Replacement Davit Winch

[jethrobd]

I'm looking for replacement electric davit winch for my IG-39.* The current winch, which I use to hoist my 9' inflatable dinghy and 5 HP motor onto my bridge deck, has failed for the second time and this time it may be permanent.

The current winch is a Rule Industries V20, made by ITT's Fluid Handling Division.* ITT has bailed out of the winch business and no longer provides new products and spare parts.* The motor switch failed last year; I was able to get an acceptable aftermarket replacement.* Now the motor's internal wiring has an open circuit and I'm unable to find a replacement.

The winch needs to be 12 VDC, wire cable, power-in/power-out (vs. power-in/free-wheel-out).* The best option I've found is the Dutton-Lainson SA5000DC (w/o clutch), which has the same foot-pad bolt arrangement as the V20.

Any other suggestions?


-- Edited by jethrobd on Thursday 29th of July 2010 08:42:39 PM

 

[Baker]

Jeff, I have moved this to the "general discussion" area since this particular part is not necessarily IG specific and you will get more hits over there.

 

[jethrobd]

Thanks, John. Good point.

 

[Doc]

I am interested too. I have a Rule V45 that is beginning to look cruddy. Mine is controlled by a solonoid that is hidden (hard*to get to)*up inside the davit. I am wondering if this is necessary or could the entire system be replaced by an all in one unit?

-- Edited by Doc on Thursday 29th of July 2010 03:31:16 PM

-- Edited by Doc on Thursday 29th of July 2010 03:31:47 PM

 

[jethrobd]

Doc,

My winch does not have a solenoid; it's fed directly and the supply is switched in series. Initially, it was wired using the winch's integral switch. When that failed, I added an aftermarket switch designed for exterior applications on 4WD truck winches. The replacement was a much better design than the original.

Here's the link for the Dutton-Lainson SA5000DC:
http://www.dutton-lainson.com/proddetail.php?prod=25524

 

[Jim Spence]

Jeff I installed a Warn 1500 A/C winch on our boat 8 years ago. We have a 9.5' Caribe dink with a 15 HP Yamaha. One of the things I like about the A/C winch is I don't have to run heavy battery cable from the engine room all the way up to the fly bridge. I have the circuit for the dink on the inverter so that I don't have to have a generator running to lower the dink which we use a lot! I just got a new cable for it today because after all this time it is starting to fray. I keep the winch covered with a sunbrella cover when not in use.

 

[Ora Graham]

Ora Graham

Jeff I installed a Warn 1500 A/C winch on our boat 8 years ago. We have a 9.5' Caribe dink with a 15 HP Yamaha. One of the things I like about the A/C winch is I don't have to run heavy battery cable from the engine room all the way up to the fly bridge. I have the circuit for the dink on the inverter so that I don't have to have a generator running to lower the dink which we use a lot! I just got a new cable for it today because after all this time it is starting to fray. I keep the winch covered with a sunbrella cover when not in use.

Jim what type of winch and where can I buy one . Thank you

 

[jungpeter]

Hi Jethrobd,

Some thing to consider when you search for a replacement 12VDC dinghy hoist winch:

All ATV and trailer winches on the aftermarket are rated at a large multiple of their actual lift capacity at stall. For instance, an ATV winch "rated" at 1500 lbs, may only lift ~300 pounds. The industry has some arbitrary over-rating that they apply, their logic being that the winch, designed to tug an ATV (or dune buggy, or truck, or?) out of a jam needs only a small fraction of the winch's rated capacity to actually come un-stuck. Hence, if it takes 300 pounds to winch out an ATV from a bog, they rate it at 1500 lbs as a marketing ploy. Which would you buy? A winch rated at 300 lb, or 1500 pounds?

Winches rated as "hoists", however, ARE rated at their actual rated stall load. Hence, a hoist rated at 1500 lbs can actually lift a 1500 lb load. The very self-same winch, perhaps re-stickered and with a different paint job, may be sold by the same manufacturer as a 5,000 pound bumper winch. Go figure.

