Ship Winches: Compare Types, Avoid Mistakes, Choose Right

Choosing the right winch isn't just about force—it's about function, safety, and how well it integrates into your vessel’s operations. Whether you're anchoring in deep water, mooring under load, towing offshore assets, or lifting cargo in tight quarters, the wrong winch can delay operations or compromise safety. That’s why we built this page.

✅ Use the Winch Selector Tool below to find the perfect match based on your vessel type, mission profile, and power setup.

👇 Or explore our Winch Comparison Guide to compare all 9 major types used in modern shipping.

ShipUniverse: Winch Type Comparison Guide
Winch Type	Typical Use	Power Source	Price Range	Standout Feature
Anchor Winch (Windlass)	Deploying and retrieving anchor chains	Hydraulic or Electric	$1,000 – $150,000+	Chain-specific design with strong braking control
Mooring Winch	Securing vessel to berth or buoy	Hydraulic or Electric	$3,500 – $200,000+	Constant tension or auto-tension capability
Combined Anchor-Mooring Winch	Dual-purpose anchor and mooring duties	Hydraulic or Electric	$5,000 – $250,000+	Space-saving design with dual-drum configuration
Towing Winch	Tug operations, salvage, escorting	Hydraulic	$75,000 – $500,000+	High-torque, dynamic load handling with fail-safe braking
Capstan Winch	Line handling in confined deck spaces	Electric, Hydraulic, or Gasoline	$1,000 – $35,000	Compact vertical drum with manual line control
Cargo Winch	Breakbulk cargo lifting and hold operations	Electric or Hydraulic	$8,000 – $150,000+	Used with masts or booms for self-loading ships
Electric Winch	Light-duty mooring, anchoring, deck ops	Electric (AC/DC)	$1,000 – $85,000+	Easy installation with low maintenance profile
Hydraulic Winch	Heavy-duty towing, mooring, anchor ops	Hydraulic	$4,000 – $800,000+	Unmatched torque and shock resistance
Offshore Winch	Subsea deployment, riser tensioning, AHC lifts	Hydraulic or Electric with AHC	$150,000 – $2,000,000+	Real-time tension control with advanced automation