Netherlands-based Steven Ibelings is a regular visitor to the Treetools website and an active contributor to our blog. He is also pretty damn good at designing tree rigging gear - look at his Winch Bollard (now called SmartWinch) and then wipe your chin - this beauty will get you drooling!
Steven tells us his Winch Bollard is built around the Harken 46 (similar to the GRCS (Good Rigging Control System)). The Harken is mounted on a stainless steel backplate, weighing about 23 kg.
Unlike the GRCS, which has a winch handle plus a bar for the strapping, Steven has made his winch handle multi-purpose - it's used for both the winch and the mounting mechanism.
Another unique feature (for a winch/bollard) is the ability to set two ropes at once - one around the winch and one around the outer bollard.
The Ibeling Winch Bollard (SmartWinch) is available with a custom-made aluminium flight case to keep your investment protected. Six of these units have sold already- watch out, GRCS!
Prototype 3-D image pictured above - you'll find more photographs on Facebook.
