Wired For The Water | Manual Vs. Automatic Wire Strippers

If you own a boat, electrical maintenance is inevitable. Whether you're hooking up a new washdown pump, replacing navigation lights, or completely rewiring an instrument cluster, you'll need to strip the insulation off tinned marine-grade copper wire cleanly without nicking individual conductor strands.

In this video guide, our rigging team breaks down the differences between standard multi-purpose wire strippers and Ancor Automatic Wire Strippers, showing you how to choose the right tool for your project.

Manual Strippers: Compact Versatility for Small Jobs

A standard set of manual multi-purpose strippers is an essential staple in any onboard toolbox. When you only have a quick job—such as terminating a couple of butt connectors on a 14 AWG pump lead—manual strippers are fast and straightforward.

Using the laser-etched AWG markings along the jaws, simply locate the slot matching your wire gauge (such as #14), squeeze down firmly, and pull the insulation free. They are lightweight, compact, and handle basic stripping and crimping with zero setup time.

The Automatic Advantage: Precision Stripping Depth & Clean Cuts

When your project expands to larger harness overhauls or switch panel rewires, automatic wire strippers become a game-changer:

• Adjustable Length Stop: The built-in sliding depth gauge allows you to measure your terminal barrel—like a yellow 12–10 AWG heat shrink butt connector—and set the exact strip length so bare copper never extends beyond the insulation jacket.
• One-Motion Stripping: A single squeeze clamps the wire, slices the outer jacket, and pulls the slug off cleanly without nicking or cutting fine tinned copper strands.
• Integrated Wire Cutter: A sharp cutting blade built into the base makes sizing and trimming leads immediate without needing a separate pair of shears.