What is a capstan and why do I need one?
A capstan is a rotating machine usually used on boats for heaving-in or veering ropes, cables, and hawsers.
Today's capstans are powered electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically, or via an internal combustion engine. Typically a gearbox is used which trades reduced speed for increased torque.
Capstans and windlasses arevery similar. The main difference between a capstan and a windlass is...
that the capstan has an axis on which the rope is wound vertical instead of horizontal. In yachting terms, winches function on the same principle as capstans, though in industrial applications, the term winch generally implies a machine which stores the rope on a drum. Rather than using the hand-over-hand method of retrieving lines, the capstan offers a mechanical advantage that is both quicker and much safer. The capstan does the heavy lifting for you with only a small amount of effort. The maximum speed of the line retrieval depends on the rotational speed of the drum. The benefit is that the retrieval speed can be adjusted by decreasing the tension on the retrieved line, maintaining control over a very heavy load with little effort on your part. This useful device, which has been around since the early days of sailing, is still used today. Recreational fishermen, like commercial fishermen, use these for hauling crab and lobster pots and there are many other uses aboard boats. The few mechanical parts and ease of use have made this a favorite of fisherman all around the world. While chains should NEVER be wrapped around a drum, the majority of lines can be handled on a capstan. A capstan, usually operated by an simple footswitch, allows the user to control lines with ease without having more crew members. Our Powerwinch page has a model to fit your needs. All of our Powerwinch capstans come with a foot control switch that allows for hands-free operation. Go to our Powerwinch page above, or go directly to our capstan pages, shown here: Powerwinch Capstan 1000 Windlass
Why Capstans?
