That thread makes an interesting read, but shouldn't be taken as gospel. Any manufacturer can refuse a warranty claim, and unless you take them to court there is nothing you can do. The manufacturers that don't exclude water damage still have abuse and misuse clauses they can fall back on. If they decide (and they don't have to tell you in advance) that submerging in water should be followed by a "dry-off" run of the winch, then it is "misuse" if you fail to do that.
Warranty is always simply a reflection of the attitude of the company. Some companies will fix things under warranty after the warranty has actually expired, some will look for an excuse to refuse warranty on a nearly new product. Companies that are new to the market will usually say whatever it takes to make a sale, but may not be acting the same way in a couple of years time. And some companies who in the past have offered fabulous service are these days, due to change of ownership or whatever, being far less generous. And sometimes it comes down to one persons judgement of a situation.
And, of course, some companies and retailers will make special exceptions (either way) for some customers.
