March 8, 2010 – (Marine NewsWire) Thermoboat, Ltd. of Sidney, BC, Canada has been chosen as the North American importer of StressFree® Anchor Winches. Made in Australia, StressFree Anchor Winches offer anchor rode handling products for vessels from 16′ to 38′ (plus custom sizes for larger boats) and are suited for power and sailboat applications. Thermoboat will be responsible for OEM and distribution sales throughout Canada and the United States.
StressFree Anchor Winches have recently introduced their patented “Next Generation” (NG) series of Free-Fall Winches for deck mounting or internal placement in the anchor locker of any vessel up to 38′. Available in four sizes and made of 3/16 marine stainless steel, the NG StressFree Anchor Winch is unlike a conventional anchor windlass in that it neatly stores the anchor line and chain on a drum inside the anchor well, allowing hands-free deployment and retrieval of the anchor from the safety of the cockpit. The NG series is the first ever free-fall design drum anchor winch and is available in 12- or 24-volt DC current.
“This is a terrific anchor-handling solution for the small- to medium-size recreational boat,” said Hugh Carroll, president of Thermoboat. “This will benefit anyone who needs to weigh or set an anchor quickly and efficiently without ever needing to touch the anchor line. Fishermen will find they spend less time anchoring and more time fishing with this product and short-handed sailors can lower or raise the anchor without ever leaving the helm.”
The NG series of anchor winches are ruggedly engineered to raise, lower and secure anchors from the helm at the touch of a button. The patented design allows the anchor to be lowered under powered control at 80 to 90 fpm or to “free fall” without risk of over run or tangles at up to 600 fpm. The ingenious engineering is such that the actuating mechanism that disengages the drive allowing the anchor to “free fall,” also acts as a brake that prevents the spool from over run by continuously applying an even load to both ends of the drum. Once the free-fall actuator is released the robust drive is automatically re-engaged, locking the mechanism so that additional tying off is unnecessary.
For more information and data sheets contact Thermoboat at info@thermoboat.com, by phone at 1-888-769-8495 or on the Web at www.thermoboat.com