengths cruise at approximately the below-mentioned speeds:

• 24 ft boat at 5 knots
• 32 ft boat at 5.5 knots
• 40 ft boat at 6.5 knots
• 48 ft boat at 7 knots
• 54 ft boat at 7.5 knots

Boat’s Hull Type, Weight and Shape

Any boat’s hull has a significant impact on its speed while passing through water. There are a variety of hull shapes to choose from depending on the vessel’s purpose. Displacement, semi-displacement, and planing hulls are the three types of hulls found on powerboats. For sailboats, displacement hulls sail through the water but planing hulls sail on top of it. There are also flat bottom, V-bottom, tri-hull, pontoon, semi-displacement, multi-hull, catamaran, and trimaran hulls. Since they displace less water, multihulls are much quicker than monohulls. They rise out of the water and begin planing at high speeds. In addition, they are more buoyant than monohulls. Therefore this enables even faster speeds.

When moving through or sitting on the water, a displacement hull works by diverting water away from the bow. The planing hull, on the other hand, skims over the water’s surface using a hydrodynamic lift. Boats with displacement hulls move the water out of the way as they sit in the water, hence the name. Canoes and cruise ships are examples of vessels with displacement hulls. Planing hulls, on the other hand, function more like a skimming stone: by creating hydrodynamic lift, the hull sifts over the water’s surface, allowing it to travel faster because it has less contact with it. Keep in mind that due to the decreased contact with the sea, powerboats can travel at a much faster speed over water.

The speed at which a boat generates some lift is determined by the speed at which it is sailing. The boat’s planing speed is the speed at which it must sail to generate lift. If the speed of the boat is slower than the planing speed, the hull may act as a displacement hull because no lift is produced. Note that displacement hulls move at a slower, more consistent speed, while semi-displacement hulls combine the characteristics of displacement and planing hulls. Meaning that they displace water at low speeds while retaining the ability to produce lift at cruising speeds. Semi-displacement hull boats are excellent all-around boats, but if speed is a priority, planing hulls are the way to go.

Note that when the boat moves through the water it displaces its own weight in it. In other words, a heavy boat is forced to drive a larger volume of water out of the way, resulting in increased water resistance. When a boat reaches hull speed (the point where the bow and stern waves meet), a one-wave structure is formed. So, heavy boats may become stuck in it, limiting the speed at which they can move because they are constantly battling the waves head-on.

Wind, Tide, and Weather Conditions

Wind and current have an effect on a boat’s handling characteristics, regardless of the type of hull or power combination it has. On a calm day with a slack tidal current, keeping a course or maneuvering in close quarters can be easy. But, the boat may behave badly when dealing with a stiff crosswind or crosscurrent. Due to the fact that the bows of many powerboats are higher than the sterns, they appear to slip off the wind while backing, regardless of what the helm does. In general, it’s advisable to head into the waves at a slight angle and reduce the speed when navigating in big waves and strong winds.

This will aid in maintaining balance and preventing you from making a wave crash into your stern. Also, the type of hull has the greatest impact on how a boat responds to current. Currents tend to have a greater impact on displacement-type hulls with a deep draft than shallower-draft, lighter planing-type hulls. A half-knot cross current may have more impact on a displacement cruiser than a stiff 15-20-knot wind because water is much denser than air.

In the same circumstances, a planing hull with a high tuna tower, on the other hand, might be more influenced by wind than by current. So, the wind current will affect both displacement and planing hulls. As a result, this is also an important factor that affects the boat’s maneuverability. And, it’s particularly noticeable when running at a low speed in close quarters.

Currents, the horizontal flow of water in a downstream direction, are common to both coastal and inland sailors. In open water, currents can range from massive, long-lasting ocean currents like the Gulf Stream or the California Current to the powerful but short-lived undertow, or rip current that can make its way back offshore. Note that the push of prevailing winds affects the currents in the ocean, lakes, and rivers. Ocean currents are often influenced by changes in water density caused by various salinity and temperature levels.

It’s worth mentioning that a downwind run would be much faster than an upwind tack. So, for achieving a good average sailing distance, choosing the right course is critical. Note that by sailing with the tide under you, you will gain a tidal advantage. You can be carried along by the tide, and therefore increase your speed.

Since tidal current speed and tide height are so critical to coastal navigation, annual tide tables and tidal current tables are always a must to check. This is because tides can have a big effect on your boating experience depending on the bodies of water you’re on. Before you set sail, check the tide charts or listen to the tide reports as it’s never a good idea to run aground. Tide tables will thoroughly inform you about tides, such as when high and low tides will occur, as well as what the high and low tides will be at a particular location.

