AC vs DC Davit winch

I need to replace the Rule winch motor that came with my Nautical Structures davit. I have an 11 foot Rendova with a 40 HP Yamaha that needs to travel about 15 feet from the water to the upper deck. I am considering the AC/115v GoLo 1200lb (lifting capacity)winch but question whether switching from a DC to AC motor is advisable. Any thoughts? Or any other suggests for a replacement? I think it was the Rule V45. Rule no longer makes this motor - or any 12v motors for that matter. Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Have you looked at Warn Industy hoists? They seem to have the largest market share. We have their DC1200b(1200 lbs) for the last 10 years and I would buy another.

https://www.warn.com/industrial/hoists/DC1200.jsp

One thing to check is the size of the wiring if you are going with a different winch. It is particularly important if you are using a 12 volt winch.

If you have a large enough inverter then going AC is not an issue. AC uses smaller wire size.

Since the Rule was 12vdc, I’d replace with another 12vdc. There is a set of reversing solenoids or control pack the are also rated for 12vdc. These allow you to raise and lower the dinghy. If you go to an ac system, it’s not just a matter of replacing the wiring and the motor.

I can tell you from personal experience that the Go-Lo is a great product with excellent support (including rebuilding if you're still around to need it), but if I were you I'd contact Nautical Structures and get their advice.

Service - Nautical Structures - Marine Engineering and Manufacturing - Davits, Cranes, Gangeways, Passarelles

Thanks for the comments. I did try to get some advice from Nautical Structures but they were not particularly helpful. I may try the Warn product if I can find one that will fit inside the boom with the same run angle for the line.

I use a 240v AC motor on my anchor winch. Much cheaper, last longer than DC and the relays are cheaper, too. Winch came with DC and the po's had left several burnt out ones in the engine room.

I have a 12v DC winch that I traded a bottle of wine for. Intended use is to replace the manual sailboat winch on the davit that lifts the stern of my dinghy, about 400#. In order to get DC power to the winch at the transom, I would need to run about 50' of #2 cable, fuse it properly, and build a housing to protect it from the salt spray. I have been thinking about doing this for a while, but as I still have enough energy to hoist using the manual winches, it isn't rising on the list very quickly.
AC power is already quite close by. Maybe I should look at that option and see if I can get a better bottle of wine for the DC winch.

Is the motor really toast or could it be rebuilt? Easiest solution. Or find one on Ebay? Nautical Structures is still in business, you should call them?

Koliver, I bought an electric winch with wire cable, brand new somewhere, for $50. You would probably want to use Dyneema or Amsteel instead of cable and you would want to choose a winch that has an automatic brake but they are out there and very numerous. They come with the solenoids and the directional switches and just need hooking up. As for corrosion, I am a huge fan of POR15. Maybe 2 bottles of wine.

Are you guys talking winch’s or hoists? You should never use a winch to hang an overhead load or to raise a dinghy on a crane. Most winch’s have a clutch so you can free spool where a hoist does not. Just asking?

Larry M said:

Are you guys talking winch’s or hoists? You should never use a winch to hang an overhead load or to raise a dinghy on a crane. Most winch’s have a clutch so you can free spool where a hoist does not. Just asking?

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An important difference. Thanks for pointing it out.

Larry M said:

Are you guys talking winch’s or hoists? You should never use a winch to hang an overhead load or to raise a dinghy on a crane. Most winch’s have a clutch so you can free spool where a hoist does not. Just asking?

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OK, I have seen this recommendation before although if I remember correctly related to overhead items. My davit crane uses a 120vac winch to lift my dinghy loaded with everything needed for immediate use. I see no reason for me to worry over using a winch instead of a hoist. Nobody is ever going to be under it.

I don’t know what types of lifting devices are currently used in powered davit cranes although I would be very surprised if they use hoists

...I don’t know what types of lifting devices are currently used in powered davit cranes although I would be very surprised if they use hoists

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Nick Jackson Co, is one that uses hoists. Because of the potential liability, I’d be surprised if they all didn’t use hoists. I just googled hoist vs winch and these came up.

A hoist is for lifting and a winch is for pulling. A Winch is geared for pulling a load on a relatively level surface. A winch uses a dynamic brake that must slide. A Hoist is geared to lift (dead weight) and has a locking brake that can support a "hanging" load.

A winch is designed to pull a heavy load horizontally over a slightly inclined or level surface, and a hoist is designed to lift a load vertically over steeper inclines that are greater than 45 degrees.

The biggest difference is that a hoist is designed to both lift and lower a load, whereas a winch is designed to pull a load – and depending on design, hold it in place. Winches generally do not have a brake that is adequate to absorb the energy created when a load is being lowered.

Larry M said:

Nick Jackson Co, is one that uses hoists. Because of the potential liability, I’d be surprised if they all didn’t use hoists. I just googled hoist vs winch and these came up.

A hoist is for lifting and a winch is for pulling. A Winch is geared for pulling a load on a relatively level surface. A winch uses a dynamic brake that must slide. A Hoist is geared to lift (dead weight) and has a locking brake that can support a "hanging" load.

A winch is designed to pull a heavy load horizontally over a slightly inclined or level surface, and a hoist is designed to lift a load vertically over steeper inclines that are greater than 45 degrees.

The biggest difference is that a hoist is designed to both lift and lower a load, whereas a winch is designed to pull a load – and depending on design, hold it in place. Winches generally do not have a brake that is adequate to absorb the energy created when a load is being lowered.

