What’s the capstan on my windlass for?

[DavidJ]

I’m replacing my windlass for one without a capstan (not just cosmetic I have a problem)
After owning the boat for 15 years I’ve never known what the capstan (also called a warping capstan I believe) is for on a Sealine S37.
I don’t want to make the conversion and find out it was really useful for something.

 

[sarabande]

Gypsy (or wildcat) is for chain only.

The warping head is used for rope, but can with great care be used for chain.

Its use as a contingency hauling source is one I would not do without.

 

[DavidJ]

Gypsy (or wildcat) is for chain only.

The warping head is used for rope, but can with great care be used for chain.

Its use as a contingency hauling source is one I would not do without.

Thanks Sarabande, I was only boasting to my son how quickly a reply would come back and yours was within 8 mins.
On my vertical unit I don’t see a way of easily detaching the chain to use it to haul. On the Sealine it’s all a bit hidden away under the “beak”

 

[Portofino]

Tightening bow lines in Med marinas .
Nice to have the option incase of weedy crew or you are injured making hand pulling ( 12 M boat ) difficult.
Ordinary I guess you just hand pull the bow lines .
But in visiting marinas if you are in a bigger berth and the L is long the weight of the chain on the bow line takes a bit of hand pulling sometimes so it’s nice just to wrap it round a capstan - more so if it’s blowing and you boats swinging about .

 

[Grubble]

I thought it was for pulling your sails in tight as you endlessly tack upwind trying to get back to the marina while the motorboats go flying past you in a straight line.

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

Thanks Sarabande, I was only boasting to my son how quickly a reply would come back and yours was within 8 mins.
On my vertical unit I don’t see a way of easily detaching the chain to use it to haul. On the Sealine it’s all a bit hidden away under the “beak”

I think that when you release the clutch to let the chain run out, the capstan remains locked to the shaft. So no need to detach the chain.

 

[DavidJ]

I think that when you release the clutch to let the chain run out, the capstan remains locked to the shaft. So no need to detach the chain.

Yes you are right the capstan is locked to the shaft so presumably you would have to stop the chain and anchor running out when you release the clutch. Straightforward on most boats but not so with the Sealine “beak” hiding everything.

When you turn the capstan does the motor turn. I’ve noticed in the gypsy gearbox there is a needle clutch bearing. Perhaps this realeases the motor in this circumstance.

 

[Bouba]

Once after a strong blow the slime line rope was so tight on my cleat that I couldn’t remove it. I took a short length of rope, tied it to the slime line rope just in front of the cleat and wrapped the other end around the capstan and without any effort it pulled the slime line rope away from the cleat and I was able to easily remove it from the cleat. Without the capstan I would still be moored there

 

[Hurricane]

I can only speak for Lewmar windlasses.

The gypsy operated via a clutch.
The clutch works by trapping the gypsy between the capstan and the motor shaft.
The winch handle only controls the amount of tension applied to the clutch.
Therefore. the winch handle does not turn the motor.
Subsequently, the winch handle cannot be used to recover the chain but it can be used to deploy the chain by releasing the clutch.
Even if you could use the winch handle, you couldn't turn it against the motor because the whole system is driven by a worm gear.

OK, so that isn't the OP's question.
Unless the chain is secured, if you release the clutch holding the gypsy, the chain will run out.
So, the procedure could be to lock the chain and then release the tension on the gypsy by loosening the nut on top of the capstan.
Then the capstan will turn whenever the motor is operated.
Personally, I would then worry that the "nut" on the top of the capstan might turn with the capstan either tightening or loosening.
If it were to tightening, the chain would then re-engage.
Maybe the nut on the top could be completely removed but then you have the risk of the capstan pulling off the shaft.

Back to the OP's question, I don't believe that there is much of a need for a capstan.
The gypsy and chain are really all that is required.
I wouldn't loose any sleep over not having a capstan.

Here are some pics of our Lewmar windlass that may help.

 

[markc]

I use my capstan all the time. As mentioned by Porto earlier, I use it to tension the bow line in our Med mooring - it would be impossible by hand. However, I never used one in 20 years boating in the UK.

 

[DavidJ]

That’s very similar to my Simpson Lawrence. Thanks to all and it allows me to go ahead with the full facts. In my case there isn’t a worm gear but the point still stands as the gear reduction (or rather gears reduction) is huge making turning the motor impossible.

 

[BruceK]

Sometimes I have to anchor deep. Too deep for chain alone. Too much weight and the anchor locker isnt deep enough. Wide yes. Deep no. So my 50 odd yards of chain is complimented by that again in rope. I am heavily reliant on the drum to retrieve up to the chain. In so saying its still an awful lot of hard work and sweat. Norhing at all as easy as retrieving chain.