Capstans

[MN Boater]

You did a great job restoring it! Seeing that it is on Isle Royal, there is pretty much a captive crowd out there and I wouldn't think anyone would get very far trying to get back onto a boat toting one of those wooden handles.

[Capt R Metz]

If I remember right the upper holes were for taking in the line and the lower holes were if you need more power like a stuck anchor. At the bottom of the capstan were slots and if you wanted to stop taking the line in you would push in the stopper, if you wanted the anchor to drop freely you would move the stopper upright and remove the wooden handles and down the anchor would go. I restored the capstan myself. When we first lifted the capstan out of the water we were surprise to see part of the deck still attach. I cleaned it all up and painted it with a primer the black. It is set in concrete and can not be moved. The wooden dowels were made by John Murn a NPS employee in 1968 and none of them has ever been stolen.

[MN Boater]

This was the capstan that I salvaged from the shipwreck Monarch. I gave it to be put on display at Rock Harbor Light house at Isle Royale.

Wow, nicely restored. Who did the work on it? I notice there are two spots to put the wooden handles in to operate the capstan, one set lower than the other with a definite division between them. Seeing this is a capstan from the late 1800s, is there a gear reduction in this unit, like a high speed no tork, low speed high tork so if you just wanted to wind up rope you'd use the lower holes and if you really wanted to pull you'd use the upper holes?

[Capt R Metz]

This was the capstan that I salvaged from the shipwreck Monarch. I gave it to be put on display at Rock Harbor Light house at Isle Royale.

[hayhugh2]

Would be nice to mount your mail box on in places prone to bad drivers.

[sh71382]

Have any photos? That would really help.

[Randy S]

The price of scrap varies by type and location. Here is a site to give you a rough idea .. if you can determine what the weight is.
http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/fe/fe.asp

[fischbob]

Anyone haver any idea what the value of a couple of capstans might be. They ar 45"H 18"W and 36" at base. Very heavy.
Thanks, Bob