Winch Versus Capstan: What’s the Difference Between These Winches?

There is a lot to know in the world of winches, including the differences between a winch and a capstan. If you’re asking yourself: what the winch? And would like to learn more, keep reading to find out the differences.  

Winch 

• Winches are devices consisting of a drum on an axle, a pawl, and a crank handle, with or without gearing, to give increased power when hauling on a rope or cable.  The drum usually has a motor allowing it to move in both directions and the motor feeds out the cable and retracts it back inside the drum. There are drums that are motorized and manually turned.  

• Winches are used for marine craft and fishing boats, off-road vehicles, aircraft, and construction equipment, to name a few! 

Capstan 

• A capstan is a vertical drum that revolves on a upright spindle that is used to move heavy weights by means of cables, ropes or chains. But the main difference between a winch and capstan is that the ropes or cables on the capstan don’t actually roll onto a drum.  

• Capstan winches are usually used on marine craft and fishing boats.  

What Is the Difference? 

The main difference between a winch and a capstan is that the winch has a drum onto which a rope or steel cable is wound, while a capstan is a powered drum-shaped device used to assist in pulling a rope, steel cable or chain, but which does not actually roll it onto a drum.