How An Anchor Windlass Works
An anchor windlass is an important machine which is used for heaving up heavy things onto a ship. The anchor chain is self explanatory. It is a chain that is used for raising and lowering the anchor on boats and ships. The anchor windlass is brought into use for manipulation and restraining of these anchor chains.
"Anchor Windlass" is different from "trawl windlass". Anchor Windlass is a horizontal winch. Such a machine works with the help of a gearbox, and a motor too is involved in this. The machine is usually placed above-deck. There is a horizontal shaft going through the machine and its wheels. This is there on either side of the machine to facilitate easy tying of rope or chain for anchoring purposes.
The horizontal position is advantageous for working the machine. Corrosive elements are kept at bay because of this position. The whole construction is self contained. Two anchors can be tied simultaneously onto the dual wheels of the machine.
Capstans are meant for small boats, but windlasses are used in larger boats. It is interesting to understand inner workings of this machine. The anchor is attached to the cable meant for it, which correspondingly is known as the anchor cable. The cable goes a long way up the haws pipe, then from the haws pipe to the pawl, from the gypsy windlass it comes out of the spurling pipe to pass through the cable locker which is located under the forecastle at stern position. All the bits belonging to this anchor are there within the cable locker, bitter pin attaches bits to the bitter end that belongs to the cable. This is helpful during stormy weather.
Some windlasses operate with power. But in olden times manual operation was the only possibility. Even today some people operate it manually. Steam, electricity and hydraulics provide for power sources. Electricity is the cheapest way to operate a windlass.