Lengths
From: Nigel Gardner
Date: 2001 Jul 13, 12:50 AM
The use of 'cable' as an expressive length is still quite common in UK; for
example, "pass that headland a couple of cables off". It is also a more
convenient way of saying 'one tenth of a (nautical) mile'
A standard shackle is 15 fathom
NG