10 kN Electric Deep-Sea Survey Winch
10 kN Electric Deep-Sea Survey Winch
A 10 kN electric deep-sea survey winch built in Yatala for oceanographic work, with 5,000 m of wire capacity, an integrated load cell and an automatic Archimedes screw wire guide for even spooling at depth.
Deep-Sea Survey Winch Project Overview
A custom-built 10 kN electric winch for deep-sea oceanographic survey
A 10 kN electric survey winch built for deep-sea oceanographic work, carrying 5,000 m of cable and fitted with a load cell and an automatic Archimedes screw wire guide. Lowering instruments through five kilometres of water column is not about brute force but about control: the cable has to spool on and off the drum in perfect layers, the tension has to be watched continuously so the instrument package is never shock-loaded, and the winch has to keep running for hours at a time on a working vessel. The winch was built and tested at our Yatala, Queensland workshop and fitted with a protective cover for dispatch.
Key Project Highlights
Exceptional performance, precision and reliability
This 10 kN electric deep-sea survey winch was engineered for marine oceanographic survey to 5,000 m. Headline specifications:
10 kN
Rated Capacity
5000 m
Rope Storage
Marine
Industry
Ocean Survey
Application
Design & Manufacturing Considerations
Built for durability and efficiency in demanding environments
Specified with the survey operator for cable life, spooling accuracy and long-duration deployments and assembled in-house at Yatala. Key design considerations:
Marine Grade
Coated Steel
Material Choice
Electric
Single phase
Power System
10 kN
Rated Line Pull
Drive System
Manual
Standard control
Control / Brake
Operational & Technical Breakdown
An in-depth look at the 10 kN electric deep-sea survey winch's performance and technical capabilities
The drum is the heart of the winch. A grooved, large-diameter drum was specified so 5,000 m of survey cable sits in even layers, and an Archimedes screw level-wind moves the fairlead across the drum automatically as it turns, so every wrap lands beside the last without an operator guiding it. A load cell in the cable path reads line tension continuously, with the reading displayed at the control station and used to protect the instrument package from overload.
Drive is an electric motor and gearbox with a spring-applied brake, giving steady lowering and recovery speeds and a positive hold at any depth. Grease points and sensors on the level-wind are accessible from the deck, the drive shaft is guarded with mesh, and the winch was supplied with a protective cover for transport and storage between surveys after load testing at Yatala.
Other Winch Applications
Versatile winching solutions across multiple industries.
Beyond marine research, long-cable survey winches with level-wind and load monitoring suit hydrographic contractors, offshore energy surveys and deep-water sampling programs.
Instrument deployment, sampling and ROV tether handling for offshore platforms and survey vessels – load-cell monitoring and level spooling over long wire runs.
Deep shaft and tailings dam instrumentation – long-capacity electric winches with load monitoring for lowering sensors and sampling equipment.
Project Conclusion
The 10 kN electric deep-sea survey winch combines a machined drum, automatic level-wind and live tension monitoring so oceanographers can work at 5,000 m with confidence. Designed, built and tested in Yatala by Australian Certified Winches.
Like every winch we build, it was designed to AS 1418, the Australian Standard for cranes, hoists and winches, and signed off by our RPEQ-registered engineers before load testing in Yatala.
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- 2/14 Freight Street, Yatala, QLD 4207
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about deep-sea survey winches and instrument cable handling.
Why does a survey winch need an automatic level-wind?
With 5,000 m of cable on the drum, uneven spooling would crush the cable and make the instrument depth unpredictable. The Archimedes screw guide traverses the fairlead in step with the drum, so every layer is laid evenly without anyone touching the cable.
What does the load cell do?
The load cell measures cable tension in real time and shows it at the control station. Operators can see when an instrument package snags or when swell is loading the cable, and can stop or slow the winch before the cable or instrument is damaged.
How is 5,000 m of cable stored on a 10 kN winch?
By using a large-diameter, grooved drum machined specifically for the cable size. The drum diameter keeps the bend radius gentle for the conductors, and the groove pitch matches the cable so the first layer sets up the rest.
Can the winch run for long deployments?
Yes. The electric drive and gearbox were selected for continuous duty rather than short lifts, so lowering and recovering an instrument over several hours does not overheat the motor. A spring-applied brake holds the load whenever the winch is stopped.
Can ACW build survey winches for other cable lengths?
Yes. Drum size, level-wind pitch and motor power are tailored to the cable diameter and length you need to deploy, from a few hundred metres to full-ocean-depth systems, and every winch is load tested at Yatala before delivery.
Working at Depth?
Tell us the instrument mass, the operating depth and the vessel power. Our RPEQ engineers will size a certified survey winch for it.