Anchor swivels - self righting?

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Gazza

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We have a Delta anchor on our HP27 with a two part swivel; I've found that the anchor is as often as not the wrong way up when lifted, and it's very awkward to get it the right way round for stowage. I'm usually singlehanding, which can make it more awkward on occasion.
I've seen swivels which are angled and advertised as self-righting and wondered if it would make life easier. Anyone any experience of such devices? Any help gratefully received.

BTW, I've done a search on the forum for this and noted that most of the discussion is along the lines that many people wouldn't use a swivel on safety grounds - I'm prepared to live with this aspect!
 
I have never used one. The long leverage arm of the sausage shape would make them not safe for overnight anchoring IMHO. The trick of using a few links of chain between the swivel and the anchor would reduce their effectiveness.
If you are prepared to live with the risk they seem to work very well judging by the boats I have seen near me using one.
 
Delta is self stowing, swivel woulnt help with stowing and like noelex i have never used one and dont intend to after seeing one fail
 
bert49uk said:
Delta is self stowing, swivel woulnt help with stowing and like noelex i have never used one and dont intend to after seeing one fail
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"self stowing" does not mean it will rotate around the right way, they still sometimes hang 180 degrees from the required direction. A quick push with a boat hook, rotating the chain, or motoring forward or backwards (depending on the anchor design) with the anchor still partially in the water usually fixes it easily enough.
 
The angled ones that rotate to ensure the anchor stows correctly are massively constructed, i would guess something like ten times the strength of the chain. In the better designs, Kong and Osculati for example, the swivel part is cleverly designed to provide maximum strength. Inevitably, when testing to ultimate strength it is the thinnest section that breaks, which is the part that goes through the chain. On the two makes mentioned the UTS figure was higher than the UTS of the chain.

I broke a swivel some years ago, in very light winds. The fracture was due to stress corrosion, the ultimate cause being poor manufacturing. With swivels, perhaps more than with most boating kit, it really does pay to buy the best.

My results are shown at http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Connectors.aspx Unfortunately I have not yet replaced the photos on this page since they were lost. All the text is still there.
 
noelex said:
"self stowing" does not mean it will rotate around the right way, they still sometimes hang 180 degrees from the required direction. A quick push with a boat hook, rotating the chain, or motoring forward or backwards (depending on the anchor design) with the anchor still partially in the water usually fixes it easily enough.
Click to expand...
never had a problem, as soon as the shank comes over the roller the weight of the fluck will turn the anchor over
 
vyv_cox said:
The angled ones that rotate to ensure the anchor stows correctly are massively constructed, i would guess something like ten times the strength of the chain. In the better designs, Kong and Osculati for example, the swivel part is cleverly designed to provide maximum strength. Inevitably, when testing to ultimate strength it is the thinnest section that breaks, which is the part that goes through the chain. On the two makes mentioned the UTS figure was higher than the UTS of the chain.

I broke a swivel some years ago, in very light winds. The fracture was due to stress corrosion, the ultimate cause being poor manufacturing. With swivels, perhaps more than with most boating kit, it really does pay to buy the best.

My results are shown at http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Connectors.aspx Unfortunately I have not yet replaced the photos on this page since they were lost. All the text is still there.
Click to expand...

Vyv I think the OP is referring to this sort of swivel

http://www.smartmarine.co.nz/produc...f-aligning-anchor-swivel-6-8mm-chain/details/

Did you test any like these?
It seems to me there would be some enormous leverage on the fork in the wrong conditions.
 
noelex said:
Vyv I think the OP is referring to this sort of swivel

http://www.smartmarine.co.nz/produc...f-aligning-anchor-swivel-6-8mm-chain/details/

Did you test any like these?
It seems to me there would be some enormous leverage on the fork in the wrong conditions.
Click to expand...

Last months YM featured a new type of straight swivel with an short arm at one end which braces the anchor shank and keeps it the right way round.

I'll try and find a link!

