If you're the sort who has to do things the hard way, a manual windlass is the way to go. If you normally do things the modern way (like a washer and dryer instead of beating your clothes on a rock in the river and hanging them on tree limbs to dry), you'll be much happier with a powered windlass.
My boat came with a manual windlass and it took me just a very few times of raising the anchor to decide to install a powered windlass.
In rough seas, would you rather hang on to a rail and push a button with your foot or try to winch up an anchor and chain by hand?
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