Drum winch / cruise craft explorer 625
Looking to install a drum winch "inside" the rope/chain locker of 2008 Cruise Craft Explorer 625
I need drum capacity/rope length for diving in 30/35m so need the midi/medium etc...
Anyone been there done that or have a mate that has - I see many pics on the various sites of many diff' boats but none of this make/model.
Am told by all suppliers "yes should fit no worries" and reckon they've done them before but aren't sure if it was the same model etc.. & they don't have pics. So there is an element of doubt in my mind.
I don't want to ship one from another state to find it don't fit after all.
I know StressFree have a rep here so could simply go that way & if it doesn't fit it can be sorted easy enough but before I do go that way I'd like to keep my options open to other brands.
I have contacted CC and they have recent model experience but not for the earlier 2008 models.
The other thing to have confirmed is does the bulkhead between the locker & the cabin require reinforcing.
Anyone have this make/model and knows the answers from experience?
Duges
There's 3 kinds of people in this world, those who can count and those that can't.
spinksy
Posts: 266
Date Joined: 06/10/10
Mate i am looking at the same thing
Same size boat i have a 6.2 haines hunter. I was going to go the stress free midi but a recent post on fishnet by a retailer gave a run down on all models and he says sav winch are the way to go. every thing sealed good motor, connections, support etc so i could go that way. I think hitec marine in wangara are the WA agents for them. Might just be a case of towing your boat to a retailer that sells the unit you want then borrowing it and seeing if it fits in your anchor well. they look pretty straight forward to hook up. I remember a while ago a guy paid about 3k for one fitted thats 800 for the fit up too steep for me i would do it myself and get an auto sparky to hook up electrics. Your bulkhead wont need reinforcing just a decent backing plate
chocolatemoose87Joined: 27 Mar 2013
Posts: 12
sav winchs IMO are the best built winchs. if you put them side by side with others you can see where that money has gone. the gaps between the drum and the frame are tiny,. the gap between the frame and the gearbox are tiny. all the terminals are sealed into a cable , all the shafts are tig welded soild not hollow. the support i have had from nick sav has been amazing. so i would def put the down as the best. the switchs are also sensational as wel
lonestar are def up there for value esp. melks a great guy i get on real well with him. he has some new stuff coming out soon as well.
bell marine are.....ok. cheap. and it shows. but hey if you want something on a budget.
stressfree are ok. but expensive now days, and if ytou want australian made. sav is far better
qmf winches are well built too but expensive. greaseable. which is nice. but expensive and very big for their power
muir i havnt had much dealings with for drums. but they are built very well. their capsan winches are sensational. but yeah expensive when there are better local options
Geoff78
Posts: 324
Date Joined: 05/03/13
Stupid Question
I'm sure there is a very good reason for this that I am overlooking, but if you have an anchor winch on a trailerboat, can you use it to winch your boat onto the trailer?
duges66
Posts: 140
Date Joined: 07/03/12
Cheers spinksy - I like the
Cheers spinksy - I like the fact that on the stressfree NG (next generation) if for whatever reason you have no power / or winch motor issues you can declutch it & go old school i.e. manualmatic. So if I am out wide for a dive and for what ever reason it plays up I can still get the pick down & have the issue looked at later. I don't want to part with that amount of readies & still have to cart a second anchor & rope to cover the no power/motor possiblity.
I spoke to the Cruise Craft dealer in SA as they have extensive experience fitting these to CC's given both they & Stressfree are both SA located I feel reassured that it will fit & that the bulk head will support the load/pull of the winch but that I should "check that the 12 mm ply sandwiched in the fibreglass is not rotted by giving it a good whack" (his words) I know the integrity is sound - he also advised to use the backing plate which SF can supply to spread the load. So it's seems my main 2 concerns are covered.
Will ring Nic at Sav inch band get a full apraisal before I make the final decision - cheers
Geoff78 - No reason you couldn't if set up right I guess. Though guessing removing the pick would be a hassle.
There's 3 kinds of people in this world, those who can count and those that can't.
spinksy
Posts: 266
Date Joined: 06/10/10
Let me know what you decide
it would be either stress free or sav winch for me too
kempy
Posts: 810
Date Joined: 28/05/09
We have a stress free midie
We have a stress free midie on ours and after about a year it seized up solid. Got water in it somehow contacted them direct and they sent and new motor straight out without even a reciept. Great after sales service.
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