Hi I have a lonestar winch on my 7.5 Ali use boat at least 2 times a week have 20 kg anchor and large stainless. Chain anchoring and moving all the time never let me down highly recommend 

 SeaSport in Kelmscott do soem really nice installs on lone star winches.

That is where I brought mine from best price in Australia when i purchased and I did a lot of shopping around fitted mine up myself pretty easy and one of the best things I have purchased makes life real easy 

That is where I brought mine from best price in Australia when i purchased and I did a lot of shopping around fitted mine up myself pretty easy and one of the best things I have purchased makes life real easy 

awesome! thanks guys!
I'll chase them up.

 + 1 for the lonestar, umm'd & arghh'd for a long while about adding an electric anchor winch as it's a few thousand dollars. I did a lot of research and ended up putting a lone star gx2 on my 6.5m glass boat about 6 months ago and now I couldn't imagine going without it. Very handy when anchoring in tight situations like the busy bays at rottnest, the quick drop and retrieve at your finger tip makes life a lot easier in those situations. The amount of torque it has is ridiculous, they build them well, definitely has no troubles bringing the anchor up. If you have a fiberglass hull make sure you factor in getting your mounting surface strengthened. If your NOR, I got my kit from Hitech marine and my anchor well wall beefed up and glassed by GT fiberglass.

After a lot of research I also went for the lone star gx2, fitted it myself to my 233 over a couple of days and it really is a beast.

worth paying the bucks for these units , killer product made in Aus. 

 cheers Hanzie, Stevieboy! Yeah the Gx2 was the one i was looking at too,  was wondering whether i could get away with the gx1 but if space allows will prob er on side of caution.

(used to be nor but now south. )

using a guy closer to me for floor mods so will prob use him to fit if he does ok on the floor.

yeah @ Hanzie, prob cpl thou more than i wanted to spend after anchor well/ bow mods but hey, been promising myself one now for last cpl boats... its time

 I went with the Lonestar GX2 and it is awesome. Wish I had of fitted it years ago. Get the combo pack and the 1000L wiring loom, has everything you need apart from an anchor. Really easy to install as well. I do a lot of deep diving in 20 to 30 metres so on a rough day I'd have close to 40m of anchor line out. Been using it for nearly 2 years and hasn't missed a beat. 

I'd definetly be running 2 batteries in Parallel for it when your winching. There's a vid on Lonestar's website that sold me on the Lonestar, does a comparison between all the drum anchor winches and the Lonestar smashes them. 

Got mine from Hi-tech marine for $2,309 for the lot. Matched the price i got from CH Smith marine. You won't regret it once you buy one. 

 I went with the GX3  we were out in my 7.6 metre ali boat one night anchored up in 45 knot winds with the GX3 you don't have to tie anchor rope off the winch holds the boat and no problem winching in the wind but I always have my motor running when lowering or raising just to keep batteries full

 thx Mitch/ Blackgold!

yeah ive seen the comparison vid, my only question about it is that its not done by an independent ... (sponsored by lonestar) thats why you guys testimonies are really what i need.

I go out by myself a bit and often with "non capable deckies" and its just so important that i can drop the anchor from the helm when and where i want.

Ive got two batts setup and will make sure i run motor whenever i use the winch, good advice

Did you guys go the expensive dyneema rope as ive heard recommended?

Use double brain nylon no problems just make sure you give rope a real long bath with fresh water at end of days fishing to stop it going stiff