Engine Use

It’s a lot easier to maintain a 5-knot speed average if you use the engine every time you’re in light air. Bear in mind that the use of an engine greatly increases the average sailing speed. However, in my view, it is part of the motoring distance, not the sailing distance.

The size and strength of your engine have a significant impact on how fast you drive. Larger, more efficient engines, are better for boats with semi-displacement and planing hulls. Racing yachts, on the other hand, can opt for slightly smaller engines with lower horsepower because they rely on the sails to reach their top speed.

Gear and Sails

When you have a big sail surface, such as when you use your spinnaker often, you gain speed, thus extending your sailing distance. A well-known passage is the downwind trade wind run from east to west through the Atlantic. There, it is possible to travel over 120 miles in a single day. In addition, your gear can also affect the boat’s speed. Meaning that unattended sails can reduce your cruising speed by as much as one knot. So, if you’re going on a long voyage, make sure your sails are in good shape. The same applies to the hull and other important parts of the boat such as the engine, rudder, and electrical equipment.

Sailing Distances in Different Conditions

So, let’s now look at a few different conditions and how they can impact your daily sailing distance. These are just estimates, but they give you a good idea of what to expect. Note that 1NM is about 1.85 km or 1.15 miles. If you’re sailing downwind, i.e. on a downwind run, then the average sailing distance is about 100NM. On the other hand, if you’re sailing on short passages the average sailing distance is about 60NM whereas on long passages it’s about 80NM. When you use the engine the average distance is about 130NM, but this requires a lot of power and fuel. Lastly, if you have a large boat, i.e. more than 60 ft and sailing in good conditions, then the average sailing speed would be approximately 140NM. Because of their length, larger yachts will cover up to 50% more distance per day.

It’s worth mentioning that multiple-day passages allow you to sail nonstop, thus increasing the average distance per day. Obviously, shorter passages are associated with lower distances. And, if you want to increase the sailing distance by 20-40% then you can use the engine. Note that boats under 30 ft can cruise at around 5 knots on average. In general, if small boats sail all day long they can cover approximately 120NM. But, if they use the tides and sails for 9 hours they can cover around 40NM. A problem here is that the distance is difficult to quantify since a knot is the number of nautical miles per hour. Meaning that 5 knots are equivalent to 5 nautical miles per hour.

A general rule is that the average sailboat, i.e. 30 ft to 48 ft, cruises at around 6 knots and it can cover 144 knots when sailing all day long. But, large boats, i.e. more than 50 ft, cruise at 7.5 knots. In general, if large boats sail all day long they can cover approximately 180NM. But, if sailing for 9 hours they can cover around 60NM.

Note that all these speeds are estimated on average, depending on the size of the vessel as well as the wind and weather conditions. As aforementioned, the factors that affect the sailing distance have always to be taken into consideration when making your calculations.

How to Calculate the Distance

Let’s take as an example a 44 ft cruising sailboat with a LOA of 44’9″, Beam 13’6″, Draft 6’6″/5’6″, Displacement 28,000 lbs, Ballast 10,000 lbs, and Sail Area 1,083 sq, ft. So, this boat has a displacement of 28,000 pounds.
What you have to do is to determine her approximate maximum sailing speed with the following equations for displacement sailboats. So, you basically use the square root of the waterline (LWL) in feet. And, this is an almost accurate estimation of your boat’s speed.

Firstly, find the square root of the Length of the Water Line* (LWL) 40’03” = 40.25′.
Take the square root of 40.25′ = 6.34 x 1.34 = 8.5 knots.
Multiply 8.5 X 24 hours = 204 miles per day.

You can also measure the maximum hull speed, by multiplying the square root of the LWL by 34 percent. This will give you an approximation of the hull’s maximum speed.

Another option is to keep a travel log and measure a real-world average for your boat and sailing abilities. Simply multiply the distance by the amount of time you spent sailing. This calculates the average speed (in knots) or distance traveled (in NM).

How Far a Sailboat Can Travel in a Day – The Bottom Line

If you’re wondering how many nautical miles you can sail in a day, you should know that while sailing downwind, sailboats can cover up to 100NM in a single day. The average sailing speed for all boats in all conditions, when sailing for 24 hours, is approximately 120NM. If you go further and use the engine, the distance will increase to 130NM. For shorter passages, a 60 NM daily distance is more common, and obviously, large boats are quicker than small boats. Note that sailboats can navigate on the open seas 24/7 if the crew can manage. In other words, they can cover a lot more distance than most people believe. So, before calculating the average speed of your boat remember to consider the factors that influence its speed. Wish you all happy and safe voyages!