Nautical Term: Winch
Definition of Winch
A winch is a mechanical hoisting or pulling device, primarily used for handling, hoisting, and lowering cargo. It is fitted with a horizontal, single or double drum. A small drum, also called a gypside, niggerhead, or winch head, is fitted on one or both ends of the shaft supporting the hoisting drum. The hoisting drums are either fitted with a friction brake or are directly keyed to the shaft. The driving power can be steam, electricity, or even hand power. The primary use of a winch is to handle, hoist, and lower cargo from a dock or lighter to the hold of a ship and vice versa.
For instance, in a busy port, a winch is used to efficiently load and unload cargo from ships to the dock. The winch’s rotating drum pulls the cargo towards the ship, while the cargo is being secured, the winch’s brake is engaged to prevent the cargo from moving while being secured. Once the cargo is securely loaded onto the ship, the winch is used to lower the cargo down to the dock, making it ready for unloading from the ship to the final destination.
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