Replacement cable for electric dinghy hoist

My 9ft Caribe RIB weighs about 150lbs with outboard motor. Launch and recovery from the cabin top is by conventionally rigged mast and boom. I have adapted two ATV winches for hook up/down and boom up/down. I used the cable that came with the winches to see if this set up would work and it does - like a charm. I now need to replace the 3/16" galvanised cable with either stainless or Amsteel.

What type of cable should I use and what are the advantages of one material over the other?

Please note the method of securing the cable to the winch drum(s). The cable is a push-fit into a hole in the drum. A set-screw holds the end of the cable in place. I have allowed sufficient cable that 5 full wraps remain on the drum when hook or boom are fully extended.

Mike,
I changed out the Amsteel lines on my winches last year, got them on eBay and they were designed for off-road. Pretty sure they are 5/16 as my dink and motor are close to 600 pounds. Attachment to the drum is much the same as you have,so I also routed the line around the drum with a few half hitches twice, then wrapped them with heavy duck tape prior to winding the rest.
Hope that helps.

I'd go with the Amsteel or equivalent. We replaced our ss wire with dyneema on our davit. We have a Nick Jackson system and his only caution was that the line have a minimum of 4 wraps on the winch when deployed due to how slippery the line is. Your going with 5 wraps so you should be ok. The dyneema was easy to splice after watching a couple of YouTube videos. No more meat hooks on Hobo!

No question here. Dyneema.
I switched my 1000# davit over last year. Would never go back to SS wire.

Use Amsteel, Dyneema, etc.

It doesn't have to be very thick. The working strength of 1/4" Amsteel is over 7000 lbs as I recall.

But a bit larger diameter might be easier on your hands.

No more stainless steel "fishhooks" with Amsteel!!!

Amsteel here.

Capt.Bill11 said:

Use Amsteel, Dyneema, etc.

It doesn't have to be very thick. The working strength of 1/4" Amsteel is over 7000 lbs as I recall.

But a bit larger diameter might be easier on your hands.

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Yes I actually used 5/16" just so it was easier to hold.

$40 on Amazon, just get a ATV winch cable replacement, amsteel or dyneema, comes with a hook spliced on already.

psneeld said:

$40 on Amazon, just get a ATV winch cable replacement, amsteel or dyneema, comes with a hook spliced on already.

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Yes but hook probably just plated steel?

mbevins said:

Yes but hook probably just plated steel?

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Actually it looks galvanized...so uf it does rust....put a new one on after several years as opposed to having to do it right away...plus the price is pretty good in general for just the line.

My hook is rust free after 4 years on the old line, and the new one just had a stainless thimble in it so add your own hook and all is well....

Thanks all - looks like a unanimous vote for Amsteel or equivalent. I like the Amazon tip PSN. Any comments on rot and chafe resistance?

It's 150# why Amsteel or dyneema? A nice low stretch yacht braid is plenty strong and cheaper.

Because of diameter you can use the same blocks and room on the winch, etc..

sean9c said:

It's 150# why Amsteel or dyneema? A nice low stretch yacht braid is plenty strong and cheaper.

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The dyneema is easier to spice.