Anchor Windlass – Understanding Design And Operation

Anchors play a critical role in the maneuvering of ships and aid them in safely docking at ports and on the high seas. To keep an entire vessel (weighing a few hundred tons) in place, a heavyweight known as the anchor head provides the resistive forces.

Have you ever wondered how such a heavyweight is lowered and raised from the ocean bed or seafloor?

A mechanical device known as the anchor windlass is used for this very purpose.

A windlass refers to any pulley or mechanical system used to shift large weights in a vertical or horizontal direction. It was invented by the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes and was used for