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

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.

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).

Mantus.

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

Salish Nomad said:

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.

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

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.

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.

Thats exactly my setup....anchor/shackle/swivel.....one size up.

Simi 60 said:

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.

Click to expand...

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.

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.

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.

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.

psneeld said:

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.

psneeld said:

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.

Click to expand...

Ditto.

koliver said:

If my anchor comes up facing backwards, allowing a minute for it to twist around usually solves the problem.

Click to expand...

Or not.

Peter B said:

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

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.

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/sails-rigging-deckgear/anchor-swivels-caution-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.

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.

ranger42c said:

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.

Click to expand...

There's another I remembered: WASI Powerball. Looks OK in photos...

-Chris

I love Mantus anchors but was a bit freaked out by their swivel. Good basic design but the cone that holds it together unscrews very easily. All that prevents it is the S.S. safety wire which I don't think (having designed quite a bit of mechanical and lifting gear) should be used for such primary retention. Having done what is shown in the pictures with the screw additionally held in with 5200, I sleep quite well at night with my Mantus anchor and swivel.

With a shackle and/or installed properly, swivels dont have to endure any side loading.

My swivel and shackle exceed my chain strength and like mentioned before, may exceed the Sampson post, cleat and windlass ability to cling to the boat. Highly engineered shackle I think ar worse...the "claim" to overcome side loading and other issues, yet many failures I have read about are with those instead of the old, regular galvanized ones....especially oversized ones.

Plus, after 55 years if boating, n pi t anchoring in hurricanes has become a big hobby of mine so I dont.....and have been successful too.

Well I was mistaken, the chain is actually 3/8 which is better that 5/16.....

It is very rare that a chain actually twists while at anchor - you need multiple clocking fronts or many days of tidal reversals to wind the chain. Often, it will twist one way and then they other as the chain rolls across the bottom, but the net twists will be zero.

If you are having trouble with your anchor coming into the roller upside down, you could buy an anchor that is self-righting (like the Spade), or use a self-righting link such as those by Osculati or many other vendors these days (or make one yourself). These will right your anchor automatically, and do not have the weak link of a swivel.

Or use a swivel...... Not proven to be a weak link, and reach forward give a shove and be done with it. Why buy an anchor I dont trust any more than the one I have? Prove there are better ones? Ones that will swivel correctly?

I have no idea how my chain twists, other than the occasional jump as it comes over the chain wheel..not going to worry about it cause a swivel is a cheap, reliable, easy solution.

DDW said:

It is very rare that a chain actually twists while at anchor - you need multiple clocking fronts or many days of tidal reversals to wind the chain. Often, it will twist one way and then they other as the chain rolls across the bottom, but the net twists will be zero.

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Perhaps true for those with all-chain rode. Not so much, in our mixed-rode case.

-Chris

ranger42c said:

Perhaps true for those with all-chain rode. Not so much, in our mixed-rode case.

-Chris

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Could always have a grooved roller and as chain came up have someone align the MARKED first link and good to go from there
(Its what we have considered in waters where 100m of chain just ain't enough and manual rope retrieve is on the cards)

I guess on a small light boat I might consider a swivel but no way on anything with size and weight.

psneeld said:

Or use a swivel...... Not proven to be a weak link, and reach forward give a shove and be done with it. Why buy an anchor I dont trust any more than the one I have? Prove there are better ones? Ones that will swivel correctly?

I have no idea how my chain twists, other than the occasional jump as it comes over the chain wheel..not going to worry about it cause a swivel is a cheap, reliable, easy solution.

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And why does it do that????

Roger Long said:

I love Mantus anchors but was a bit freaked out by their swivel. Good basic design but the cone that holds it together unscrews very easily. All that prevents it is the S.S. safety wire which I don't think (having designed quite a bit of mechanical and lifting gear) should be used for such primary retention. Having done what is shown in the pictures with the screw additionally held in with 5200, I sleep quite well at night with my Mantus anchor and swivel.

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Even though you admit its a bit dodgy
No way I'd be happy with that.

DDW said:

It is very rare that a chain actually twists while at anchor - you need multiple clocking fronts or many days of tidal reversals to wind the chain. Often, it will twist one way and then they other as the chain rolls across the bottom, but the net twists will be zero.

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I seem to find rare quite often.

It would be interesting to hear details from someone who has personally experienced a quality anchor swivel failure. Rather than "I read on the Internet---"