New gearbox housing and motor housing upgrade across Muir’s windlass, drum winch and capstan range answers industry demand for corrosion-resistant, fully-stainless complete units for new build and retrofit.
Muir Anchoring Systems is launching the INOX PRO stainless steel drivetrain option across its recreational windlass, drum winch and capstan range at this year’s Metstrade, introducing a new standard of corrosion-resistant, long-lasting units for boat owners and yards. The launch was announced from Hobart, Tasmania, on 12 November 2026.
The new upgrade delivers fully-stainless steel whole units across Muir’s recreational range for the first time, with the gearbox housing and motor housings built in stainless steel to match the robustness of the polished top works. Backed by Muir’s extended 5-year warranty on the gearbox and 3-year warranty on the motor, alongside the company’s 5-year top works warranty, the Muir windlasses with the INOX PRO drivetrain bring the exceptional standard of its superyacht and commercial equipment to every format in its recreational range.
Tackling the most common cause of winch failure
The INOX PRO option was developed by Muir to transform unit longevity, in response to customer feedback to tackle the most common cause of anchor winch failure: the alloy casing below deck corroding in the wet anchor locker.
Max Buckley, General Manager of Muir Anchoring Systems, said: "Dealers and owners kept telling us the same thing. The polished top works on a windlass or drum winch will last twenty years, while the alloy gearbox and motor housing underneath often succumb due to two things: a painted alloy casing whose coating fails due to saltwater corrosion and the aluminium-to-stainless galvanic couple at every stud, flange and shaft. By building the whole unit to the standard of the parts you can see, the Muir INOX PRO upgrade ends the most common way a winch dies: not worn out, but eaten away below deck.
"INOX PRO brings the higher material standard to every format in our recreational range, from a trailer boat to a 25-metre motor yacht. The whole winch is now stainless, not only the parts on show, and we are confident in backing the upgrade with the extended warranty to the motor and gearbox.
"With significant benefits for cruisers, boat owners, chandlers and yards, the INOX PRO is crafted in Tasmania and built to last for any boat, new or existing. It is an upgrade option demanded by the recreational market, delivering a longer-lasting product built to raise anchoring standards for owners across the US, Europe and worldwide, while introducing more people to the Tasmanian company behind the gear on the superyachts they see in the marina."
"By building the whole unit to the standard of the parts you can see, the Muir INOX PRO upgrade ends the most common way a winch dies: not worn out, but eaten away below deck."
Max Buckley, General Manager, Muir Anchoring Systems
An option across the recreational range
An option rather than a new model, the INOX PRO upgrade can be specified across the recreational range:
- Storm vertical windlasses (VR and VRC)
- Compact horizontal windlasses (HR)
- DW and DFF drum winches
- Sailor mooring capstans (VC)
The range suits power and sailing boats from about 5m to 25m (16ft to 82ft). The INOX PRO housings are built with the same grade of stainless steel as the top works. Gear train, brake, clutch and sealing are unchanged from Muir’s standard build, so installers keep the same footprints, mounting, wiring and controls that they already know.
With the new housings, there are no painted casings to touch up and no aluminium-to-stainless joint to isolate with anti-corrosion paste or tape. Built on the same production lines as Muir’s superyacht and commercial equipment, INOX PRO has been developed and tested in-house at Muir’s factory in Kingston, Tasmania, including salt-spray testing, under its ISO 9001 quality system.
Retrofit for owners, fewer callbacks for yards
INOX PRO is ordered as an upgrade line item against the standard model, and it can also be retrofitted to a Muir unit already on board as a motor-and-gearbox exchange. An owner with a corroding drivetrain keeps the top works and replaces only the part that has failed.
For boatbuilders and refit yards, the upgrade means fewer warranty calls and callbacks, no change to installation, and a longer warranty to pass on to the owner. Drawings, 3D models and chain and rope compatibility data are available from Muir technical support.
Built to last and to be serviced
The increased longevity of Muir windlasses with the INOX PRO drivetrain contributes to sustainability targets, as a winch that does not need replacing every few seasons is the most efficient and sustainable one. Muir units are designed to be serviced, with spares shipped from Tasmania and held by its global distributor network. The Kingston factory runs a solar array, and Muir’s packaging is made from shredded delivery cardboard, cutting its foam use by about half.
Metstrade, Stand 07.432, and availability
A Muir Storm VRC3500 fitted with the INOX PRO drivetrain will be on display on Stand 07.432 in Hall 7 throughout Metstrade from 17 to 19 November 2026. Max Buckley and Shaun Hancock, International Sales and Marketing Manager, will be on the stand with Muir’s distributors.
Orders open at Metstrade. Shipping starts in November 2026 for models up to and including the VRC1250, HR1600 and DW10, with larger models available from February 2027. INOX PRO is available through Muir’s distributors and dealer networks and to OEM boatbuilders.
More information: muir.com.au/inox-pro
