How fast did 1700s ships go

You know, thinking about sailing ships back in the 1700s—they weren’t exactly zipping across the ocean like we do today. I mean, by our standards, they were pretty slow, but for those days? It was something. A typical merchant or navy ship would chug along at maybe 4 to 8 knots (that's like 4.6 to 9.2 miles per hour, or about 7.4 to 14.8 km/h). But honestly, it all depended on so many things—the ship's build, the weather, what it was meant for. Just a mess of variables.

What was the average speed of a sailing ship in the 1700s?

Most of those 18th-century ships usually cruised around 5 to 6 knots. A knot, by the way, is just a nautical mile per hour—works out to 1.15 regular miles or 1.85 km. Merchant ships, they were built for hauling cargo, not racing, so they'd do maybe 4 to 5 knots on those long trips. Naval frigates and ships of the line? Those were different—they were built for chasing and dodging, so they could keep up 6 to 8 knots if the wind was good.

Crossing the Atlantic from Europe to America? That took like 4 to 6 weeks, sometimes more. Coming back east was even slower, thanks to those westerly winds pushing against you. If a ship did 5 knots, you'd think it'd cover 120 nautical miles a day, but nah—calms, storms, all that mess—often it'd be more like 80 to 100 miles.

How fast could the fastest 18th-century ships sail?

The real speed demons of the 1700s were these sleek, light vessels—schooners, cutters, some frigates. When the wind was strong and steady, they could hit 12 to 14 knots (13.8 to 16.1 mph, or 22.2 to25.9 km/h). I've heard stories of some really exceptional boats briefly touching 15 knots on a broad reach or run, but that was rare.

• Naval frigates: Built for speed, these could do 10-12 knots in a good breeze.
• Baltimore clippers: Came later, but early ones in the late 1700s already hit 12 knots.
• Schooners: Fast, nimble—perfect for smuggling or quick dispatches. Could do 10-14 knots.
• East Indiamen: Big merchant ships, slower at 5-7 knots, but you could count on 'em.

What factors affected the speed of 1700s ships?

Lots of things played into how fast a ship could go back then:

did 1700s ship speeds compare to earlier or later eras?

Compared to the 1500s and 1600s, ships in the 1700s were definitely faster—better hulls, better rigging, better sails. Back in the 1500s, you'd be lucky to get 3-5 knots. But by the late 1700s, some specialized ships could do 8-10 knots. Then the 19th century came along with clipper ships hitting 15-18 knots, which was a whole other level.

People sometimes think those old ships were blazing fast, but nah. Voyages were measured in weeks and months, not days. A ship's "top speed" was just a moment—over a whole trip, the average was way lower.

What is a knot, and how was it measured in the 1700s?

A knot is just speed measured in nautical miles per hour. Back then, sailors used a "chip log." You'd throw a wooden board overboard, attached to a line with knots tied at regular intervals. As the ship moved, the line would play out, and you'd count how many knots passed in a set time—usually 28 seconds. That gave you the speed in knots. Pretty clever, huh?

"The fastest ships of the 1700s were not the massive ships of the line, but the swift frigates and schooners that could reach 12 knots in a fresh breeze. Yet even these speeds were rare and fleeting."