Abstract: A hoist is provided for facilitating the loading and unloading of a vehicle. The hoist comprises a mounting for mounting to an underlying structure, an upright post connected to the mounting, a column rotatably seated on the post and having a boom pivotally connected thereto, a drive connected between the boom and column to raise and lower a free end of the boom, a sheave carried at the free end of the boom, a hoist cable looped over the sheave, an eye affixed to the column near its lower end, a chain threaded through the eye and secured at one end to the hoist cable, and an anchor located upwardly above the eye for the releasably securing the other end of the chain to the column.