Next, although ATV, trailer, and bumper winches may advertise a brake on reverse (ie-when the power is removed, the load is locked), they usually don't work worth squat. So, mid-hoist on your dinghy, if you need to halt the lift and swing the davit, the dinghy will over-run the winch, and the dinghy will fall (albeit slowly) back towards the water. A real PIA.

Winches rated as hoists DO lock the load with the power off. That's why they can be legally sold as "hoists". Big difference in operating convenience. And a great many of both hoist and bumper winches have power-up and power-down feature, without free-spooling the drum. And, as expected, hoist winches are more expensive than bumper (ATV, trailer, etc.) winches.

My boat came with a RULE 2200 dinghy hoist. Worked great. Had plenty of grunt to lift my 4M Avon w/40 HP outboard. It DID lock with power off. However, it did eventually go back to nature, and after several rebuilds, I had to replace it. And, as others have found, RULE is out of the winch market these days. I found a cheap ATV winch, advertised with 3000 lbs capacity, advertised with a locking drum, and power-up and -down. Only cost $125. Thought I was in hog heaven. Until the first time I used it, when the drum did NOT lock power off. And the third time, the drum disintegrated into pieces during a hoist. The replacement is a much-more expensive WARN 2500 (~$450 or so), which also will not lock on power-off. Sigh. Next winch will be an actual hoist winch.

One final tid-bit. I have used synthetic hoist cable (Amsteel, Spectra, there's plenty of others) for many moons now. Every bit as strong as wire rope, won't hockle, and won't develop meat hooks to rip you open if you grab it. Highly recommended. Have a rigging shop splice loops in it if needed.

Pete

 

[psneeld]

Absolutely true about quality hoists...if you really need one...you always have to decide what WILL work versus what is the premium tool for the job.

 

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

I replaced my electric winches (Rule) with the same model as they were made by Dayton, purchased from Granger.

Winches and Winch Accessories - Grainger Industrial Supply

 

[6-Pack]

I would second Pete's comments. I bought the ATV version and it works but it does not have the braking power. When you shut it off it will just spool out when you DO NOT want it to. I will be going back to the other style this spring. When you have the kids around, a large dinghy dangling over the side, a steel cable that if snapped would not be awesome, it is already a situation that can be kind of hairy. This is not the place to go cheap.

Good luck!

 

[caltexflanc]

Times three on Pete's excellent post. Smooth braking and control capability gets very important, the heavier the tender and greater the height and more maneuvering involved. We used a 115v GoLo 1200lb (lifting capacity) to raise a 13ft, 1000lb Whaler 15 feet. Marquip standard issue. Got a ton of use both when we cruised full time and mostly anchoring and living full time out on moorings, and our subsequent year around weekend/vacation cruising which always involved anchoring. When it came time to rebuild or replace it, I looked into all the cheap alternatives, and after a lot of research and consultation with cruisers, yards, Marquip, etc, decided to stay with the GoLo and they rebuilt it for me for the price of a cheapy. So while "expensive" initial cost (they run about $1700 new, lifetime cost pretty competitive. They don't make a 12v, just AC units; ours worked fine off the inverter.

Obviously when dealing with a much lighter and softer inflatable traveling short distances, something like a $500-600 Warn mechanical braking hoist will likely do fine.

Another way to increase capacity is to put a block in the mix; slows down rate of lift by half but doubles the winch's capacity (but not that of the boom!)

 

[RickyD]

Folks, I am looking to replace my Davit electric winch. Currently a Rule T33, 3300 rating. Any ideas as to a replacement that might fit??

 

[Simi 60]

I found a cheap ATV winch, advertised with 3000 lbs capacity, advertised with a locking drum, and power-up and -down. Only cost $125. Thought I was in hog heaven. Until the first time I used it, when the drum did NOT lock power off. And the third time, the drum disintegrated into pieces during a hoist. The replacement is a much-more expensive WARN 2500 (~$450 or so), which also will not lock on power-off. Sigh.

Bummer
Sounds like I stick with my manual 3 speed trailer winches then.
Nothing to really break down and dnghy only weighs 700lb and I need the exercise

And yes to synthetics as well, we have 8mm spectra and simply fed the rope up inside itself about a foot like ski rope.
No indication of fail yet.

