Sixteen to eighteen hours a day. Every day. For five months.

That’s the workload two Gearmatic GM12A planetary hoists took on during field trials supporting cutterhead dredge operations. When one of the hoists returned for a complete teardown and inspection, the results showed normal wear and zero anomalies—ready to get back to work.

For Gearmatic, those results carry a strong legacy forward. For operators, they demonstrate what matters on the water: dependable performance through long days and demanding conditions.

Designed Around the Work

Arrowhead Winch developed the GM Series around customer needs, drawing on industry experience to engineer hoists for continuous-duty applications in marine, fishing, dredging, and drilling markets.

The GM12A pairs durable construction with features that make operation and maintenance easier:

• Stainless steel drum seal lands help resist corrosion.
• Crowned planetary gears support longer life and reduced noise.
• A built-in sight glass makes oil-level checks quick and straightforward.
• Sintered bronze brake discs provide smooth operation and effective heat dissipation.

Multiple drum sizes, wire rope options, and mounting configurations give operators flexibility to match the hoist to the application.

Tested in the Factory. Validated in the Field.

Before field trials began, the GM12A underwent extensive testing at Arrowhead Winch’s Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, manufacturing facility—including 100,000 revolutions at full rated load capacity.

“We don’t launch until we are confident,” says Paul Hiltenbeitel, director of sales at Arrowhead Winch.

Distributor Hydra Works, LLC helped bring that testing into the field. The Louisiana-based company supported a dredging customer with installation and hydraulic adjustments as two GM12A hoists went to work swinging a cutterhead dredge.

The application put the hoists through repeated cycles over months of daily operation, providing a demanding test of durability and braking performance.

Support That Keeps Operations Moving

On a workboat, equipment performance and service support go hand in hand. Operators need access to parts, technical expertise, and people who understand the application.

For Hydra Works founder Gene Bourgeois, that support is essential to standing behind the products his company supplies.

“For me, it’s all about service and performance, keeping our clients happy and coming back to us,” he says.

The GM12A brings those priorities together: field-proven durability, practical service features, and support from Arrowhead Winch and its distributor network.

The Gearmatic GM Series is poised to deliver.

Want the full story? Read more about the GM12A’s development and field performance with Hydra Works in the complete article.

Download the full article here.