What is a block and tackle? When working with ropes, pulleys are very useful to create a mechanical advantage, i.e. multiply the force applied to move a load. With the right number of pulleys, it is possible to move loads heavier than two, three and even four times the force applied. A set of ropes and pulleys arranged to gain mechanical advantage is called a tackle. We also talk about block and tackle (double, triple, quadruple, etc.). To generate a mechanical advantage, at least one pulley must be attached to the load. Note that when using pulleys to increase the force, the pulling speed is ..read more

To achieve optimum performance with your portable winch you need the Portable Winch Co. ropes.  Portable Winch Co. ropes are double braided polyester ropes (DBP), creating two main characteristics. The double-braided construction makes the rope more durable and therefore more reliable for all project uses. The second feature is the low stretch in the rope to ensure a premium level of safety. Due to its resistance to abrasion, it is the top pick to use with our capstan winches, as they are subject to intense heat and friction. To Know Please note when using the Portable Winch Co. rope for ..read more

As our winches are portable, they can be anchored anywhere! As you will notice in this section, Portable Winch Co. has developed different modular anchoring devices that allow a wide variety of fixed objects to be used as anchor points. Whether it is a cylindrical object (tree, pole, etc.), a vehicle, a pylon, and even a floor, all can be used as an anchor point for your winch, using the right equipment especially designed for this purpose.  ON CYLINDRICAL OBJECT The easiest way is to use the 2.5-metre sling provided with each winch. Attach the sling to one of the winch’s hooks, wrap the ..read more

Portable Winch carabiners have different minimum breaking strengths. When the force exerted is multiplied through a block and tackle system, the carabiners located on each end are subject to significant forces. A sufficient safety factor must then be taken into account so that the equipment operates safely. Refer to the table to find out the safety factor obtained with each of the carabiners based on the load to move. A 2ND CARABINER TO THE RESCUE When the breaking strength of a single carabiner is insufficient to meet the desired safety factor, two carabiners with the openings opposite and r ..read more

Equipment manufacturers rate their goods’ resistance according to their breaking strength, which is established during a destructive test. It is the point where the piece of equipment may break, which means to never use a force close to the rated minimum breaking strength.  The equipment should be used considering an appropriate safety factor. The working load limit (WLL) is generally the minimum breaking strength (MBS) divided by the safety factor (SF):  WLL = MBS/SF The safety factor is determined by the operator according to the following criteria: The level of danger f ..read more

We wanted to share with you this letter we received from Mr. Ouellette, from Quebec (Canada): Hello Portable Winch! I’m writing this to thank you. In 2018, I suffered a herniated disc, one we may call "a solid one". I was put to complete rest, lying in horizontal position in a hospital bed for two long months. In 2019, I had another lumbar sprain due to this hernia, so I thought that moose hunting was probably over for me. I have been looking at your wonderful machine for the past couple of years, each time I walked the Salon de la chasse et de la pêche at Montreal. To be totally hon ..read more

I've told you guys before about how impressed we are with your product! We have been using our Portable Winch nearly every day averaging a run time of 5 hours each day and it still runs like new and no leaks or parts breaking! It is nice knowing we can rely on your product since it is the backbone to our business! Thanks! Here is just a fragment of what your winch was skidding up a 35% mountainside, 60 foot logs! - Comment we received on our Facebook Page.   Bought in order to access logs and fallen trees on roughly a 40% slope. Nothing else could access the logs, skid steer or ATV t ..read more

I bought a portable winch last May to facilitate my work as a bear hunting guide, usually we hunt bears of 300 pounds and more, that we shoot in places not accessible by quad, so we have to drag them away. Its not always easy! With the PCW3000 from Portable Winch, I had fun, we pulled out trophy bears that were in swamps without access, and that, without any effort. The winch is very easy to use, lightweight and very powerful ... I strongly recommend it ..read more

A customer got out of trouble using our winch while his ATV was caught in a pond, 75 km in the woods ... his four wheels were mounted on tracks, no ATV could have gone through where he had passed, and there was no one nearby. Nothing else could get him out of there, especially since the nearest anchor was 450 feet (137 m) away! Thanks to the fact that the winch has no limit of rope length, he was able, with the help of pulleys, to obtain the pulling force to get out of the mud! Since that time Jean-François has a permanent location for the winch in his truck ... just in case! La Tuque, Quebec ..read more

On Sunday, May 21 2017, our PCW5000 winch enabled the installation of the longest slackline in the world. For the first time, a man crossed 1600 m on a strap between the summit of Vence and St-Jeannet in the Alpes-Maritimes ..read more