Horizontal windlass

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HORIZONTAL WINDLASSES

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

1. Advantages:

• More efficient at lifting heavy loads: horizontal windlasses are generally more powerful than vertical windlasses and are therefore more efficient at lifting heavy loads, such as large anchors and anchor chains.
• Less stress on the lifting mechanism: when the anchor is hauled up vertically, there is a great deal of stress on the windlass's lifting mechanism. Horizontal windlasses, on the other hand, allow the load to be spread over a larger surface area, reducing stress on the lifting mechanism

2. Disadvantages:

• Expensive and difficult to maintain: horizontal windlasses are generally more expensive to buy and maintain than vertical windlasses.
• Bulky: horizontal windlasses are generally bulkier than vertical windlasses, taking 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 ones, but require an electrical power source.

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