Long days on a dredge demand equipment that can keep working. Repeated cycles, harsh conditions, and limited opportunities for downtime make hoist performance and serviceability essential.
As Gearmatic marks its 80th anniversary, the GM12A planetary hoist carries that legacy forward with a design built around continuous-duty applications and field testing that demonstrates its durability.
Cutterhead dredges remove accumulated material to help keep waterways navigable. Hoists play an important role in positioning the dredge, allowing the cutterhead to swing across the work area as it cuts and removes material.
For this application, dependable braking, line speed, and sustained performance are everyday requirements.
Two GM12A units were installed for a dredge swinging application, operating 16 to 18 hours a day, every day, for five months. The workload provided an extensive opportunity to evaluate the hoists under demanding operating conditions.
Arrowhead Winch developed the GM Series around customer needs and workboat industry experience, with attention to both how the hoist operates and how it is maintained.
The GM12A incorporates features that support those priorities:
Two drum sizes, multiple wire rope options, and flexible mounting configurations allow the hoist to be matched to different installation requirements. Equal-speed and high-speed reverse configurations offer additional flexibility for the application.
Before field installation, the GM12A underwent validation testing at Arrowhead Winch’s Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, manufacturing facility, including 100,000 revolutions at full rated load capacity.
The dredging trial put that design through months of daily operation. Following the trial, a complete teardown and inspection of one unit revealed normal wear and no anomalies, preparing the hoist for a return to service.
For operators evaluating equipment for continuous-duty work, those results provide meaningful evidence of performance beyond the factory test stand.
Eighty years is a milestone, and a foundation for what comes next.
Arrowhead Winch has expanded the Gearmatic GM Series to include the GM12, GM18, GM27, GM35 and GM50, bringing more options to operators working across a range of demanding applications.
As the lineup grows, the focus remains on dependable performance, practical maintenance, and factory support—the qualities that carry the Gearmatic legacy forward.
Contact Arrowhead Winch to learn more about the Gearmatic GM Series and discuss your application requirements.
Opt in to receive email communications, including service bulletins, newsletters and product updates.
