A dual drive winch system for efficiently providing a winch operable either manually or via an external motor. The dual drive winch system generally includes a rotatable spool adapted to have an elongated member wound thereon, a first drive unit mechanically connected to the spool and a second drive unit mechanically connected to the spool. The first drive unit rotates the spool via a manual force applied to the first drive unit and the second drive unit rotates the spool via a powered force applied to the second drive unit.