An marine anchor winch is a machine engineered for anchoring purposes. Modern winches are easy to install, operate and maintain. The main application sites of such winches is ship decks. There are two main design categories of the machines: anchor chain marine winches and anchor rope winches.
Electric powered anchor winches are suitable for towing small to mid-sized boats. When it comes to towing cargo ships and other heavy-duty application purposes, a hydraulic anchor winch will be required. All winches for boats from the best manufacturers are energy efficient, low cost and safe, and they have robust constructions. It’s a good idea to choose marine anchor winches that meet key national standards and have relevant safety certificates, such as DNV, ABS, RMRS, BV, etc.
Key electric winch parameters to check include the diameter of anchor rope/chain, load capacity, certification, speed, number of gypsies, and power source. The rope/chain diameter will normally be quoted in millimeters; the load capacity will typically be stated in tons, and the speed will be quoted in meters per minute.
The main components of an electric anchor winch are an electric motor, drive gear, reducers, chain wheel, brake control rod, band brake, clutch, and rope drum.
Rope Anchor Winch: This type of winch relies on a strong rope for operations. The benefits of a rope winch include long service life, high efficiency, and low maintenance.
Chain Anchor Winch: This type of winch has a chain wheel and anchor chain. The chain is available with cast steel, welded steel or forged steel. The grade of steel used will determine whether the anchor winch is classified as AM1, AM2 or AM3. Chain winches are designed for a range of applications and working conditions, and they are available with single or double chain wheels.
While the type of cable an anchor winch has – rope or chain – is one way of dividing different models into categories, winches can also be different into further categories including horizontal anchor winch, vertical anchor winch, and left-hand/right-hand anchor winch. Vertical designs are typically used on small boats for mooring and anchoring purposes. Horizontal designs, meanwhile, are more commonly found on larger boats and commercial ships. For private yachts, stainless steel vertical windlasses are a common choice.
When shopping for an anchor winch, you need to know the required working load, nominal speed, nominal size, size and weight of the anchor, and diameter and length of cable to make the best buying decision. Other factors you need to think about are the operating conditions you plan to operate the winch in. If you are planning an expedition to the arctic, for example, you are going to have to look for anchor winches that are engineered to operate in extreme weather conditions.
You will find many electric and hydraulic marine anchor winch suppliers online. If you want to benefit from the lowest prices, make sure that you don’t rule out overseas manufacturers. You can get some great deals on high-quality anchoring machinery from suppliers in China, the Philippines, and India. For more information, go here winchmachines.com