Spanish windlass

[Steve L]

I wonder how many of you "boy scouts" have even heard of this winching method, let alone used it.

A very powerful tool, a piece of rope and a stick.

I used this method many years ago before light weight portable winches were around, to pull a 30 by 18 foot shed upright from a 30 degree list.

You take a full coil of rope (120 feet), pass the tail through a secure beam or hoop on the item to be pulled ( can be a caravan or shed). Take the tail to a secure anchor post in the ground (or a tree)and then go round that and back to the other end of the rope. Pull the loop of rope tight and tie it together. Then place a stick around 3 inches (80mm) diameter by about 6 foot long between the two strands of rope and at 90 degrees to the rope.

Now wind away, it does take many turns of the stick to twist the rope like winding up a rubber band proppelled model aeroplane. Also you do have to be careful not to let go or the rope will un-wind with vengence!!

When you have completed the task, wedge the load (chock the wheels) and release slowly the windlass in reverse.

You'll be very suprised just how much weight you can shift with this method and by only using a 20mm dia rope!!

The shed I moved weighed approx 3 tons (3000Kgs).

Steve L.

 

[Keith_374225094]

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Hi Steve,

Very interesting, BUT, round here a piece of wood 3" in diameter and 6' long is called a tree not a stick.....LOL

 

[Steve L]

What are you Kieth man or mouse (LOL).

Put your cotton lumberjack's shirt on first, it has inflatable musceles.

Seriously though, I stateda size to give no room for some numpty to try using a garden cane.

Interesting though how few replies though. There must be only two ofus who know what it is.

Steve.

 

[mike_5041102]

Steve, your description was good enough for me to understand, The method is now filed away in my memory box, perhaps I'll have chance to use it one day.

 

[RobRoy]

Hi Steve,

As a Scout who had 50 years of the Movement behind me, we often used a Spanish windlass, usually to tension ropes on monkey or commando bridges, but occasionally on rescue exercises. Brilliant piece of kit IF you have the materials to hand - but how many people are likely to have?

Rob S.

P.S. There haven't been "Boy Scouts" since 1966, only Scouts.