Ahoy and welcome to the Cutty Sark learning blog! Sailing a ship is a tricky business but this blog aims to help explain how sailing ships work and the purpose of some of the tools on board.

by John Prescott, Cutty Sark volunteer

Knots: measuring speed at sea

You've most probably heard the term ‘knots’ referring to the unit in which a ship’s speed is measured. Learn more about the origin of the term and how knots are measured.

How to make a log line

Learn how to make your own log line and measure speed in knots!