A hand winch including a winding roll, a flexible elongated member, a shaft connected to the winding roll, a friction brake including a brake disk and a gear element engaging the winding roll and mounted on the shaft. The gear element has a release position and a brake position in which the gear element enters into frictional contact with the brake disk, generating a braking torque resisting winding off the flexible elongated member. Friction means is provided between the shaft and the gear element for generating a frictional resistance therebetween such that, if a driving force acting on the gear element does not overcome the frictional resistance established by the friction means, the gear element drives the shaft through friction means. However, if the driving force between the shaft and the gear element overcomes the frictional resistance, relative movement between the gear element and the shaft occurs.