to lower the anchor under control with a
power-out or power-down, reel-out mode.
Finally, be sure that the chain wildcat ex-
actly matches the chain size and type as well as
the rope (if a rope/chain windlass). If the wild-
cat doesn’t match the chain precisely, the chain
can either skip out or jam—neither is good!
Again, in the United States, common ter-
minology is that the chain drum is called a
wildcat and the rope drum a gypsy (a
capstanin vertical position). In the United
Kingdom, it is exactly the opposite—go
figure. Keep this terminology difference in
mind when ordering and speccing windlasses
from or for use in the United Kingdom,
Canada, Australia, and so on.
Vertical or Horizontal?
There’s very little difference in performance
between a horizontal and a vertical windlass.
Vertical windlasses, however, take up less
space on deck and often fit an optional rope
drum or capstan on top, which is useful as a
warping winch and for applying pull (using a
snatch block or two) for all sorts of odd jobs.
(Larger horizontal windlasses usually come
with an optional vertical rope capstan on top
as well.) It can be less expensive (for a dual
anchor system) to install a single horizontal
windlass with chain wildcats on both sides
than a pair of vertical windlasses. On the other
hand, having a pair of windlasses means that if
one fails, the other will still work. On yet an-
other hand, the motor and workings of hori-
zontal windlasses are above deck and easy to
get at to work on, while vertical windlasses
have their motors below deck. Here they are
more protected from the elements but harder
to reach for maintenance and repairs.Chapter 24: Sizing the Anchor and Rode and Selecting Anchor-Handling Gear
TABLE 24-3. WIRE GAUGES/WIRE SIZE—AWG AND METRIC (CONTINUED)
Stranding/Wire Dia. Approximate
per Strand Overall Diameter
Equivalent AWG Metric Wire
Circ.Mils Circ.Mils Size Size mm^2 in. mm in. mm
—— 49,340 —— 25 19 /.052^19 /1.32 0.26 6.6
52,620 —— 3 ——^7 /.0867^7 /2.20 0.26 6.61
66,360 —— 2 ——^7 /.0974^7 /2.47 0.292 7.42
—— 69,070 —— 35 7 /.100^7 /2.54 0.3 7.62
—— 69,070 —— 35 19 /.061^19 /1.55 0.305 7.75
83,690 —— 1 ——^19 /.0664^19 /1.69 0.332 9.43
—— 98,680 —— 50 19 /.073^19 /1.85 0.365 9.27
105,600 —— 0 ——^19 /.0745^19 /1.89 0.373 9.46
133,100 —— 00 ——^19 /.0837^19 /2.13 0.419 10.6
—— 138,100 —— 70 19 /.086^19 /2.18 0.43 10.9
167,800 —— 000 ——^19 /.094^19 /2.39 0.47 11.9
167,800 —— 000 ——^37 /.0673^37 /1.71 0.471 12
—— 187,500 —— 95 19 /.101^19 /2.57 0.505 12.8
—— 187,500 —— 95 37 /.072^37 /1.83 0.504 12.8
211,600 —— 0000 ——^19 /.1055^19 /2.68 0.528 13.4(Courtesy Ilsco)
Figure 24-3.
Admiralty-pattern
anchor lashed to
bulwark under the
anchor davit