I really feel the need to add some things here.
First of all, cheapass winches are usually worth exactly what you pay for them. Sometimes you'll get good service and sometimes an assembly which represents the cheapest down and dirty components that the Chinese can find only gets you a serious accident waiting to happen.
First of all, forget the line in the ads which says something like "weather resistant". What you need in this application is "waterproof", a very specific designation which means what it says and does not short out when you use it on, oh, let's say, a BOAT.
Now maybe you never ship a drop of water but I'm willing to bet that wherever you are it rains occasionally. What exactly is your contingency plan for the mast being half way up (or down) on the end of a 5/32 steel cable when the crummy Chinese motor gets a few drops of water in the wrong place and quits?
There certainly are waterproof winches out there. They just cost more than $40.
Second, steel cable? Seriously? Aside from the weight, steel - are you sitting down? - rusts and corrodes and degrades and wears out and breaks. Even if you only use it once a year, unless it's in a dry place - which does not mean an anchor locker - moisture will be working away on it. Truly.
These things are available with synthetic - usually nylon - cables which are not only one hell of a lot better suited to a marine environment but also - happy day - make the whole unit weigh about half as much. And in the event of catastrophe they won't a) gouge out a huge chunk of gelcoat and b) won't rip out a huge chunk of human flesh.
The other advantage is that you don't have the problem with the cable not spooling correctly. Standing there tipping the unit back and forth probably does work but it's dangerous. These things have claimed one whole heck of a lot of fingers.
Third, pay close attention to the amp draw, then compare that with the "ft per minute" rating on the winch and the potential in your power pack.
I've seen Harbor Freight winches that specifically tell you to run for no more than 15 seconds and then let it "rest" for 15 minutes before powering it up again, at which point the amp draw was so big that you'll need that time to go power up your jump box again.
And I guarantee you that your mast isn't going 100% vertical in 15 seconds.
There are also winches out there that pull 6 ft. per minute. They use low amps but you'll fall asleep waiting for your mast to get up.
Fourth, when they brag that the unit has "dynamic braking" do you really know what that means? Seriously? And do you trust Chinese slave labor to assemble it correctly or even tell you the truth about it? This is your life we're talking about here, never mind the $30,000 boat. You're putting all of that in the hands of a low grade steel friction clutch (there's that steel thing again; moisture and carbon steel don't mix) with steel bearings bought from the lowest bidder in Shanghai? Really?
Spend $200 or so on a decent waterproof winch with a synthetic cable and a decent remote.
Safety isn't something you go cheap on.