OK - http://www.quickline.us/ultra-swivel.aspx and see video

Richard
 
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noelex said:
Vyv I think the OP is referring to this sort of swivel

http://www.smartmarine.co.nz/produc...f-aligning-anchor-swivel-6-8mm-chain/details/

Did you test any like these?
It seems to me there would be some enormous leverage on the fork in the wrong conditions.
Click to expand...

That's the type I assumed. I did not test any. The thickness of the shank is so much greater that that of the chain, or even of some anchors, that I cannot see it being a problem. The limitation might be that the extra chain links dodge might not work in conjunction with rotating the anchor, in which case the SWL of the swivel would be whatever the jaws can take as a lateral load.
 
vyv_cox said:
That's the type I assumed. I did not test any. The thickness of the shank is so much greater that that of the chain, or even of some anchors, that I cannot see it being a problem. The limitation might be that the extra chain links dodge might not work in conjunction with rotating the anchor, in which case the SWL of the swivel would be whatever the jaws can take as a lateral load.
Click to expand...
Yes it the jaws that I was worried about. There is a much longer lever arm on this type of swivel. A few chain links between the anchor and the swivel would fix the problem, but would reduce the effectiveness of the self- righting.
 
A good trick is to attach about 2m of floating line to the crown of the anchor. As the anchor comes to the surface, use a boathook to capture the line and with a little tug the anchor will be in the correct orientation for stowing.
 
I have been using a Osculati cranked swivel for a year and the anchor comes back over the roller in the correct position every time. I chose this after reading Vyv Cox tests and have connected it to the anchor with three links of chain to prevent shearing strain
 
vyv_cox said:
The angled ones that rotate to ensure the anchor stows correctly are massively constructed, i would guess something like ten times the strength of the chain. In the better designs, Kong and Osculati for example, the swivel part is cleverly designed to provide maximum strength. Inevitably, when testing to ultimate strength it is the thinnest section that breaks, which is the part that goes through the chain. On the two makes mentioned the UTS figure was higher than the UTS of the chain.

I broke a swivel some years ago, in very light winds. The fracture was due to stress corrosion, the ultimate cause being poor manufacturing. With swivels, perhaps more than with most boating kit, it really does pay to buy the best.

My results are shown at http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/Pages/Connectors.aspx Unfortunately I have not yet replaced the photos on this page since they were lost. All the text is still there.
Click to expand...

Viv always gives sound advice on this sort of thing. My brother had one as in the links below, it really did work very well when used with a CQR, but I would follow Viv’s advice and have just a few links between the straightener and the anchor.

http://www.mailspeedmarine.com/wind...arine/anchor-straightener-12250-1225395.bhtml

or here and scroll down
http://www.boatgeardirect.co.uk/mooring.html
 
My chain is 10mm. I made a link out of 12.5 mm round bar with an eye at each end. The centres of the eyes will be about 150mm. The bar is bent about 30º at the middle. One end is shackled to the anchor, and the other end to the chain. My wife, who handles these matters, informs me that, since fitting this bent link, the anchor has ALWAYS self-stowed. No swivel is involved.
 
My 25kg Rocna often comes up with the fluke facing forward. Continuing to winch in, very very slowly, causes it to rotate once the shank is at about 45 degrees from the vertical and stow the right way up.
May be worth a try with your Delta.
 
KellysEye said:
I've said this before but we've seen two boats on the rocks in Greece when the swivels failed after the wind did a 180 degree turn and picked up. I advise people not to use one.
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I've said before - look at the test results. There are some rubbish swivels, C-links and shackles. There are also some very good ones, stronger than the chain. Select accordingly.
 
KellysEye said:
>There are also some very good ones, stronger than the chain. Select accordingly.

And the are? Have they been proof tested, we would only buy chain that has.
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As earlier, Kong and Osculati are the best ones I tested. I am not certain that they proof test, although their websites both say 'tested'. Both are manufacturers of climbing equipment, for which it would seem a certain amount of testing would be necessary.

All the info about my tests is posted above with a link to my website.

Can you buy proof tested shackles? Or cleats, or even anchors?
 
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