Achieving a higher rate of customer satisfaction with a realistic price tag, LSM originally started as an anchor winch supplier for the trailer boat market. After many years of innovation and growth, we have now expanded our operations to include custom manufacturing for vessels to 80ft. and supply many of the industries largest commercial vessels. LSM not only manufacture winches, we design drives and manufacture custom fittings, anchors, and deck hardware in Australia. We proudly stand behind our products and offer the most hassle free Warranty of any anchor winch supplier on the market with 5 Year Warranty (recreational) on every single component plus a Lifetime Warranty against damage due to water ingress. All servicing or warranty issues are dealt with in house or from our distribution facilities around the globe. From Winch to Anchor and everything in between, you can trust Lone Star Marine to supply your new anchoring system at the right price.
” I started looking seriously into this market in 2008 and pretty quickly figured out that while there were some great operators & products available, there were also poor quality products & operators taking advantage of the consumers lack of knowledge in this industry or relying on a sale by sale business model with large profit margins. From the outside looking in for the average consumer it was near impossible to tell the difference. I knew the demand was there for more affordable-high quality products and there was also plenty of room for improvement so we started with a business model based on volume and excellent customer support. After only a few short years and assembling a team with a shared vision our innovation really came into its own, we now have over a dozen original Worlds First designs under our belt, hold numerous IP registrations & patents on a variety of products, and are recognised across the globe for innovation & reliability. Our reputation for excellence is hard earned and its obvious leading the drum anchoring system industry is not something we take lightly.”
Frequently Asked Questions |
Why purchase a Lonestar Marine Winch? |
We know our product and your boat. Before becoming a primary wholesaler for the boating industry, we installed thousands of our units for our Melbourne customers on premise. Our scope is not only on one or two items or accessories, our expertise lies in anchoring system design, manufacturing and operation as a whole. From our first week in business LSM has offered a rebuild/refurbishment service on anchor winches of all makes and models, a service we still offer today in Australia. Rebuilding hundreds of units across many brands and all levels of quality and periods of use has given us decades worth of information which has gone directly into the products you will find in our catalogue. We know what works, we know what can fail & why and have built our range accordingly. LSM has built a reputation on quality, innovation, value, and the highest level of customer support. In this day and age lot of companies use words like ‘highest quality’ or make claims that are either stretched or without merit. While we can’t prevent what others may claim, we can guarantee our specs and claims are accurate & customers will benefit from our solid engineering, continuous R & D, commitment to industry, and consistent drive to deliver the best product. When you purchase a Lone Star Winch you are purchasing from a company that prides itself on constant R&D and innovation. We don’t settle, we don’t rest, and if there is something that can be improved, from the smallest item to motor development we’ll do it. There are always improvements that can be made and innovations around the corner, and more often than not we lead them. |
What goes into a Lonestar Marine Winch? |
Robust and Reliable, LSM systems feature only the highest quality drives and fittings. All are manufactured to spec and not re-purposed from industrial applications. Motors We wanted the perfect drum winch motors-so we had them made from scratch. Our motors (internals) are designed & custom made to OEM spec for drum winches by the largest American Owned DC motor manufacturer in the world, and are exclusive to LSM. In other words you won’t find our drives in an ‘off the shelf’ catalogue or used in other industries. Motor development typically takes 12-18 months per model and are tested up to 6000 duty cycles. LSM use oversized motors on every drum size for efficiency and longevity. LSM focus not only of the performance of our motors but the corrosion resistance and waterproofing as well. All LSM motors are finished in AU made machined & hard anodised marine grade aluminium, Certified AS/NZS 60529 Spec, and rated at IP68. In a nutshell they are the most waterproof winch motors available. You certainly won’t find any GX or Elite series winch motors patched up with paint or globs of silicon sealant. Utilising fine CNC machining, innovative design, marine grade anodised aluminium, and in house assembly our motors are made to work hard & get wet! Transmissions LSM transmissions are among the best available with no mild steel, plastic or poly parts. Each oil filled gearbox features oversized high ratio gears, large quality worm drives, open high speed bearings, and marine grade (not mild steel) mariner bronze & stainless steel outputs. GX series transmissions are Marine Grade (not industrial) & 100% Manufactured in Italy. Elite transmissions are Manufactured in Australia & utilise work hardened Italian Made gear sets and SKS bearings. Stainless Steel Every GX, Elite, GXC, CR, & CX series product feature marine grade 316 stainless steel construction, made right here in Australia with all welding and assembly in house. All winches feature a minimum of 6mm plate construction (a lot of companies use 4mm) & solid shafts from 24-60mm. All stainless steel is chemically polished for superior finish and corrosion resistance. This process is actually a removal of material, not a coating. This is the same process used for high precision medical instruments. Machined & Anodised Aluminium All GX & Elite series winches feature bearing covers, gearbox collars, and motor externals that are machined and anodised for marine use. There are no load bearing cast fittings to get brittle or crack with age and stress in a saltwater environment. Material Certification All raw materials are origin certified for quality & consistency. There is zero Asian manufactured structural material in the GX & Elite winch ranges. Instead LSM Utilise Australian & Italian milled marine grade aluminium, New Zealand milled 316 stainless steel and AU and NZ milled high tensile mild steel plate (MMX Anchors). All cutting, folding, machining, welding, polishing, anodizing & assembly is completed in Australia. Special Features Each LSM winch features a minimum of 6mm 316 stainless plate in a mirror like finish. Solid spool shafts are minimum 24mm and the assembly spins on 2 triple sealed maintenance free bearings. LSM is the only manufacturer to utilise a triple sealed twin bearing system on the spool shaft. This only allows for very tight tolerances in winch construction and assembly, however our customers are still reaping the benefits of this system after many years of use. Our rates on transmission issues is a testament to this fact. Drives on all GX and Elite series winches are adjustable to 24 positions for easy installation. LSM GX & Elite series winches also feature an emergency manual release in the event of power loss and a 5 + Life recreational Warranty. Standard Inclusions Each winch kit includes backing plates, 400 amp H/D solenoids, Genuine MP (USA) circuit breakers, up/down switch panels, and every nut and bolt needed for installation. For the home installation this simply means you will not have to waste countless hours running |
