Capstan (nautical)

A capstan is a rotating machine used to control or apply force to another element, usually linear.

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The term was first used for the capstan on a ship, which is used to control ropes that are wound around it. The rope is wound around one or more times, but is not stored on a capstan - that arrangement is usually called a winch.

Related Topics:
Ship - Rope - Winch

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Ships' capstans were traditionally manually operated - consisting of a shaped wooden drum with handles inserted into the rim, at which men could push or pull.

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It seems that in Tudor times, when kissing the gunner's daughter was not yet a tradition, the capstan was a favorite place for sailors to be bound over for a whipping, even for 'petty pilferings'.

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Modern capstans are powered electrically.

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