A boat anchor winch is a 12v or 24volt motor gearbox system with switch gear to help you drop and retrieve your boat anchor, rope and chain. A press of a button from a position of safety and comfort of the steering position automatically releases and also retrieves the boat anchor from the water. This prevents the manual hauling of rope, chain and anchor needed to set and retrieve an anchor from the bow of a boat, an activity that is both strenuous and unsafe.