Is anyone using a capstan winch? I couldn't find any online like I could a cheap normal winch. Think about it, it takes forever for a winch to pay out.. A capstan you just hook one end to the Anchor ever how far away then wrap it on the capstan and let it pull!

I think it is a great idea. Instead of expensive winch cable you could use anchor rode AND it could be as long as you wanted. Unfortunately, it appears that it would take a monster, expensive capstan to have the pull of a low end winch. Something like this Lewmar C-5: http://www.wmjmarine.com/66910202.html? ... 4Aod0mEA8w

Even with the c-5, I don't know if it can grunt it out like a winch. Anything bigger may require 24V and even deeper pockets.

I hope someone has found a way to make a low end or homemade capstan do the job.

That's a lot of money and a lot of juice! Wish it was as simple as I had it planned in my head.. It would be hard to fit that big thing in a boat like you said that would take a deep pocket, and it probably wouldn't be near a durable as a winch