Where are Lonestar Marine Products Made? |
As of 2015, 85% of our products (by volume) are manufactured in Australia. LSM utilises local staff & helps support a great local manufacturing economy, keeping millions of dollars in materials and skilled labour costs in Australia every year. We are proud to be part of the Australian Made Campaign (license #7352). |
How fast do Lone Star Marine winches drop? |
Our drop speed starts at 126 ft. per minute for our smallest model and goes to around 150 ft. per minute for our largest model in the GX series. Our Elite series offers a slightly faster drop rate if desired. Drop and retrieval speed is, for us, a function of getting the anchor down quickly, yet no so quick as to have an overrun. Picking out an overrun can cost you a new anchor line, and at least several frustrating minutes crouched in your anchor well. If fishing solo without your anchor on the bottom, this can be a dangerous proposition. Finally, your winch must have adequate torque to get your rode back up with ease. Our products have torque and high holding capacity, in spades. LSM winches are among the fastest on the market with a drop speed as fast or faster than other brands without the need for additional gimmicks, add-ons, or fast fall devices. Exact speeds can be found on each winch model. |
How do I choose the right Lone Star Marine winch for me? |
The best thing to do is correlate your boat size with the desired rope and chain capacity to suit your anchoring depth. This will give you your ideal LSM Model. Note smaller winches can be used on much larger boats in shallow water or placid conditions. Lone Star GX and Elite Series winches are classed by drum (not motor) size: Size 1-200mm, Size 2-250mm, Size 3-300mm, Size 4-350mm, Size 5-420mm, Size 6-550mm, Size 7-750mm |
How NOT to choose a drum winch? |
Motor size. Guys there are just too many companies stretching the truth these days, which is why it pays to buy from reputable companies. One companies 500w motor is another companies 1500w motor. “Motor Size”, weather stated ‘’spec’’ or physical dimension alone is no indication of ultimate output, quality, pulling power, speed, efficiency, rating status, duty cycle, or ultimate longevity. Motor output is only relevant in relation to the to the drum diameter & gearing, not boat length or weight. LSM Motors are conservatively rated to output efficiency and duty cycle. All LSM winch models use well oversized motors and gearboxes per drum diameter, more power than you’ll ever need & are purpose built to pull the heaviest possible rode per recreational. boat size. |
Will a Lonestar winch fit my boat? |
There are several mounting options for fitting a new Lone Star winch to your pride and joy. Please visit our Fit Ups page and view the winch dimensions by choosing the ‘Specification’ tab under the model description to give an idea on spacing. We are more than happy to help with fit-up advise, feel free to ring or email for more information. |
Do Lonestar drum winches Free Fall? |
Absolutely Not. All LSM winches are direct drive, our units do not rely on one way bearings, magnetic breaks, actuators, or additional gearing for deployment. Simply stated there are less parts to fail & no break or removal of the solid shaft from the gearbox. Your anchor will deploy at a controlled drop speed every time. This eliminates any possibility of the winch letting go while underway (a potential life threatening situation), ensures higher load ratings while at anchor, keeps maintenance to a minimum, avoids chain piling on top of your anchor under deployment, and helps to prevent overruns and tangles while deploying the anchor. In our experience customers will have a higher level of satisfaction over seasons of use and variety of depths with non-freefall units. Our commercial users especially appreciate the simplicity and durability of our non-free designs. All GX and Elite series winches feature a manual release for emergency deployment only. |
Aren’t all drum winches the same? |
Of course not, although it is a line we’ve heard from time to time by those pushing inferior products. Cheaper products will always reveal a loss in quality, performance, longevity, or customer support. They often reveal a high dose of misleading marketing as well. High quality anchoring systems from LSM may cost 10-20% more than some cheaper brands, but that small increase will reveal several times the amount in benefits, reducing the real cost of ownership over time. “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”. |
Do Drum winches get tangles? |
No, well they shouldn’t. Tangles can occur in four ways.
Drum winches by design do not twist anchor rope like a capstan, any twist occurring during drop or retrieval is easily alleviated by a dual anchor swivel. Be wary of any manufacturer who claims theirs prevents line twist, it is simply not an issue on any drum winch. |
What if I have questions about my Lone Star Winch after purchase? |
We are always available by phone and email for any questions with your Lone Star Winch, regardless of place of purchase. Every Lone Star Winch is backed by an 5 + Life Warranty. We keep all spares in stock at our distribution facilities so you can rest assured if your winch ever does require attention you will be back on the water in no time at no additional cost |
Do Lone Star Winches Require regular servicing? |
No. The only servicing for recreational use is a light freshwater wash down after use. If your winch in in a sealed anchor locker a non-water soluble spray can be used annually instead |
Where did the name “Lone Star” come from? |
The owner is a Texan, enough said. |
How do I purchase a Lonestar winch? |
Contact the Team at Hitech Marine today! WA – (08) 9309 2888 NSW – (02) 4256 6135 We can organise shipping Australia Wide – and it’s cheaper than you’d think! |