Anchor Winch and Windlass Terms

• Bollard - An upright round post with projecting arms, for belaying and snubbing dock or anchor lines



• Capstan - Often referred to as a drum, rope drum, powerhead or warping drum used for hauling rope while being tailed by the operator
  
  
• Chain locker - The compartment in which the chain or rode is stored
  
  
• Chain pipe - Mounted on deck, it is the conduit that guides the chain from deck level to below deck. Can be separate item or integral part of a windlass
  
  
• Chain Stopper - Located between the winch and bow roller. Secures chain and anchor and takes the load off the windlass. Must be used for systems utilizing all chain and for semi-automatic rope and chain systems
  
  
• Chainwheel (Gypsy) - Often referred to as gypsy or wildcat. A special wheel with pockets, to accommodate a specified chain size, for hauling up the chain (rode) and anchor
  
  
• Contactor(s) - A heavy duty relay(s) for opening and closing a power circuit, typically to a motor
  
  
• Displacement - Weight of water displaced by hull/s of vessel while stationary
  
  
• Draught (Draft) - The depth of water which a vessel requires to float
  
  
• Fall - The distance between the stored rode and either the deck for a vertical windlass or the center of the gypsy on a horizontal windlass
• Flying bridge - A control station on top of the deckhouse that provides high visibility for deep sea fishing and navigation
  
  
• Free Fall - Release of the winch clutch mechanism allowing the anchor and rode to run out freely with no engagement of winch gearbox or motor
  
  
• Gypsy - See Chainwheel
  
  
• Hauling - Often referred to as weighing or lifting. The operation of lifting the anchor and rode
  
  
• Hawse pipe - Mounted between the deck and the hull it is the conduit that guides the chain from deck to the hull where the anchor is stowed. It can accommodate the anchor shank when stowed
  
  
• Horizontal - Pertaining to the winch or windlass. Drive shaft, capstan and chainwheel axis is positioned horizontally to the deck
  
  
• Line - A rope used for a specific purpose aboard a vessel
  
  
• Maximum Pull - Sometimes referred to as rated lift, stall load, or simply lift/pull. The maximum pull or lift load of the winch
  
  
• Rode - Anchor line, usually consists of a length of chain followed by a length of rope, varying lengths for both
  
  
• Rope - Generally speaking when a piece of rope is put to use on a vessel it becomes a line
  
  
• Snub - To check the movement of a line by taking a turn around a snubbing capstan, a cleat or a post. To make fast
  
  
• Spurling pipe - Mounted below deck it is the conduit that guides the chain within or to the chain locker
  
  
• Tailing - Controlling the exit or entry of a line at the top of a capstan. The tailing force is a reduction of the hauling load due to the grip of the line wraps around the capstan
  
  
• Tensioner - The device used to hold the anchor tight to avoid the anchor flogging against the yacht due to the yacht sway
  
  
• Topworks - The parts of the windlass that are above the deck
  
  
• Vertical - Pertaining to the windlass or capstan. The drive shaft, capstan and gypsy axis are positioned vertically
  
  
• VFD - Variable Frequency Drive. An electronic device used to control AC motors by varying the alternating frequency of the voltage supplied to the motor from a consistent source
  
  
• Warping – warp - To move a vessel from one place to another by means of a rope made fast to some fixed object. A warp is a piece of rope used for warping
  
  
• Weigh - To lift, pull or haul, as to weigh anchor
  
  
• Wildcat - See Chainwheel
  
  
• Windlass - A machine designed to raise or lower an anchor
  
  
• Working load - Often referred to as the normal working load or the typical lift of the winch. The working load should approximately correspond to the total weight of the anchor and rode aboard the boat
  
  

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