 

[Martin J]

I use a 2500lb Badland winch from Harbour freight, just changed wire to Stainless.

Lifts my 350lb+ rib no problem.

 

[Simi 60]

I use a 2500lb Badland winch from Harbour freight, just changed wire to Stainless.

Lifts my 350lb+ rib no problem.

Well there you go.
I was pretty sure I had seen a few boats in these parts using the cheapies with success.
Probably something as simple as running through a rope clutch if slippage was a problem on a crane or for us with davits, a strop with hook to take the load off of winch, which is what I do now anyway.

 

[koliver]

I use a 2500lb Badland winch from Harbour freight, just changed wire to Stainless.

Lifts my 350lb+ rib no problem.

How did you get DC power to your winch? When I look at the load and the DC required, I shy away due to the long run of 2/0 cable required.

 

[Simi 60]

I've got a big storage box on the top deck that already has a mounting pad and an exit hole in the bulwark with a s/s hawsepipe with some angled s/s pulleys welded in.
The angle counts straight to the davit ends.
Obviously at some stage a winch was installed but suspect power was a problem (a small ineffective solar panel was also in that locker)

Now I think I will reviset that box and pulleys with one of these for about $150 delivered.

Get rid of the cable and run my spectra through the hawsepipe pulleys onto the drum, which I'll put a divider in the middle of effectively making it two drums.

240v power plug just inside the cabin door so run a short lead out for the few minutes its needed for lift and drop.
Says it has a 1300w motor so I guess that means it uses less than the toaster, microwave or vacuum cleaner, all of which run on the inverter, no genset required.

 

[Martin J]

Luckily the winch was on the mast and only had to cable to the engine room panel some 10ft below. However the amperage is not as bad as you think.https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/61000-61999/61840.pdf Using the winch full of wire and only letting half out with the 153:1 ratio most of the time it was under the 50 amps. We were only lifting 300lbs.

 

[psneeld]

How did you get DC power to your winch? When I look at the load and the DC required, I shy away due to the long run of 2/0 cable required.

for a small cheapo winch, the run time is so short, I just have a small cheap auto battery at the base of the mast.

you could probably use a garden tractor battery to get even smaller.

throw a charger on it every cpuple days or so, I can direct plug mine into a solar panel.

 

[RickyD]

Folks, I am looking to replace my Davit electric winch. Currently a Rule T33, 3300 rating. Any ideas as to a replacement that might fit??

Well it has been a couple years since my last post on this subject. I did not replace the 12vdc winch motor back then. It looked ugly but still worked. A couple days ago it would only lift my 700lb dinghy half way up but not over my rail. I noticed that my ground cable had been pinched and partially severed. I replaced it, re-oriented it and thought it good. It only lifted the dinghy another foot higher. I checked my wiring down below and everything looks great. I do have two solenoids down there. I wonder if they are the problem. They also work my windlass as both the windlass and the davit are on the same heavy breaker. My next thought was to try to get the Rule T33 reconditioned at a motor shop. The shop I called intimated that if the motor still goes up and down but has lost some power, there is more likely an incoming volts/amps issue. Any advice for me out there?

 

[RickyD]

I'm going to post this in a couple places because others have and will be going through this. My Brower Davit is both hydraulic (boom) and electric (winch) The winch/hoist is a Rule T33 rated at 3300 lb as a winch. My Caribe 12 is almost 800lbs. It has been working for the last 2 years. Recently it didn't want to bring the Caribe all the way up. I believed the motor was dying. I took it apart and it looked beautiful inside. Humm. Ok, lets call rulewinchparts.com. Well they don't want to work anymore. They said find a replacement. So the Warn DC800 hoist uses the same bolt pattern and fits in my davit but the gear box is on the opposite side. Also, it was rated just a little better than the Rule T33 so I looked for something stronger. The Warn DC1000 is too big but the DC1000 short spool fits great. So I just drilled three new holes centered through the top of the davit. When done carefully (we were just lucky) the gear box will be flush to where the Rule ended and the motor side does not even protrude as far. Now I have the power I need. Very happy with this replacement.