East Toledo in Lucas County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Capstan
Photographed By Craig Doda, June 17, 2022
1. Capstan Marker
Inscription.
Capstan. . Dropping and raising the anchor on a large ship is a big job- too big for manpower alone. Sometime in the 14th century, Spanish shipbuilders came up with a solution: the capstan. The first capstans were timbers mounted vertically in the ship. Sailors turned the timber by pushing on bars inserted in the timber. As the timber turned, the anchor rope wrapped around it and reeled in the anchor. The capstan also could be used to send masts up and down or load heavy items such as cannons. Later capstans were made of iron. Today's capstans are entirely mechanical, requiring just the push of a button.
Dropping and raising the anchor on a large ship is a big job-
too big for manpower alone. Sometime in the 14th century,
Spanish shipbuilders came up with a solution: the capstan.
The first capstans were timbers mounted vertically in the ship.
Sailors turned the timber by pushing on bars inserted in the
timber. As the timber turned, the anchor rope wrapped around
it and reeled in the anchor. The capstan also could be used to
send masts up and down or load heavy items such as cannons.
Later capstans were made of iron. Today's capstans are
entirely mechanical, requiring just the push of a button.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 41° 39.391′ N, 83° 30.949′ W. Marker is in Toledo, Ohio, in Lucas County. It is in East Toledo. Marker is on Front Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1701 Front St, Toledo OH 43605, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 26, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 81 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 26, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
