Hoists for hoisting loads by means of a cable are in existence for a long period. There are various types of hoists, which include winches and capstans. Generally, the principle of operation of a hoist is based on the cable being driven by adherence of the cable to the drum of the hoist. A hoist is described according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hoist comprises a drum, a plurality of guides, a guide support and a biasing device for displacing a portion of a cable away from the guide when the drum is rotationally displaced to thereby hoist a load.