Powering a winch with a cordless drill?

[lille_bee]

Has anybody ever heard of this? I could have sworn that the lady on board a french yacht moored up next to us in Abelaki last month, was using a cordless drill/screwdriver-type thing to lift their dinghy onto the foredeck via the main halyard on a winch in the cockpit...
Would a 14.4V Black & Decker have enough oomph? can you buy a winch-fitting adapter off the shelf somewhere?

 

[VicS]

Pretty sure I have seen an adapter advertised. Possibly with a right angled gearbox.

 

[Allan]

One of the mags (I think) had a picture of a machine with an angled drive. It was very large and looked hard work to me. I don't think a drill would be strong enough.
Allan

 

[Csail]

It can be done, can't remember where i was reading about it...probably in PBO.

 

[Csail]

Scroll down to later additions, maybe you could contact him
http://homepage.virgin.net/graham.payne/Specifications.html

 

[Csail]

And here
http://www.winchbit.com/

 

[Allan]

www.winchbit.com shows the picture and details which, I think, some of us have seen before. The drill looks pretty serious and I think if you have problems using the winch manually you will struggle to hold the drill. It may be useful for jobs, as you discribe, like raising a tender or motor etc. In these cases, you need speed rather than strength.
Allan

 

[jeremyshaw]

There have been a number of previous posts on this you could search. For example Sailfree posted on 10th July
"Both Fergus and I are proud owners of a Milwaulkee rt angle drill which with a winch bit hoists sails/bodies up the mast with surprising speed.

Beware though as Milwaukee is 28V battery drill producing 600lb ins of torque. At the time I bought mine the next most powerfull was a DeWalt but only 300lb ins!"

See also winchbuddy.com and I think there is a British company that market a dedicated machine.

 

[3reefs]

I have just bought one of these:
Easy~winch

I winced at the price initially but then reflected on the costs of the alternatives:
6-figure sum for a new Mrs 3Reefs with muscles like Popeye
5-figure sum for a new boat
4-figure sum for electrified winches

Initial impressions are good and it is well put together.

 

[markdj]

We have used a 18v and 24v Erbauer cordless Drill for our davits so it should work for a winch too with the right adapter. Best to look carefully at the torque etc.