Horizontal windlass

ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF HORIZONTAL WINDLASS

Here are some advantages and disadvantages of horizontal windlasses over vertical windlasses:

1. Benefits:

• More efficient at hauling heavy loads: Horizontal windlasses are generally more powerful than vertical windlasses and are therefore more efficient at hauling heavy loads, such as a large anchor and anchor chain.
• Less stress on the lifting mechanism: when the anchor is pulled up vertically, there is a high stress on the windlass lifting mechanism. Horizontal windlasses, on the other hand, allow the load to be spread over a larger area, which reduces the stress on the lifting mechanism

2. Disadvantages:

• Expensive and difficult to maintain: Horizontal windlasses are generally more expensive to purchase and maintain than vertical windlasses.
• Bulky: Horizontal windlasses are generally bulkier than vertical windlasses and take up more space on the ship's deck.

Horizontal windlasses can be manually or electrically operated. Electric windlasses are generally faster and easier to use than manual windlasses, but require an electrical power source.

To use a horizontal windlass, the vessel must be stationary and the anchor must be on the bottom. The anchor chain is attached to the windlass and is pulled up until it is dropped to the deck of the vessel. To lower the anchor, the chain is detached from the windlass and unwound until it reaches the bottom.