A hoist system having a drum primarily self-contained within a batten, for raising and lowering lighting, sound equipment, curtains and the like, often in a performance environment. The compact system is highly scalable to a variety of spaces and applications, including school and public theaters and concert halls, as well as some homes, private business, etc. The hoist system may be adapted with safety mechanisms including an overspeed detector, which may comprise a centrifugal detection mechanism coupled to an elongate member of the system; dampening means; a compact mechanism for trimming or adjusting an operative length of elongate member; stabilizing pipe shaft bearings; elongate member diverter pulley mechanisms load balancing termination points. Additional features include various alternative combination hoist implementations and orientations, and alternative incorporated attachment mechanisms for use with the hoist system.