Bolt Cutters

I have what I think is 3/8" anchor chain on my 42' trawler. Not sure whether it is the super hardened type or not. I want to purchase a quality pair of bolt cutters in case I have to cut the chain loose in a bad situation. Definitely looking for better quality than Harbor Freight. Any recommendations on where to buy them?

Another method is to secure the end of the chain in the anchor locker with a length of poly line longer than the depth of the water you normally anchor in. If you need to cut loose, let the chain run free then cut the poly line. Since the line floats you can return later and retrieve your gear. This will be easier and faster than a bolt cutter.

hmason said:

Another method is to secure the end of the chain in the anchor locker with a length of poly line longer than the depth of the water you normally anchor in. If you need to cut loose, let the chain run free then cut the poly line. Since the line floats you can return later and retrieve your gear. This will be easier and faster than a bolt cutter.

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Yup, just takes a knife to cut through the line and can be done by anyone on the boat (i.e. Doesn't take much strength) and normal a sharp knife if a lot easier to put your hands on that bolt cutters stashed somewhere. Even if you didn't use a long length of Poly line, I think the line idea is a good one.

hmason said:

Another method is to secure the end of the chain in the anchor locker with a length of poly line longer than the depth of the water you normally anchor in. If you need to cut loose, let the chain run free then cut the poly line. Since the line floats you can return later and retrieve your gear. This will be easier and faster than a bolt cutter.

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That's how our boat is rigged, except we keep a small float (12" round fender) in a bow locker with 50' of floating line attached to a snap shackle. If we have to cut the anchor loose, it's a quick step to clip the line to a chain link. We can always fins it later.

Drake said:

That's how our boat is rigged, except we keep a small float (12" round fender) in a bow locker with 50' of floating line attached to a snap shackle. If we have to cut the anchor loose, it's a quick step to clip the line to a chain link. We can always fins it later.

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How is your chain attached in your chain locker?

hmason said:

How is your chain attached in your chain locker?

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The thread got a little hard to follow there for a bit. I believe he has a length of line connecting the chain to the hard point in the locker.

hmason said:

How is your chain attached in your chain locker?

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20' of yellow floating dinghy tow line.

Both has by vote. Bolt cutters and line on the bitter end of the chain.

We have bolt cutters (I don't know the brand) but they are a pain but doable. Lena probably couldn't cut the chain. They're on the small side and big to store.

I'd go to a commercial rigging dealer. They cut chain and cable daily. See what they're using. I haven't had to use our bolt cutters other than on the dock but we won't cruise without them. If we hang-up and only have 40' in the of water, I'd hate to have to dump the other 260'. The cruise would be over at that point.

We also have a 6' foot section of line spliced into the end of the chain. In certain situations, cutting the line and dumping the 300' maybe the only option.

hmason said:

Another method is to secure the end of the chain in the anchor locker with a length of poly line longer than the depth of the water you normally anchor in. If you need to cut loose, let the chain run free then cut the poly line. Since the line floats you can return later and retrieve your gear. This will be easier and faster than a bolt cutter.

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That's what I have. 100ft of 5/8 floating poly . Attached to the chain and inside the locker.
Easy to cut and retrieve.

Larry M said:

We also have a 6' foot section of line spliced into the end of the chain. In certain situations, cutting the line and dumping the 300' maybe the only option.

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This is one of the things that I have yet to do on my boat (there are so many things that I want to do!).

One of the thoughts I had was to make the length of line long enough so that it would just hold the chain on the gypsy. That way if I ever got distracted and let out too much chain it wouldn't go past the gypsy and make it harder to take the chain back in. It also would put a bit of line above the level of the deck so that it could be cut from there instead of having to open up the locker and cut it there.

I have a cheap Harbor Freight electric cutoff wheel onboard that could cut a chain easier and faster than my bolt cutter from home, but I don't carry it for that purpose. I use 50 ft of poly line in the locker at the end of my combo rode. When I retied the chain-to-rope splice, I flipped the rope end for end and left a single link on the old splice. The poly ties easily to that link. The other end of the poly is loosely tied to a small 1x2 piece of wood to prevent inadvertent loss.

I too have an electric cutoff wheel. Actually a battery powered grinder with different wheels, one of which is a cutoff wheel. A while back there was a thread on rechargable tool kits. This was part of a Makita set I got through Home Depot for about $500. All quality stuff that has now gotten lots of use. The cutoff wheel I think it much more versatile than bolt cutters - for example cutting off rusted anchor shackles, etc.

twistedtree said:

I too have an electric cutoff wheel. Actually a battery powered grinder with different wheels, one of which is a cutoff wheel. A while back there was a thread on rechargable tool kits. This was part of a Makita set I got through Home Depot for about $500. All quality stuff that has now gotten lots of use. The cutoff wheel I think it much more versatile than bolt cutters - for example cutting off rusted anchor shackles, etc.

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If the weather and seas are nasty and you need to get rid of the anchor and chain in a hurry, do you want to be digging out your grinder, finding and installing the correct cut off wheel, and then be trying to hold that to the chain while the boat is hobbyhorsing in the waves?

The tool sounds great, but not what I would choose to use for the OPs original question.

Man, I hate the thought of leaving a poly line just floating in the water without a marker buoy. Of course I speak as someone who once picked up a big wad of that stuff in one of my props courtesy of some unknown slob. I just attached my chain in the locker with a suitably rated snap shackle with a lanyard for virtually instant release. Time permitting, I could have quickly attached a little pre-rigged anchor buoy I had in a deck box. Other wise put a mark of the spot on your plotter if one isn't there already (see the many "anchor alarm" threads) and come back with a grappling hook... even a big triple fishing hook on a rod and reel will do the job just fine.

