Question 3572 Deck General

The correct answer is D) It decreases. The pulling power of a winch decreases when retrieving wire rope due to the effects of wire rope friction. As the wire rope is pulled onto the winch drum, it creates friction against the drum, reducing the overall pulling force available. This friction effect becomes more pronounced as the wire rope is wound onto the drum, leading to a decrease in the winch's pulling power. The other options are incorrect because the pulling power does not remain the same (A), nor does it fluctuate depending on the gearing system (B), nor does it increase (C) - the pulling power decreases due to the wire rope friction.