As boat size increases, the size of their anchors tends to increase as well. At some point manually hauling in an anchor ceases to be an option, and boaters consider installing a windlass. Whether manual or motor driven, windlasses make anchor retrieval relatively simple and worry free.



Manual windlasses are available as either lever-type (back and forth motion) or vertical axis (a circular winch-grinding motion). Lever-type windlasses are generally single speed, and vertical models, like sheet winches, have two speeds: a fast, low-power gear for light loads, and a slower speed with higher power for heavier loads.

Electric windlasses haul ground tackle aboard with a touch of a button or a step on a pedal. Most are available with remote controls for operation from the helm or elsewhere on the boat, and nearly all offer a self-tailing feature which takes in the slack as the line is hauled in and feeds it into the locker below deck.

The pulling power required from a windlass is generally three times the unloaded weight of the anchor and chain, but most experts recommend figuring four times the unloaded weight as a safety factor when anchoring in rocky areas or in adverse conditions.

Horizontal or Vertical

Although personal taste plays a part in choosing either a horizontal or vertical style windlass, much of the decision is by necessity based on the boat’s size and layout. The size and configuration of the foredeck, chain locker and forepeak dictate much of the criteria.

Horizontal windlasses are generally used on smaller boats with limited under-deck space. Very large yacht windlasses and most manual windlasses are also horizontal. The windlass is fitted directly over the hawse pipe and positioned in line with the bow roller to ensure a fair lead. Since the rode does not have to make many directional changes, it generally disappears down the hawse pipe neatly without kinking or jamming. Because the motor and gearbox are located on deck, they are easily accessible. However, they are more exposed to the elements and generally take up more deck space than vertical windlasses.

Vertical windlasses are installed with the motor and gearbox mounted below deck, and are very popular because they leave the foredeck relatively uncluttered. Vertical windlasses are versatile as the rode can be led from any direction. The rode leads from the anchor roller back to a capstan or gypsy, wraps around 180 degrees, and feeds through a hawse pipe and down into the chain locker. Again, the configuration of the boat dictates the feasibility of this system. Since the guts of the windlass are below, the motor may interfere with living space or physical limits of the chain locker. To pay out properly, manufacturers recommend at least 12" clearance from the top of the stowed rode to the top of the locker. Before purchasing any windlass, the forepeak should be measured to ensure everything fits. The windlass manufacturer can generally provide a plan detailing all the dimensions for common installations.

Rode Types

All-rope rodes, most frequently used on smaller boats, require capstan-type windlasses. These are similar in appearance and operation to a sheet winch on a sailboat, and haul in the line wound around the drum. Self-tailing is a desirable feature with all-rope rodes.

All-chain rodes, often favored by larger cruising boats, are handled by all-chain gypsies. Self-tailing is unnecessary on a chain gypsy as the weight of the chain peeling off the gypsy will cause the rode to stow itself.

Combination rope/chain rodes are very popular, as even a short length of chain lends a lot of holding power to the anchor and the rope keeps the overall weight of the ground tackle down. Windlasses that handle rope/chain rodes use either a capstan mounted above a gypsy or a single unit with both capabilities. A gypsy handles chain through the use of internal pockets which the chain links seat into. The chain and the pockets must be sized the same or the chain will hang up. Combination models also use a gypsy, but feature an internal groove that handles the rope. The separate capstan/gypsy configuration requires that the chain stopper be set after the rope is retrieved and changed to the gypsy to haul in the chain, while the combination model allows "hands-off" operation. Most combination models require that the chain be joined to the rope by a splice, as the unit cannot accommodate a shackle. Most windlass manufacturers offer a few rope/chain models which handle the most commonly used specifications of each. As a general rule, windlasses for boats under 40' use 1/2" line with 5/16" chain; for bigger boats, 5/8" rope with 3/8" chain.