A power-operated windlass having a motor that reverses direction to control taking in and paying out of a rope and a shifting mechanism responsive to changes in motor direction which selectively locks and unlocks the rope pulley against rotation in an unwinding direction.

An elongate portable winch is set forth powered by a series of rechargeable batteries. The winch is enclosed within an axially symmetrical elongate housing terminating in a securement hook at one end and a reel-in line at the other end securable to a windup drum actuated by an external switch secured to a handle integrally secured to said housing wherein a series of gear reduction drives multiplies the torque output of the apparatus to apply sufficient force to the drum. The securement hook, batteries, electric motor, gears, and windup drum are aligned within the elongate housing to enable ease of portability by use of an associated handle.

A change-speed construction is adapted for use in a fishing reel, and includes a rotary arm pivotally mounted on a side plate of a reel body at an inner end thereof, a handle unit fixed on an outer end of the rotary arm, and a control shaft mounted on the inner end of the rotary arm. The control shaft is biased to an extended position relative to the reel body. A hollow housing is fixed on the inner end of the rotary arm, and permits extension of the control shaft therethrough. The control shaft is axially movable from the extended position to a retracted position. A spring member is disposed in the housing. A retaining member includes an elongated retaining plate that has an inner end pivotally connected to a pivot member disposed in the housing, and a push knob connected fixedly to an outer end of the retaining plate in such a manner that the knob is exposed outwardly from the housing. The retaining plate is biased by the spring member to engage an annular groove in the control shaft when the control shaft is at the retracted position. The knob can be pushed way from the handle unit so as to result in rotation of the retaining plate around the pivot member.

A mechanical winch includes a ratchet lever having a single pawl which may be positioned in either one of two orientations in order to preclude clockwise or counterclockwise movement of the winch, drum or reel. In each orientation, the ratchet lever may also be positioned in a free wheeling position for the drum.

A safety mechanism for preventing a cable drum to rotate with overspeed has parallel ratchet wheels which encircle a brake drum. At a periphery of the ratchet wheels are stopping slots wherein a latching pawl is inserted when an overspeed is detected. The slots of the adjacent ratchet wheels are staggered. Thus the braking effect of each ratchet wheel starts at a different point of time.