Winching Techniques

Part three

by David Bowyer

In Parts 1 and 2 we've covered the use of an electric winch to extract yourself from the mire and to pull yourself up a steep hill. In this final part we look at how you can recover others with a winch.

Good winching can only be achieved with good communication. Always have an assistant nearby, in sight, to observe the situation. When you are recovering yourself, he or she will have several things to keep an eye on: the winch drum, to make sure all is in order; the wire rope, to ensure it is taut and that you are not overrunning it; the ground anchor, to check it isn't pulling out; and your front wheels, to confirm they're facing in the right direction.

However, when recovering another vehicle there might be a change of direction involving a brow of a hill, which could obscure your direct line of sight. Your assistant could well be some way from your vehicle, doing the rigging and taking up the strain for you. So how do you communicate?

Simple - by way of hand signals from your assistant to you as operator. There are four signals to be used. A hand raised towards the operator with palm clenched means 'take up the strain'; a hand raised high in the air and tightly rotated means 'winch in'; a hand lowered towards the ground and rotated means 'payout'; and a raised outstretched palm facing the operator means 'stop'. Simple, but effective. No shouting, which can easily be misunderstood, is needed.

Index [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

(c)Goodwinch Limited 2006