I have an '82 Mac 25.
I was thinking of replacing the winch for my swing keel with an electric version that can be run off a battery and has a remote control. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with doing something similar, has some advice, or knows where to get a decent winch like this.
Things I have started thinking about:
-Where to get a winch: I have seen ATV winches with these options at Harbor Freight but I worry that..
...the cable that comes with it will rust, but I figure I could replace that with the one that is currently on the boat.
...the winch will give out in a year or two but I'm not sure if there are better versions out there. Most of my searches come up with winches for getting the boat on the trailer.
...the remote will stop working, so I want to make sure the manual back up is accessible.
...the brakes will be set up correctly. Some of these winches advertise free-wheeling for easier let out. I doubt that is what I want.
-I am assuming a 1200 lb winch will be fine for my 600 lb keel that is pinned on one end.
-If I cant fit this winch where the current one is located, would it work to place it elsewhere and use a block to get the cable positioned correctly?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