Cut off wheel in an arbor in my cordless drill. If you have a Fein tool (high speed oscillating tool), they make blades that will cut anchor chain. My Dremel tool also has a cut off wheel.

Ted

hmason said:

Another method is to secure the end of the chain in the anchor locker with a length of poly line longer than the depth of the water you normally anchor in. If you need to cut loose, let the chain run free then cut the poly line. Since the line floats you can return later and retrieve your gear. This will be easier and faster than a bolt cutter.

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That's pretty much the standard way of dealing with this potential problem.


The danger with a cordless tool on a boat is that the battery might be dead when you need it. Bolt cutters are expensive (decent ones), heavy, take some strength to use and are prone to rust.

cut off wheel,agree with the chain locker attachment,but I don't think that was what the poster was asking.

Chain is a bitch to cut with a hand tool. If after reading the above you still want a cutter, H. K. Porter 0590MHX is what you want. It is not cheap!

wow,those cutters are 42 inches,tough to store.

Note I didn't say it was a good idea. I just answered your question. That's what it takes to easily cut 3/8" chain. I use an abrasive cut off saw in my store to cut chain. H. K. Porter also make one with 36" handles that will cut 3/8" chain but it takes a lot of effort.

The sparks that fly from a cut off wheel are small pieces of iron dust.

Glowing red they are hot enough to stick to paint , plastic and even metal.

They must be removed quickly or they will rust even overnight.

With an anchor ball locating the submerged anchor , every boat is always ready to slip the anchor.

I have a bolt cutters from Tractor Supply. Tested them at the store before I bought them. I can easily cut my 5/16 chain and they are not hard to store (under the step by the lower helm).
I hope I never need them (like an umbrella).

jleonard said:

I have a bolt cutters from Tractor Supply. Tested them at the store before I bought them. I can easily cut my 5/16 chain and they are not hard to store (under the step by the lower helm).
I hope I never need them (like an umbrella).

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I have used mine to get people into their boat when they have lost the key to their padlock....

Haven't had to cut my rode but have used them to cut up my old chain.....if I don't use the in the next year or so, hope I am still song enough when the time comes.....

But then again that's why I have 50 feet of poly at the end.....

We are in warm water. I have dived to find rodes (for others) a couple of times. Usually fairly easy if the boat owner marked the spot with the chart plotter. A hundred feet of chain is a long trail on the bottom.

The float is a good idea and I have one in my deck locker for that and other purposes. Only used so far when I have dropped something in the water while at anchor or to mark my anchor in a very crowded anchorage.

FF said:

The sparks that fly from a cut off wheel are small pieces of iron dust.

Glowing red they are hot enough to stick to paint , plastic and even metal.

They must be removed quickly or they will rust even overnight.
.

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Good point.

dhays said:

If the weather and seas are nasty and you need to get rid of the anchor and chain in a hurry, do you want to be digging out your grinder, finding and installing the correct cut off wheel, and then be trying to hold that to the chain while the boat is hobbyhorsing in the waves?

The tool sounds great, but not what I would choose to use for the OPs original question.

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I guess I don't see it any differently than digging out bolt cutters, not dropping them over board or on my foot, and managing to cut the chain. I hope never to do either exercise.

But your point it well taken and often overlooked. It's real easy to envision doing something in calm condition, and totally different when the **** is hitting the fan.

In my case, one influencing factor is that I have 1/2" chain, and I'm frankly not sure I could get through it with bolt cutters.

Detach the rode and count it has "now for another BringOutAnotherThousand $."

Clearly, digging out bolt cutters or cut-off tools while 'in-the-moment' would be troublesome.

Clearly, expecting that a coil of line would magically run free out of the chain locker, would be an exercise in faith!

I imagine that most of us do not have convenient access to our chain lockers. Nor, do most of us have two anchors and two rodes at the ready since most chain lockers are an open heap and the anchor roller is suitable for one anchor.

Thinking that I might divide the chain locker with a partition, so that each rode can find its own place. And add a second anchor/roller.

Thinking that I might take advantage of our FuHwa's little raised foredeck and add a compartment with door, on the aft-facing vertical 'wall', for a washdown connection and coiled hose.

Your learned discussion suggests that an access door on the other side would be a dandy way to access the bitter ends of the rodes, and terminal buoys. A little fuss-n-feathers, thinking, should reveal a way to cast off the bitter ends and have the buoy already rigged.

Hmmm!

dhays,and twisted tree make an excellent point .When the "s" hits the fan,you are probably better off cutting everything loose,and save the boat.A few grand loss is better to swallow,than the alternative if things go bad,potentially a few hundred thousand,or in twisted's case,alot more than that.And the high potential of injury,mob, trying to cut off the chain just to save some green.IMHO,i change my vote,neither,let her go.

tinped said:

dhays,and twisted tree make an excellent point .When the "s" hits the fan,you are probably better off cutting everything loose,and save the boat.A few grand loss is better to swallow,than the alternative if things go bad,potentially a few hundred thousand,or in twisted's case,alot more than that.And the high potential of injury,mob, trying to cut off the chain just to save some green.IMHO,i change my vote,neither,let her go.

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Tinped,

You have such great points but they're tough to read. I just want to buy you an operating space bar that works behind every comma and period. My old eyes cannot easily read through the continuous block of characters.

And I mean that in the nicest way!