If you have a boat, you need to have an electric boat winch. You already understand the many benefits of this piece of equipment. It keeps you safe, allows you free movement and saves a lot of manual effort. However, not all the winches are created equal. Here is what you need to know about choosing the right electric boat winch and how to buy the best one.
There is a huge variety of winches available in the market at various price points. One of the most important things that matter is the weight and length of your boat. After all, you wouldn’t want to buy an electric anchor winch that is incapable of handling the size and weight of your boat. Similarly, your choice will also depend on the capacity of the anchor well.
There are vertical as well as horizontal winches. Usually, horizontal winches are preferred on smaller boats as these boats do not have the capacity to handle bigger anchors. Horizontal anchors are more prone to slipping as compared to their vertical counterparts. In most cases, you will find vertical capstans on boats as operating them is straightforward. They do not slip as much as a horizontal winch and are easier to maintain.
In addition to the above factors, you also need to focus on durability of the equipment. There are thousands of brands out there and many of these brands make use of plastic components or poor quality components that do not last as long as other parts of the equipment. In some cases, these plastic components may be used four or five times before you will need to replace them.
You will agree that gear is the most important part of the winch and if a pin breaks or some other part breaks down, it is not only going to be expensive to replace but will also cause a lot of avoidable stress. This is why you would want to invest in a high-quality winch marine that stands the test of time and is made of high quality components.
In addition to the quality of components, you would also like to pay attention to the power of motor. It has to be just right, if it uses too much power, you may not want to use it and similarly, if it doesn’t have enough power, there is no use for it. Most electric winches use 12 V motors as these offer enough power.
Make sure the motor power is enough to handle the size of anchor you have. Many boats these days also have a marine solar panel to recharge the battery. You should also get one if you are concerned about the battery and motor. There are different types of ropes and not every rope is right for every job. If you are planning to buy a winch with a pre-spooled rope, make sure it is the right type of anchor rope.
As far as the cost is concerned, cheaper winches are available but they may not last as long as expected. You should pay attention to the quality of the product, reputation of the brand, customer reviews and other important factors to get the best electric boat winch for your needs. Don’t focus too much on the initial price as cheaper things always turn out to be much more expensive in the long run.