Chapter 3 · Lesson 9Onboard activity · about 6 minutes
Working a capstan or winch
Understand the operator-and-tailer team, keep hands clear and transfer the load only through the vessel's practised sequence.
Video coming soon
Working a capstan or winch
In the video
- Learn this machine first
- Operator and tailer work together
- Transfer without losing control
From the captain
Before you start
A capstan makes a heavy line look manageable. That is helpful, but it can also make people forget how much load is still sitting in the system.
By the end of this lesson
Explain the operator-and-tailer roles and the need to preserve control through a load transfer.
See it
See it for yourself
The machine moves the line. The crew control the load.
Who does what at a capstan or winch, and the handover that carries the risk.
5/5Only then, on the practised command sequence, do the turns come off and the tail go. If wraps climb, cross or jam, stop the operation.
Concept sketch · not to scale · this machine's briefing and the vessel's procedure govern
What to look for
Learn the installed machine
Locate controls and the emergency stop through an authorised familiarisation. Rotation, wraps, line suitability and safe positions belong to that equipment and procedure.
The handover carries the risk
Stopping a motor does not prove the line is secured. The operation must retain control until the designated holding arrangement has taken the load under command.
The lesson
The lesson
- 01
Learn this machine first
Controls, rotation, emergency stop, safe positions and required wraps vary. Receive a vessel-specific briefing before operation. Never assume a wrap count from another boat applies here.
- 02
Operator and tailer work together
One person controls the equipment and one manages the tail as directed. Keep hands, loose clothing and feet away from the drum and line path. Never surge or try to stop a running line with your body.
- 03
Transfer without losing control
The line remains controlled until the load is secured at the designated holding point. Follow the practised command sequence for easing, securing and removing turns. If wraps climb, cross or jam, stop the operation.
Where it goes wrong
The tail is released before the load is properly secured. The line slips back across the drum and the vessel moves. One skipped handover has turned a controlled line into a running one.
Your call
What would you do?
Pick one, then read the feedback on all three.
The situation
The motor has stopped, but the line has not yet been transferred to the designated holding point.
Take it aboard
Point through a powered-off sequence
Do this during your induction or first weeks, with the person responsible for your work.
Walk-through aboard
At an isolated installation, have the authorised crew explain each role and command.
- 01Identify operator, tailer, controls and stop.
- 02Point out line travel and pinch points from outside them.
- 03Explain how load is retained during transfer.
- 04Rehearse the lost-communication stop.
What a useful result looks like
- No universal wrap count is invented.
- You identify who controls each stage.
Stop: No independent operation, tensioning or reaching into the drum. Isolation is established by authorised crew.
Deckhand Foundation · Job card
Capstan familiarisation
From the lesson: Working a capstan or winch
- Training and authority confirmed.
- Controls, rotation and stop known.
- Line and wraps follow the actual procedure.
- Roles and signals clear.
- Load remains controlled through transfer.
Installation / supervisor
Transfer sequence to learn
Your vessel's procedures and senior crew come first. Nothing on this card is stored.
Quick check
Four decisions, then move on
This check confirms the principle. Your vessel's own induction still comes first.