Anchor not dropping

It would help if you d bother telling us what brand windlass you have as well as boat info.

typically you will have heavy cables running from the batteries to a control box often located in the anchor locker or possibly under a bed in a forward stateroom. Or in the forward bilge.

check for voltage at the terminals these two heavy cables are connected to

in that box there will also be a pair or relay / solenoids. When a foot switch or helm switch is activated, power is sent to the up or down solenoid which in turn sends power to the motor

Post a picture of the solenoids

how did you try to lower the anchor manually? Again without knowing what kind of windlass you have, it s hard to tell but did you release the clutch on windlass?

If you release the clutch with the correct wrench it should drop although i ve seen cases where it doesn’t.
Also forgot to mention that in addition to a main breaker near the battery powering the windlass there is often another breaker or switch to turn off the foot or helm switch. It all depends on how the windlass was installed.

When was the last time the windlass worked?
I have found on a few boats another switch on the helm dash to enable the windlass operation.

Sometimes the clutch will remain stuck after loosing the nut. Tie a line to the anchor. leave about 1 foot of slack and tie the loose end of that line to a cleat.
With the nut loose, kick that chain a few times to un-stick the clutch. The anchor will ad some weight but not go far.
DOT NOT place your fingers anywhere near that chain or gypsy.

Yep.
And get some weight off of the reduction gear also.

On a boat that size the anchor can usually be pulled by hand. Not fun but doable

First as mentioned ealier you need to make sure power gets to the solenoids near the windlass. Check for voltage at the larger wires. If you don’t get power there, find out why. There could be a breaker that you re not aware off. Or maybe carver (or someone) powered the windlass from the batteries and someone replaced the batteries and missed that wire. It’s happened before

of you have voltage at the solenoids, then check for voltage at each of the helm switches. Typically you will have power coming to the switches. Check voltage at the common wire, obviously with red lead of your meter placing the black lead on a known negative terminal block. As explained before there is usually a breaker protecting circuit independently from the main feed to the windlass.

you said you checked fuses. Which one? I find it difficult to believe that fuses are used and not breakers.

finally motors don’t get stuck. Very rarely. What is more likely to happen is that something breaks in the gear box between the motor and the capstan

As to the clutch, a seized clutch would not prevent the motor from turning and the windlass from working. Just like a bad motor or damaged gear box should not prevent the clutch from releasing. Two completely different issues

Yes. two different issues,,, Maybe.
Was thinking to unload the reduction gears, from the gypsy, it may help it spin.
If the gypsy and chain was jammed at the stripper or deck pipe, this could help.

Also, letting the chain out a foot, then wrench it in with the clutched tight, may help loosen up the armature.

Heck, try anything to check and cover all symptoms or possibilitys. Then pull out the BFH...