An assembly and method for deploying, retrieving, and storing a cable having a minimum bend radius onto a drum. The assembly may comprise a frame, a rotatable drum carried by the frame, a levelwind carried by the frame, and a powertrain. The levelwind may comprise a rail spanning at least the width of the drum, and a traversable carriage carried by the rail. The levelwind may also comprise a cable guide carried by the carriage, where the cable guide comprises an elongated chute having contoured walls. The contoured walls of the chute include no bends having a radius less than the minimum bend radius of the cable. The powertrain may be operatively connected to rotate the drum about the drum axis and traverse the carriage along the rail. In some examples, the contoured walls of the chute are coated with a supplmentary coating.