Abstract: The winch has a disc-shaped hub having a shaft extending upwardly from its top surface. It also has a winch drum having an axial bore whose diameter is sized to rotatably receive the shaft of the disc-shaped hub. The bottom end of the winch drum has a recess with ratchet teeth formed around its inner annular surface and there are a pair of pawl members in spring loaded attachment with the outer surface of the shaft of the disc-shaped hub to form a ratchet assembly. There is a bore hole in the bottom end of the disc-shaped hub and an upright extending secondary shaft member has its top end rotatably inserted into this bore hole. A handle has its one end secured to the secondary shaft and it extends radially therefrom and has a supporting block mounted on its opposite end and a double cam cleat is mounted thereon. An alternative form of handle is also operable with the same basic winch structure but does not require the handle to be permanently secured to the winch.