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Well, so much for definitions. I will tell you this, there is no dynamic breaking in my winch. And it powers in both the pull and release direction. Now as to liability, nothing surprises me when an attorney finds another way to earn a buck. God bless them

You may have a hoist. The term winch is used pretty freely. I'm sure there are winches that are used for hoists successfully. I apologize if I've ruffled your feathers. I'm only bringing it up from a safety standpoint for those who are considering building or changing their systems.

foggysail said:

OK, I have seen this recommendation before although if I remember correctly related to overhead items. My davit crane uses a 120vac winch to lift my dinghy loaded with everything needed for immediate use. I see no reason for me to worry over using a winch instead of a hoist. Nobody is ever going to be under it.

I don’t know what types of lifting devices are currently used in powered davit cranes although I would be very surprised if they use hoists

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A quick Google browse of commercial davits yields no references to winches, only to hoists. As it should be.

As for your other comment re lawyers:
Liability is encountered when the proper, safe equipment is not used, and the improper, unsafe method fails. No lawyer is involved until you are exposed to a liability claim that you choose to defend. Then, due only to your incorrect choice, you may need a lawyer who will exercise a skill that you don't possess to limit your liability to something you can afford.

Larry M said:

You may have a hoist. The term winch is used pretty freely. I'm sure there are winches that are used for hoists successfully. I apologize if I've ruffled your feathers. I'm only bringing it up from a safety standpoint for those who are considering building or changing their systems.

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Larry-- No feathers! Heck, this is all about sharing info and I apologize for my post seeming to imply anything other than that. And of course... God bless those attorneys that force us to carefully select words. Gosh, where would we be without them and this is of course just satire.

koliver said:

As for your other comment re lawyers:
Liability is encountered when the proper, safe equipment is not used, and the improper, unsafe method fails. No lawyer is involved until you are exposed to a liability claim that you choose to defend. Then, due only to your incorrect choice, you may need a lawyer who will exercise a skill that you don't possess to limit your liability to something you can afford.

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Keith- We have owned apartments now for over two decades and have had our share of attorneys both working for us and also suing our small company. The one thing I have learned over the years is that no matter what ills befall anybody, there is a mindset that somebody else is to blame.

I understand that attorneys are necessary in today's society... especially in today's society. With that, enough

I have a davit with a 120V hoist. It does OK but it is hard on the braking system. I had the same davit for 10 years and replaced the hoist motor once. If you are anchored and your genny fails you got to go to plan b.

No shortage of 12v vehicle recovery style winches on eBay for $100 delivered that are good for around 3000lb.
Know more than a boats with them on with no dramas yet
Tempted to get one as we have 3 speed trailer hand winches. Easy on the light end but the 30hp end on an 800lb outfit gets a bit heavy.

Once lifted we have spectra strops and hooks to take the load off of the winch

Simi 60 said:

No shortage of 12v vehicle recovery style winches on eBay for $100 delivered that are good for around 3000lb.
Know more than a boats with them on with no dramas yet
Tempted to get one as we have 3 speed trailer hand winches. Easy on the light end but the 30hp end on an 800lb outfit gets a bit heavy.

Once lifted we have spectra strops and hooks to take the load off of the winch

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I have been struggling with how to improve my hoisting of a 750 lb load, my Caribe 12 with Honda 40. The present setup is traditional style davits, so the bow is lifted separately from the stern. Weight distribution is roughly 250/500. The winches I am presently using are single speed self tailing sailboat winches. Everything except the dinghy came with the boat. The original load was a Whaler 9, so less than 1/2 the present weight. I have already changed the lines from a 2 part tackle to a 4 part. That has helped, but is not enough. A year or so ago I bought a 12v ATV winch thinking this could lift the stern more easily. When I thought about the installation, I realized I would need to run two 25' cables the size of my finger. That would be both inconvenient and expensive. Then I would need to build something to protect the steel cased winch from the salt environment. Time to re-think.
Today I was in Harbour Chandler in Nanaimo (My all time favourite Chandlery) and a pair of triple shiv blocks leaped into my hand. They may be the solution, as a 6 part tackle will require 2/3 the energy for 1.5 times as long, to lift the stern of the dinghy. I think I can manage that!

Yep, can be a problem.
I have a box already built into the top deck which will mean about 4 ft of cable and most winches come with that amount.
Drop one of our original and still OK 200AH agm batts which are doing nothing in the box and a $50 solar panel on top to keep it charged is what I was thinking.

Larry M said:

Nick Jackson Co, is one that uses hoists. .

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Very popular and common in the PNW. Mine has been going strong since new, 15 years. Made locally. And if I ever run into trouble I can grab a bottle of wine and head to Keith's local repair shop on Saltspring Is.

Our 10' Rigid dinghy with all of the accessories and 15 hp four stroke outboard weigh in around 575 with a full tank of gas. We ended up replacing our DC winch (proper definition) with a 110 ac hoist with a 1200 lb dead lift rating. Honestly, it was almost a bit too strong and tended to snap-lift the dinghy. We wouldn't hesitate to switch to ac again, though. Worked great for our needs.

sunchaser said:

Very popular and common in the PNW. Mine has been going strong since new, 15 years. Made locally. And if I ever run into trouble I can grab a bottle of wine and head to Keith's local repair shop on Saltspring Is.

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Tom: you are most welcome to do just that! Though I have little to offer should it be electronics that fail.

"I have been thinking about doing this for a while, but as I still have enough energy to hoist using the manual winches, it isn't rising on the list very quickly."

Plan B might be a small reduction gearbox and a rechargeable power drill .

Hold it in place while in operation,

Done!

Google Ultimate Cranker for one of many electric sailboat winch handles.

I have no connection or interest - it's just the first one I came across, knowing they are out there.

A bit pricey, but so are 3-sheave mid-size blocks with ball bearing sheaves.

Hoists are valuable due to their braking function. A winch will "work", since in a davit system it is pulling horizontally, but I can't imagine not having one without a brake unless your dinghy is ultra ultra light.

Plan B for us involved snap shackle quick release and towing.