A windlass for a boat pulls in an anchor rode. A chainwheel mounted on a shaft has an annular groove to engage the anchor rode. A flexible retainer with a leaf spring is disposed across the chainwheel annular groove to press the rode into the chainwheel annular groove. The retainer has trunnions that pivot and slide transversely in upper and lower arcuate grooves, toward the slack portion of the rode. A housing is attached to a base and covers the rode for safety. The housing has the upper arcuate groove and an arcuate member has the lower arcuate groove. The base, housing, and arcuate member are aligned with three key members that engage one another. The rode slides on a low friction wear plate attached to the base. A funnel with a mouth facing forward is mounted on the base for directing the rode downward through a nozzle into the boat. A motor drive has an electric motor and a worm gear transmission attached to the shaft lower end for rotating the shaft.