r/Tallships • u/TauvaVodder • 2d ago

Would there ever be a windlass used on a 17th century tall ship?

I thought I saw some reference to one once, don't remember where, but I assumed any work that would require a windlass could be accomplished with a capstan.

7 Upvotes

72% Upvoted

9

u/snogum 2d ago edited 2d ago

Yes indeed. Log windlass run by hand with spikes and wooden pawls

Acts as a horizontal winch for anchor and lines.

Seperatelly there would be a capstan as well

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/9387-windlass-rigging/

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u/NotInherentAfterAll 2d ago

There was one of these on Lady Washington!

-2

u/abobslife 2d ago

The Lady Washington is a built to replicate a later era than the 17th century.

1

u/NotInherentAfterAll 2d ago

I know - I’m just giving a shoutout to the ship I know which had a device the comment mentioned, as a working example. It’s about a hundred years too late though.

0

u/TauvaVodder 2d ago

Perfect, thank you.

1

u/CeramicLicker 2d ago

Yes, but it would be horizontal rather than the vertical windlasses like you see later on.

The Maryland Dove is meant to be a 1630s penance for example and she has a windlass for raising and lowering the anchor.