Silver Dream racer article

They have one at island barn, but that's to get up to the water to launch, not too recover the boat. Chew valley has one to get the fifteens out of the water

We're just re roping our winch after spotting the rust and spending the first nerve wracking recovery day without the cable separating and parting some childs head from its shoulders or similar nightmare scenario.

Ours has gone twice now, we've been lucky not too have done anyone a serious injury, I've been worried about it ever since i took over and I ordered the re-roping, they have been far too casual in the past loading metal hauser the way they have.

I suppose it depends how you are using it. We use a large diameter terylene rope that's seriously over specced (but good to handle) which means that its pretty obvious when its getting tired and time to replace. I don't believe we've ever had a rope break, which bearing in mind the slope we're winching up is just as well.

Shoreham installed an electric winch primarily to mitigate an identified risk with hauling their support Ribs up the long slipway that is 'paved' with railway sleepers so can get very slippery. The worry was about a runaway boat careering back down the slip to 'interact' with people and/or boats at the bottom. The tow-rope is just that - large diameter rope.
Even HISC has winches on the beach, but they're not often used for boats without weight underneath them.