Mooring Swivels

[rszemeti]

So, the boat is going back on the mooring soon (like, Saturday soon) and I need to finalise the mooring arrangement.

I've been told that bow-shackle, swivel, bow-shackle is the way to go (with an old fender over the whole plot to keep it tidy). I'm going for a twin rope "bridle", so on the "boat" side of the swivel, I'll put a pair of D shackles, the type with the pin with a nut, and a split pin ... I prefer to use a pair, one for each strop, rather than a single, as if one comes undone, for whatever reason, there is still one left.

On the "mooring buoy" side of the swivel, I could put a D shackle ... or, I could use an "eye and jaw" swivel, eliminating the D shackle. Like so:

The only downside I can see is that the pin is just a standard clevis and split-pin arrangement, but it might be more "stable" and less likely to get hung-up and kinked as shackles and links are prone to do ...

Thoughts?

 

[doug748]

I like your proposed set up.

I have a stainless jaw jaw, stainless swivel. The second jaw allows a bit more flexibility with the lines and bigger shackles. If you have access to a lathe the shoulders can be turned down enough to allow a hole to be drilled through he end of the pin, for the addition of a split pin:

https://www.gsproducts.co.uk/12mm-stainless-steel-jaw-jaw-swivel/

 

[rszemeti]

Yes, I looked at jaw-jaw swivels, as I am going for a "bridle" setup, I want two independent D shackles on the boat side, so a jaw-jaw doesnt really for me, as I would have to put both bridle eyes into the jaw, which then becomes a potential single point of failure.

 

[William_H]

That kind of swivel as in the picture should be fine. Avoid the type with a ball on the end inside a spherical hollow. It is very difficult to see the wear points in the hollow. (and wear it will) Avoid stainless steel as it will react or accelerate wear of the iron shackles/chain. Unless you can go all ss. ol'will

 

[lw395]

I would consider eliminating the shackles, splice the pennants onto the swivel?

 

[rszemeti]

That kind of swivel as in the picture should be fine. Avoid the type with a ball on the end inside a spherical hollow. It is very difficult to see the wear points in the hollow. (and wear it will) Avoid stainless steel as it will react or accelerate wear of the iron shackles/chain. Unless you can go all ss. ol'will

Yep, I'm going for galvanised all the way through as the "loop" on top of the mooring buoy is galv.

The only thing that worries me about that is the pin retained by a single split pin. I'm going for the "pin with a locking nut, and a split pin as well" on the shackles.

 

[doug748]

....

The only thing that worries me about that is the pin retained by a single split pin. I'm going for the "pin with a locking nut, and a split pin as well" on the shackles.

I think you are wise, in poor weather these fittings get chopped about a lot. Split pins with nuts have worked well for me, I have never lost a split pin.

 

[Graham376]

Personally, I wouldn't use that swivel which relies on a split pin to keep the pin in, better ones here - http://www.mooringequipment.co.uk/swivels-boa

One part to keep your eye on, with many types, is the weld holding the swivel nut. It's quite common after a while for the weld to rust away and the nut comes undone - as I found out!