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07-09-2020, 09:00 PM
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#1
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Guru
City: Savannah, Ga.
Vessel Name: Indigo Star
Vessel Model: 2006 Mainship 400
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 596
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Anchor Swivel options for 5/16 Chain
Hello,
I upgraded our anchor to a 55lb Rocna and it was recommended that I consider an anchor swivel.
Can anyone suggest a particular vendor/model that would be one to consider?
Thanks in advance.
Jeff
Mainship 40
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07-09-2020, 09:06 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: Rochester, NY
Vessel Name: Hour Glass
Vessel Model: Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 7,539
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Personally, I'd try without one first and only add one of getting the anchor to come up correctly is an issue. I'm adding one to my setup after some issues with the anchor coming up backwards. I'll still have to spin it with a boat hook at times, but it'll be easier to get it to come into the roller nicely without a violent flip.
I'm going with a 5/8" galvanized eye and eye swivel, not anything fancy. The 5/8" version is rated for 5200 lbs safe working load, more than the 4400 the shackles are rated for and 3900 for the 5/16 g43 chain.
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07-09-2020, 09:33 PM
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#3
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Guru
City: Nanaimo
Vessel Name: former owner of "Pilitak"
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,703
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Beware of side loading of a swivel. Most swivels are not made to withstand a side load, and there have been many examples of boats lost due to a swivel failing under a side load.
There are some manufacturers who have designed their swivel to accept some side loading, or you can add a short length of chain between the swivel and the anchor to eliminate the side load component.
Do some research, you don't want to have a preventable accident.
Personally, I have never experienced a real need for a swivel, so I don't use one. I have the same size anchor as you use (55 lb. Vulcan).
__________________
Tom
Nanaimo, BC
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07-10-2020, 12:48 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
City: Anacortes
Vessel Name: Salish Nomad
Vessel Model: American Tug 34
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 317
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Mantus.
__________________
Dave Thompson
American Tug 34-109
Home Port Anacortes Skyline & Sitka AK
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07-10-2020, 05:31 AM
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#5
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Guru
City: Brookline, NH
Vessel Name: Shalloway
Vessel Model: Defever 44, twin Perkins
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,259
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Side loading can be a serious issue with a swivel. If you install a shackle between the swivel and the anchor, you eliminate that concern.
Ken
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07-10-2020, 05:59 AM
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#6
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TF Site Team
City: Seneca Lake NY
Vessel Name: Bacchus
Vessel Model: MS 34 HT Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,808
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Salish Nomad
Mantus.
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Yes Agree. I like their design and it eliminates the side loading issue. Worth a look. Available in several sizes & capacities.
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Don
2008 MS 34 HT Trawler
"Bacchus"
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07-10-2020, 06:11 AM
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#7
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,068
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The only swivel I found -- in person -- that seemed to be able to deal well with sideloads is a KONG... but not just any ol' Kong. It was one that had an extra articulation in it... Sorry I don't know model.
Since then, reading suggests the Mantus and the Ultra ($$$) swivels both seem like decent candidates.
Also, there are some "flip-links" -- Anchor Right Australia makes one, and there's at least one other out there, I think.
Depends on what you're trying to solve, though. Why was a swivel recommended to you?
-Chris
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Chesapeake Bay, USA
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07-10-2020, 06:25 AM
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#8
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Guru
City: Queensland
Vessel Model: Milkraft 60 converted timber prawn trawler
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 5,482
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As full time cruisers we anchor 365 days of the year.
Never ever will we compromise our anchoring gear by using a swivel.
99% of retrieves, never a problem.
The 1% is not that much of a drama either, fixed in minutes while underway.
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07-10-2020, 07:07 AM
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#9
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Guru
City: Rochester, NY
Vessel Name: Hour Glass
Vessel Model: Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 7,539
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I'll agree with the side loading concerns. Definitely don't use a swivel that has jaws attached directly to the anchor. Have at least a shackle in between. And err on the side of oversized as well.
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07-10-2020, 07:22 AM
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#10
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
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Thats exactly my setup....anchor/shackle/swivel.....one size up.
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07-10-2020, 10:59 AM
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#11
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Sandpiper
Vessel Model: Bluewater 40 Pilothouse Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,315
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Simi 60
As full time cruisers we anchor 365 days of the year.
Never ever will we compromise our anchoring gear by using a swivel.
99% of retrieves, never a problem.
The 1% is not that much of a drama either, fixed in minutes while underway.
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I agree 100%
I stop retrieving the anchor when it's about half way off the bottom and let the chain unwind for a minute or so before pulling the rest in.
I used swivels years ago and it really doesn't stop the chain from twisting since the rode is usually laying on the bottom.
We anchor in tidal areas for 5 to 6 days so there is twisting of the rode - maybe. The boat rotates in either direction randomly so the twisting is not severe.
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07-10-2020, 11:10 AM
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#12
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
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I mostly need mine to swivel the anchor around as it comes up to the roller if it is backwards.
Till I added the swivel...it was difficult, now its easy.
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07-10-2020, 11:51 AM
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#13
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TF Site Team
City: Saltspring Island
Vessel Name: Retreat
Vessel Model: C&L 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,656
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Over the years, the number of times I have read about swivel failures has been high enough that I have paid attention to the choice to have one or not.
If my anchor comes up facing backwards, allowing a minute for it to twist around usually solves the problem.
My gypsey is only an inch or so back of the shackle at head of the anchor stock when my anchor is fully aboard, so there is only the length of the stock from the gypsey to the roller. That length rarely allows a twist, but if the chain has a twist in that length as it is rising, untwisting it is trivial and the time taken to go below and knock over the pile of chain every 50 ft will also allow the anchor to spin to undo the twist.
