Looking for a manual crab pot puller? EZ Puller's 3-piece aluminum davits need no battery or wiring, and they haul crab, lobster and shrimp pots by hand. Pick your davit below.
A manual crab pot puller is a davit: a 3-piece aluminum arm that mounts on your rail and holds a pulley block above the gunnel. You hang your own pulley block from a pick point, run the pot line through it, and haul by hand. The davit carries the weight and gives the line a clean path, so you pull straight up instead of over the rail. Our guide to how a manual crab pot puller works shows when it beats electric.
Shoppers use "manual pot puller", "crab pot davit", "pot puller davit" and "crab pot puller davit" for the same davit-mounted tool. Our guide to the terms explains how they are used. On this page we call the product a manual pot puller and describe it as a davit.
Whether you fish a few pots from a skiff or a larger string from a bigger boat, a manual davit gives you a dependable way to lift pots without a motor.
Here is how the four manual models compare. The davit pipe "schedule" tells you the wall thickness: Sch 80 is thicker than Sch 40 at the same pipe size. Specs come from each product page, so open a model for the full list.
| Model | Davit pipe | Height / reach (in) |
|---|---|---|
EZ-A403 | 1.5" Sch 40 aluminum, 3-piece | 65 / 27 |
EZ-A403D | 1.5" Sch 40 aluminum, 3-piece, Scotty mount | Not stated |
EZ-A803 | 1.5" Sch 80 aluminum, 3-piece | 65 / 27 |
EZ-A803X | 1.5" Sch 80 aluminum, 3-piece | 75 / 33 |
Standard rails. The EZ-A403 manual crab pot puller is a 1.5" Sch 40 davit at 65" tall with a 27" reach. For the thicker wall, step up to the EZ-A803 Sch 80 crab pot davit, which has the same 65" height and 27" reach.
High rails. The EZ-A803X extended crab pot puller davit is the same Sch 80 build, 10" taller with a 6" longer reach. It suits boats with a high rail, or when you need to clear more of the hull.
Scotty mounts. Already run a Scotty mount? The EZ-A403D davit for a crab pot puller on a Scotty mount is made to work with one.
The same davit hauls all three kinds of pot. Run the line through your pulley block, and lift the pot hand over hand while the davit holds the load above the rail. Crab pots, lobster traps and shrimp pots all lift the same way. What changes is the weight of the gear and the depth you fish, so match your line, pulley block and davit capacity to your heaviest pot.
For shrimp, read our shrimp pot puller setup guide for depth and line capacity. For lobster, see how professional lobster fishermen retrieve heavy traps. Need gear to haul? Browse crab and shrimp pots.
The EZ-A403, EZ-A803 and EZ-A803X each include a sleeved gunnel mount, a flat deck mount and a stainless steel locking pin. The EZ-A403D is sold for a Scotty mount. None of them includes a pulley block, and mount fasteners are not included either, so check the product page for the full list.
A davit is only as steady as its mount. Matching crab pot puller mounts in 1.5" are sold separately. Check your rail and deck first: match the davit height and reach to your boat, then pick the mount. Our pot puller davit size, schedule and height guide walks through it. Check the mount is tight before each trip, because it takes the load every time you haul.
Follow the instructions that come with your model, and use this as a guide to the order of the job.
After saltwater use, rinse the davit with fresh water, and check the mount fasteners and pulley block from time to time.
Pick the height first. Choose 65" for standard rails and 75" for high rails.
Then pick the schedule. Sch 40 and Sch 80 are both 1.5" aluminum. Sch 80 has the thicker wall.
Decide whether you need a motor. Manual pullers do not need a battery. If you haul many pots or heavy gear, see our electric crab pot pullers. Not sure which suits your boat? Read electric vs. manual for a small boat or skiff.
| Manual | Electric | |
|---|---|---|
Power | Your own effort | 12V battery |
What you need | Davit, mount and pulley block | Battery, breaker and wiring |
Best for | A few pots and simple setups | Regular hauling and heavy pots |
EZ Puller designs and hand-builds its pot pullers in the USA for crab, shrimp and lobster fishermen. Want to see one first? Find manual pot pullers for sale near you with our dealer locator. Prefer to talk it through? Contact us and we will help match a davit to your boat.
A davit lifts the pot, so the pot matters too. Fill your string with our crab pots and shrimp pots, which have a bait tube in every model. If you later want a motor to do the lifting, browse our electric crab pot pullers and haulers for 12V models.
A manual crab pot puller is a 3-piece aluminum davit that holds a pulley block above your gunnel. You run the pot line through the block and haul by hand. The davit carries the weight and gives the line a clean path. It needs no battery or wiring.
Yes. The product pages say a pulley block is not included, so you add your own and hang it from a pick point on the davit.
Both are 1.5" aluminum davits. Schedule 80 has a thicker wall, and the product pages list the Sch 80 models at 150 lb.
A crab pot davit lifts the line above the rail so you can haul a pot without leaning over the side. It holds the pulley block and takes the load of the pot.
Three models include a sleeved gunnel mount, a flat deck mount and a stainless steel locking pin. The EZ-A403D works with a Scotty mount. Mount fasteners are not included.
Choose 65" for standard rails and 75" for high rails. The 65" models reach 27", and the 75" EZ-A803X reaches 33".
Three models include a sleeved gunnel mount, a flat deck mount and a stainless steel locking pin. None includes a pulley block. Each product page lists exactly what is in the box.
Look at the height and reach first. The 65" EZ-A403 and EZ-A803 have a 27" reach and suit standard rails. Choose the 75" EZ-A803X only when your rail is high.
Spread the load with the mount, and check the fit before you haul. Read how to mount a davit without stressing your gunnel before you drill.
Pick your davit in the grid above, and set up a manual pot puller that keeps working.
