The 10 Best Boat Winches

Updated April 08, 2020 by Christopher Thomas

This wiki has been updated 16 times since it was first published in January of 2020. A boat winch is a dedicated piece of equipment that mounts to the bow-stop of a trailer. It is used to either pull the boat out of the water or allow the boat to slide backwards into the water at a controlled rate. Essentially, there are two choices when it comes to these: the manual hand-cranked variety or those with electric motors that draw their power from a car battery. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki. If you'd like to contribute your own research to Ezvid Wiki, please get started by reviewing this introductory video.

1. Fulton F2

2. Bravex Electric

3. Xingxingns 304

4. Fulton 500621 XLT

5. Powerwinch 912

6. Smittybilt 97495 XRC

7. Goldenrod 2-Speed

8. Goldenrod Dutton-Lainson

9. AC-DK

10. Camco Marine

Editor's Notes

April 07, 2020:

There are several questions you will need to answer before you decide which boat winch will be the best buy for you. Namely, the size and weight of your boat, (including engine, fuel and equipment) and the angle of decline at your preferred launching point, as these factors will determine the load capacity required. Another point to consider is the environment: Will you mainly be going out in the ocean or on a lake, as saltwater corrodes metal five times faster than freshwater does. It is generally accepted that solid constructions of aluminum or stainless steel are less corrosive than plated versions like zinc or galvanized metal.

For smaller vessels the hand-cranked options, such as the Camco Marine, the AC-DK and the Goldenrod Dutton-Lainson should all do the job just fine. If you want something that will last longer, then the Fulton F2 is made from solid aluminum, and the Xingxingns 304 from stainless steel. For heavy applications then an electric winch will save you time and energy, however, they do need to be connected to a car battery. The Bravex Electric and the Smittybilt 97495 XRC are both reasonably priced models with plenty of safety features, and the Powerwinch 912 and the Fulton 500621 XLT are both capable of hauling up to a whopping 10,000 pounds.

Last updated on April 08, 2020 by Christopher Thomas

Building PCs, remodeling, and cooking since he was young, quasi-renowned trumpeter Christopher Thomas traveled the USA performing at and organizing shows from an early age. His work experiences led him to open a catering company, eventually becoming a sous chef in several fine LA restaurants. He enjoys all sorts of barely necessary gadgets, specialty computing, cutting-edge video games, and modern social policy. He has given talks on debunking pseudoscience, the Dunning-Kruger effect, culinary technique, and traveling. After two decades of product and market research, Chris has a keen sense of what people want to know and how to explain it clearly. He delights in parsing complex subjects for anyone who will listen -- because teaching is the best way to ensure that you understand things yourself.


Thanks for reading the fine print. About the Wiki: We don't accept sponsorships, free goods, samples, promotional products, or other benefits from any of the product brands featured on this page, except in cases where those brands are manufactured by the retailer to which we are linking. For more information on our rankings, please read about us, linked below. The Wiki is a participant in associate programs from Amazon, Walmart, Ebay, Target, and others, and may earn advertising fees when you use our links to these websites. These fees will not increase your purchase price, which will be the same as any direct visitor to the merchant’s website. If you believe that your product should be included in this review, you may contact us, but we cannot guarantee a response, even if you send us flowers.