Damage Control

[DeepFrz]

A good article on Damage Control from one of my gurus.

The Ethos of Damage Control | PassageMaker

[IdoraKeeper]

My boat is up at the riggers, damage to my wallet is a grave concern.

[hellosailor]

Speaking of damage control, I was in the BigBox Store recently looking for an angle grinder for some entirely non-marine purposes. And I saw that Makita makes a battery powered version of their angle grinder.

It struck me as possibly a very good tool for a boat, since an angle grinder with a cutting blade on it could make fast work going through any damaged rigging, shrouds, pieces of boom or mast.

Certainly a hacksaw with a carbide blade can do the same jobs, but nowhere near as fast. Of course the hacksaw is way way cheaper and always "charged", just nowhere near as fast.

[JPA Cate]

HelloSailor,

If it's nighttime especially, but even in daylight, do you really want to count on a battery powered angle grinder to cut all you need cutting in awkward weather? There is a lot to be said for long handles with multliplication for cutting rigging. Without vulnerability to wave spashes and whatnot.

Ann

[weavis]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Speaking of damage control, I was in the BigBox Store recently looking for an angle grinder for some entirely non-marine purposes. And I saw that Makita makes a battery powered version of their angle grinder.

It struck me as possibly a very good tool for a boat, since an angle grinder with a cutting blade on it could make fast work going through any damaged rigging, shrouds, pieces of boom or mast.

Certainly a hacksaw with a carbide blade can do the same jobs, but nowhere near as fast. Of course the hacksaw is way way cheaper and always "charged", just nowhere near as fast.

Lol.. I once cut some metal on deck with a grinder without taking "adequate precautions".

An area 3 foot wide of the deck was peppered by flying shards of metal which buried itself into the deck!! I had to grind it back fill and have it re gelcoated.

[hellosailor]

Anne, there's a lot to be said for big hydraulic bolt cutters and even more for the (incredibly hard to find) explosive guillotine cutters, powered by a 12-guage shell.

But some of the new battery powered tools are *not* the toys of 25 years ago.

I'm just saying, they add another choice to what is and was available.

As to the safety of any power tool, and the collateral damage from using it improperly, well, isn't that why you have to labor with bolt cutters instead of just wrapping some detcord around the part and blowing it apart in one shot?

An unparalleled tool, that you are most unlikely to find in any chandlery. (G)

[ErBrown]

Thanks for sharing DeepFrz. Good stuff, I'm filing this one away. Probably basic info for some here but when we pull the trigger on our second sailboat this summer (first coastal cruiser) I'll definitely put a kit like this together. Until then, with the lake we sail our trailer sailor in, if the boat gets in trouble...I'll jump at and stand up

[DeepFrz]

Until then, with the lake we sail our trailer sailor in, if the boat gets in trouble...I'll jump at and stand up

LOL...