If there was a swivel, the untwisting of the chain wouldn't help and the position of the anchor would be randomized, as no forces acting on the chain to keep it untwisted would influence the position of the anchor. In roughly half of the hoists, the anchor would be backwards, half correctly oriented, so much more effort would go into repositioning the anchor, (using a boathook?) before raising it the last few feet.
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Keith
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07-11-2020, 01:42 AM
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#14
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Guru
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,293
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Some of the ss swivels were marketed as an "anchor connector" but without a shackle in between could be badly affected by side loadings. To avoid risk of that kind,I went for an old style 2 eye gal swivel.
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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07-11-2020, 04:57 AM
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#15
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TF Site Team
City: Ex-Brisbane, (Australia), now Bribie Island, Qld
Vessel Name: Now boatless - sold 6/2018
Vessel Model: Had a Clipper (CHB) 34
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 10,100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
I mostly need mine to swivel the anchor around as it comes up to the roller if it is backwards.
Till I added the swivel...it was difficult, now its easy.
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Funnily enough, because the previous owner had a swivel, even after I adopted the Super-Sarca over the near useless CQR knock-off it came with, I kept using the swivel until all those who vowed they were a weak link, but also didn't help avoid the anchor not coming up the right way, convinced me to try going without.
What I found out was that with the swivel, it was pretty much random 50:50 as to which way it tried to come in over the roller because it could rotate so easily, like koliver mentioned also. However, without the swivel, as long as I did like syjos, and let it swing just off the bottom for a minute, then the groove in the roller ensured that it came up the right way about 9 times out of ten, as long as it started out with no twists between the gypsy and the main anchor shackle. This would possibly not be the case if one was using a mixed rope/chain rode.
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Pete
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07-11-2020, 07:17 AM
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#16
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,068
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld
I mostly need mine to swivel the anchor around as it comes up to the roller if it is backwards.
Till I added the swivel...it was difficult, now its easy.
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Ditto.
Quote:
Originally Posted by koliver
If my anchor comes up facing backwards, allowing a minute for it to twist around usually solves the problem.
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Or not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter B
What I found out was that with the swivel, it was pretty much random 50:50 as to which way it tried to come in over the roller because it could rotate so easily, like koliver mentioned also. However, without the swivel, as long as I did like syjos, and let it swing just off the bottom for a minute, then the groove in the roller ensured that it came up the right way about 9 times out of ten, as long as it started out with no twists between the gypsy and the main anchor shackle. This would possibly not be the case if one was using a mixed rope/chain rode.
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Ref results with mixed rode: yep. I think with all-chain, the whole thing would sort itself out a bit better, but...
The "comes up backwards" part was what we semi-solved with the swivel. I'd say our ratio was more like 80:20 "wrong". At least the swivel made it easier to rotate the anchor to the correct orientation before bringing it in.
Otherwise I wouldn't have seen much need for a swivel...
-Chris
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Chesapeake Bay, USA
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07-11-2020, 07:23 AM
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#17
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,119
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Well.....just like a lot of things on boats, they fail for some skippers because of operator failure, maintenance or luck of the draw.
I see a lot more options for anchoring failure other than a very simple, galvanized steel swivel installed correctly. Especially an oversized one.
My combination of anchor, possible mud, bowsprit angle, newly grooved roller, etc, etc, etc seems to make my anchor come up backwards a lot more than 10% of the time. At least 50/50 so I elect to use a swivel to make retrieving the anchor easy and not a chore.
Probably 95.5 percent of the nights zi anchor, due to my selectivity of anchorages, I rarely lift the anchor off the bottom, so swivel failure compared to hassel in turning my anchor around just doesnt cut it fo me.
I am not suggesting using a swivel is not without that one in a million possibility of failure that many seem to fear, yes....maybe a weak link, but there are no stats on swivel failures.
Like many "stories" on the internet...they just dont meet my worry level as too many " now for the rest of the story" facts seem to pop up after enough questions are asked.
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07-11-2020, 11:11 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Nanaimo
Vessel Name: former owner of "Pilitak"
Vessel Model: Nordic Tug 37
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,703
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I don't know of any "study" or gathering of accurate info related to swivel failure, so it is next to impossible to say the prevalence.
However, Practical Sailor did some investigation and came up with the following conclusion:
"Unless your swivel or shackle can match 100 percent of chains ultimate tensile strength at any angle of pull, it is not worth the risk."
The article is found at https://www.practical-sailor.com/sai...ution-required
Personally, I don't use one, and have not found it to be a large problem, more of a solution looking for a problem. However, I am not saying anyone using one is wrong, just providing additional information from what many say is a good "independent" source.
__________________
Tom
Nanaimo, BC
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07-11-2020, 11:28 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
City: Camarillo
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 438
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Anchor Swivel -- best way to go is ULTRA Flip Swivel
Very few Anchor swivels are strong enough to make me happy, however there is one & it is what I personally use.
Anchor Swivel -- best way to go is "ULTRA Flip Swivel".
it is the only one I trust !
Your application for 5/16 chain & anchor size of 55 Lbs. - the # 8 will work well with 9,140 lbs..
If you want a extra HD unit then # 10 - break strength is 14,580 lbs.
I have an extra one in each size & happy to give you a good deal on one or both of them.
BTW - they make the anchor swivel around so it always comes up correctly on the bow roller.
Best Swivel I have ever used in 50 years of boating all around the world.
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07-11-2020, 12:28 PM
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#20
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,068
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ranger42c
The only swivel I found -- in person -- that seemed to be able to deal well with sideloads is a KONG... but not just any ol' Kong. It was one that had an extra articulation in it... Sorry I don't know model.
Since then, reading suggests the Mantus and the Ultra ($$$) swivels both seem like decent candidates.
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There's another I remembered: WASI Powerball. Looks OK in photos...
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA
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