cutting life line

Sep 25, 1999
600
Hunter 23.5 Indian Lake
Due to the length of our dock it is hard for my wife to get on and off of our boat . She either has to go under or over the lifelines with the boat bow in . I found some pelican hooks by a company called suncor online that I am thinking of installing to the lifelines . The guy in the video uses a tool that resembles a bolt cutter he got from amazon for about a hundred dollars . Is there a way to cleanly cut the life line with some other method >? I was thinking of my angle grinder with the right cut off wheel . Thanks in advance .
 
Apr 27, 2010
1,279
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
I have done it (to a wire stay, but same idea) using a thin cutoff wheel on a dremel type tool. Taped the wire first.
 
Sep 27, 2008
24
Hunter 23 Massabesic
I have done it (to a wire stay, but same idea) using a thin cutoff wheel on a dremel type tool. Taped the wire first.
I also used a dremel tool, it worked great. Its cheaper than a special cutter and you can use a dremel tool for a lot of other projects. I added padeyes on my 87 hunter 23 so I could lower the life line at the bow.
 
Sep 25, 1999
600
Hunter 23.5 Indian Lake
lifeline

I also used a dremel tool, it worked great. Its cheaper than a special cutter and you can use a dremel tool for a lot of other projects. I added padeyes on my 87 hunter 23 so I could lower the life line at the bow.
I need to be able to lower or remove mine closer to the middle or toward stern / Not sure pelican hooks are the best solution just the first thing that came to mind . I have a dremel and an angle grinder I just thought the grinder would go thru it much faster .
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,531
-na -NA Anywhere USA
There are bolt cutters but would not recommend those as there are large what appears to be bolt cutters specifically designed for cutting stainless steel cables for example life lines. The suggestion to tape the ends is highly recommended to prevent the wires from coming apart. If you are near a marine repair facility, ask them if they have that tool and would they cut your cable for you for no or a minimal charge as it would take only 5 seconds to cut.
 
Sep 25, 1999
600
Hunter 23.5 Indian Lake
lifelines

There are bolt cutters but would not recommend those as there are large what appears to be bolt cutters specifically designed for cutting stainless steel cables for example life lines. The suggestion to tape the ends is highly recommended to prevent the wires from coming apart. If you are near a marine repair facility, ask them if they have that tool and would they cut your cable for you for no or a minimal charge as it would take only 5 seconds to cut.
Before I left the boat this weekend I was wondering if a pelican hook like the one on the mast raising system could be used to replace the turnbuckle on the life line and no cutting involved .
 

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,815
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
I read about this method. Take a block of wood and drill a hole through it large enough the cable fits through but snugly. Cut a slot in the middle of the block. Feed the cable in and cut it at the slot with a Dremel cut off wheel. This supposedly holds the wire together.

Can you or have you tried turning your lifelines end for end so the pelican hooks are at the bow. That is what I did as we need to enter off a finger pier at the bow.
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,870
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
* If there are gates aft, back in.

* If you will not use the gates too often, and if the end is attached with a clevis pin, it might be easier to simply fit some manner of quick-release clevis pins. That is what we did; proper gates aft, removable pins forward.