Best Electric Boat Anchor Winch (Reviews 2023)

Most boaters find themselves in need of an anchor during most outings. After all, whether fishing or relaxing, you don’t want your boat to drift while you are reeling in a big catch or catching some rays.

However, even with the best anchors, sometimes boaters need a little help getting that anchor back into the boat— not so much in sandy conditions, but more so in rocky or muddy conditions. That is where an anchor winch comes in.

Automatic anchor winches, much like electric trailer winches, will help you bring your anchor out the water quickly so you can follow that school of fish that just swam past, or so you can get back to shore quickly in the event of an emergency or party you happened to forget about.

An electric anchor and winch combination can help you save valuable labor and time from manually dragging up an anchor from the lake bed or seafloor. You can save your hands from rub burns or from the nasty up splash that often comes when you pull a debris-covered anchor out of the water with your bare hands.

In this article, we will focus on some of the best electric boat anchor winches out there, and help you figure out which one will best suit your needs.

Top 5 Model Comparison Table

The MinnKota Deckhand 40 electric anchor and winch combination makes placing your anchor as keep as 100 feet easy with its pre-spooled 100 feet of nylon rope.

The nylon rope has 800 lb capacity, so it will work in almost any conditions.

This electric boat anchor winch handles anchors of up to 40 pounds, and comes with a complete two-year warranty.

Too, this electric anchor winch comes with mounting hardware and installation instructions, and is compatible with other popular MinnKota accessories.

Pros

• 40lb anchor weight
• 2-year complete warranty
• 100 feet attached pre-spooled cable

Cons

• Expensive
  

One of the great things about the MinnKota Deckhand 25 is that it comes complete with a corded remote, meaning you don't have to be right on top of the winch when bringing your anchor up.

This unit features only a 25 lb anchor weight capacity, so it won't work for some of the larger anchors out there. Since heavier anchors work best for mud and rock, this electric anchor winch will work best with low-weight anchors usable in sandy conditions.

This anchor wench comes with 60 feet of 800 lb test nylon rope pre-spooled, and can automatically be raised or lowered easily at the mere touch of a button.

Pros

• Corded remote
• 60 feet pre-spooled nylon rope
• Well-priced

Cons

• 25 lb anchor weight max
• Suitable mainly for light sand anchors
  

The Pontoon 35 is a good mid-range electric boat anchor winch.

It can hold an anchor weight maximum of 35 lbs, meaning it is good for most anchors.

It can give you up to 22-feet per minute in up speed, and 70 feet per minute in down speed when you drop anchor.

Its strong all-steel gears guarantee long-term viability and operation.

This electric boat anchor winch also comes with 100 feet of pre-wound braided anchor rope attached.

This unit comes with no remote, but you can purchase both wired and wireless remotes to use with it.

Pros

• Parts Warranty
• 100’ pre-spooled cable
• Mid-range price
  

Cons

• No remote without separate purchase

TRAC-Outdoor Products, a well-known brand to most boat owners, offers a quality electric boat anchor winch with three features for operation, up, down, and automatic deployment.

The maximum anchor capacity is 25 lbs, meaning it will not work with anchors that work well in muddy conditions or rocky conditions.

A wireless remote is included.

It comes with 100 feet of pre-wound braided anchor rope, and features automatic resetting circuit breakers.

This electric boat anchor winch comes complete with a two-year manufacturers warranty and excellent up and won drop and pull up speeds meaning you can lay anchor and pull anchor quickly in even the most turbulent conditions.

Pros

• Wireless remote
• Auto-deployment feature

Cons

• 25 lb anchor weight max

The MinnKota Pontoon Deckhand electric boat anchor winch is among the most economical on the list, but that doesn't mean you sacrifice the features you have grown to love with MinnKota's quality products.

With a whopping 40 lb anchor capacity, this electric boat anchor winch comes complete with 100 feet of 800 lb nylon rope pre-spooled.

The davit that comes with this particular electric boat anchor winch is also designed to drop anchor horizontally to eliminate anchor swing, and comes complete with an anchor shackle for quick changes between anchors.

MinnKota's special anti-drag system also helps the anchor sense the bottom to eliminate drift.

An accessory remote is available.

Pros

• Low price
• 40 lb  anchor capacity

Cons

• Remote sold separately

Electric Winch for Boat Anchors Buying Considerations

Anchor Size

The single most important thing to consider before buying an electric boat anchor and winch is what size your anchor is.

If you have a 40 lb anchor, your choices are limited. Anything under 25 lbs, and you have a much wider group of choices available to you.

Rope

Also, consider how much rope comes pre-spooled on the electric boat anchor winch you are considering. If you fish in deep waters, 40 or 60 feet of pre-spooled rope won’t be enough for you.

Remote

If you want to be able to pull up the anchor from your captain’s chair, consider if the unit you are considering comes with a remote or has one you can purchase that is compatible. Some electric boat anchor winches do not even have the option of a remote that can be purchased and connected to the device.

Warranty

Most electric boat anchor winches offer some type of warranty. If you are pulling and setting an anchor many times a week, make sure the model you select offers a strong warranty. After all, motors pulling heavy anchors in turbulent waters will experience more friction and thus can break down easier, so you will want to make sure you select something with a warranty that is right for you. 

Also, check the length of the warranty that is offered. If no warranty is offered, you should strongly consider whether or not that is an appropriate investment for you, because many of these electric boat anchor winches are quite costly.

If a warranty isn’t offered, consider whether or not you can purchase one from a third party, whether your credit card company may offer warranty protection, or if your boat’s marine insurance will cover the electric boat anchor winch if it is attached to the boat.

Conclusion

There are a multitude of electric boat anchor winches on the market. However, the type of boat you have and considerations like whether or not you want a remote are things you should keep in mind.

These handy pieces of equipment can save you time and effort when dropping or raising the anchor. It can also save your hands from rope burns or hot chains. Too, in the event you need to up anchor quickly, an electric boat anchor winch can be considered a major safety feature for your boat.