Glossary · Rig
Winch
Also called: winchs, colonne, moulin à café, coffee grinder, pedestal
A drum that multiplies force to pull in a sheet or halyard.
On a racing boat, loads far exceed what an arm can pull. Winches, turned with a handle or a pedestal grinder (worked with both hands), make it possible. Some boats power them for harbour manoeuvres.
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No source yet · updated 30 Sept 2026