Bob, you got me thinking...I think like Amgine in that less elec powered necessities on a boat are better, so I came up with a folding pedal bicycle rig that turns the small handled Keel crank from the opposite side of the crank handle. Your legs have about 8x the power or ease to turn the crank.
An elec winch like a 12v (harbor freight $180 style?) bumper winch can be controlled the same way, leaving the manual setup intact in case the batteries go south. You can still go below and pedal or hand crank the keel up, if you have to.
My WWPotter15 doesn't need this, but my Santana 21 600lb keel does. The elec winch comes with a remote switch for cockpit ease..
Mike; KC

On Saturday, May 21, 2022, 07:41:01 AM CDT, Bob Lewis <mytreasurecontact@...> wrote:

Thank you for the info Amgine, I have not decided what I am going to do yet. Once I figure something out, I will load some pics and keep the group in the know... All the best.

On Fri, May 20, 2022 at 10:48 AM Amgine <w@...> wrote:

I have considered it, if I ever get around to switching to dyneema. (That was supposed to be the 2021 project, but it kind of did not happen.)

I would really rather use a manual solution, than an electric winch. Mostly because my history with electric winches has not always been good… well, let's just say I do not want to rely on electricity. And it is me, not electricity, which is the problem.

A long time ago Larry Stefan posted his keel lift modifications to the old mailing list, and it made it to a web page[1]. Perhaps not the most graceful solution, but definitely an improvement. Maybe a small winch could be mounted aft on deck, and the lifting line brought up with an through deck exit block, a standing block to turn toward the winch.

Just noodling this idea around in my head, and without being handy to the boat to go look if it might work, but I wonder if there is enough length on stbd to run a handybilly/block & tackle. I think rigging a 4:1 purchase, with lift's 3:1, would be enough mechanical advantage (after friction losses) to make raising the keel without a winch at all quite possible, at the cost of cluttering the cabin a bit. Arranging turning blocks (more friction) and some method of cleating would add to the challenge. May need to splice  a larger line tail to the dyneema - it is too small and slippery to get decent grip.

Sounds like a great project, Bob! What are you currently thinking about doing?

Amgine

[1] https://www.potter-yachters.org/manyways/centerboard_winch/index.html

On 19/05/2022 21:11, Bob Lewis wrote:

Anyone ever consider or add an electric winch to the keel lifting process. The location of the winch is so difficult to deal with I just want to connect the dyneema to an electric system and locate it where I can actually work on it if needed. Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

Currently, the keel is lifted, screws with lug nuts holding it up, but the handle for the winch may not work properly when I tighten the bolts on the handle. She’s in the water, and ready to sail, besides this little keel issue. 

Thanks everyone. Fair winds! 
Bob