Swivel shackles for anchor

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kalinka

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I had a very, VERY, lucky escape while hauling up the anchor by remote control. I should add. My 45lb CQR literally hovered on its pivot point on the stemhead roller and I watched aghast as it just dropped to the ocean bed below. Thing is, the "ocean bed" was one metre under the keel in glorious Greek sunshine and I simply dived down, tied a rope round and and picked it up and the problem was resolved in less than 15 minutes. My question is: The bolt on the swivel shackle that connects to the anchor just snapped (amazingly, as the anchor slid out of view, the bolts and shackles fell on the deck including the broken bolt). Is it needed? I have had as many technical reasons as to why it is necessary as I have had fellow sailors who have stated: Waste fo time. Not needed. Just attachthe last link" of the chain direct to the anchor. I wondered what the oipinion of readers here might be so I can get further ideas or .........more confusion! lol.
 
I think swivels are mechanically dodgy items to have in an important place. Never used one, never had a problem without one in 40 years.
 
I've never used an anchor without a swivel but usually when raising my Spade on the powered windlass it is the wrong way round for the bow roller but easy to swivel into the correct position. I imagine that without the swivel I would have to twist the chain which would be prone to spring back.
There was an article in one of the mags a year or so ago comparing swivels. The Kong came out best so I bought one (?Mailspeed, ?Force 4) and it works well
 
Just shackle the chain to the anchor. Your experience should put everyone else off a swivel too.
The anchor will occasionaly try and mount the roller upside down but it onlky takes a second to lower it a few feet and try again.
 
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Do a search for posts by Vyv Cox. Kong is the product to have.

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Viv did another article recently in which he said that you should NEVER attach the swivel directly to the anchor, as the thing that breaks them is a 90 degree pull. He put about 4 links between the swivel and the anchor - attaching the chain to the anchor with a conventional shackle.
 
Never used a swivel.

I cannot see the point unless you put the anchor down then spin around it for many tides.

If you only hang on your anchor for 2 or 3 tides you will not have more than 3 full twists in the chain which will untwist when you lift the anchor.

I am assuming that you raise the anchor with the chain going over the gypsy of the anchor winch.

The other assumption is that when the anchor is on the bow roller and the chain is on the gypsy there are no twists in the chain.
 
I don't have a swivel, however when anchored for a couple of days recently I found that on raising the anchor the shackle attaching chain to anchor had capsized so the anchor would not come up cleanly onto the roller.

It was a simple matter to take the weight of the anchor (15kg) by hand and release the capsize.

However if I had been using a remote from the cockpit rather than a foot switch on the foredeck I might have been unaware of the situation.

Would a swivel prevent this ?

I am not sure what is the point of a remote anyway, perhaps someone will enlighten me?

There are lots of good reasons for watching the chain as it is winched in, not the least being the opportunity to clean off the worst of the mud before it gets into the chain locker /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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I am not sure what is the point of a remote anyway, perhaps someone will enlighten me?



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Not sure what you mean by 'remote'.

I have a long coiled lead that can either be put out through the front hatch or, if I am alone (most times) it can be taken to the companionway.

From there I can operate the windlass while watching for my markers. There is half a metre of chain painted bright yellow every 10 metres. Very visible from the cockpit, even at night. It leaves me near the engine controls and when the last bit of chain shows up at the roller - the last metre before the anchor is also painted yellow - I engage gear and set the tillerpilot. I can then go forward to secure the anchor in place.

Any mud that does not rinse off during retrieval is rinsed away with a hose down the hausepipe; it drains out again through the anchor locker drain.
 
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Not sure what you mean by 'remote'.

I have a long coiled lead that can either be put out through the front hatch or, if I am alone (most times) it can be taken to the companionway.

From there I can operate the windlass while watching for my markers. There is half a metre of chain painted bright yellow every 10 metres. Very visible from the cockpit, even at night. It leaves me near the engine controls and when the last bit of chain shows up at the roller - the last metre before the anchor is also painted yellow - I engage gear and set the tillerpilot. I can then go forward to secure the anchor in place.

Any mud that does not rinse off during retrieval is rinsed away with a hose down the hausepipe; it drains out again through the anchor locker drain.

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I could not see the bow roller from the cockpit. If you can I can understand that a remote would be useful if you are on your own.

My anchor locker drains into the bilge so mud down there is not so nice /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
The Kong is the only swivel I would have and it has a stated lateral force so you don't have to put links between it and the anchor (the only time this would be exceeded is if the anchor became trapped in rock as the rated lateral force is a couple of tonnes force). My chain becomes twisted even with a swivel so it is no help for that but it is a good anchor connector. If you decide not to go for a swivel connector I suggest that you use a shackle with a very large pin so that the sharp edges of the anchor slot do not 'cut' the shackle pin.

Better still, search Hylas' posts - a couple of years ago he posted a solution using a rigging toggle. Looks good to me. Hylas is a pro having written a book on anchoring, etc.

From my experience you can ignore the stainless/galvanized argument even for anchoring for several months. I do, however, paint good quality galvanized paint over the chain and swivel which looks quite smart and does some good, I guess?
 
Interesting the vote for no swivel. I fitted a Kong swivel after reading an article in YM some time ago where various connectors between chain and anchor were tested, you have to join with something! The test results showed that a good quality (Kong) swivel was the best method, strongest.

I don't doubt that one of the cheap swivel you can buy for 5 quid, a bolt welded between two pieces or such like is asking for trouble, but so, the test showed, is using a simple shackle, the tread takes the load or not.

I don't think its right to make a sweeping statement that swivels are the weak link, like every product, buy cheaply and you should expect trouble.
 
The first swinging mooring I was offered was located at a chance spot on the river where the boat swung continuously round, always clockwise. The main tide flowed down the outer row of moorings, a continuous back-eddy flowed in the opposite direction down the inner row, and this unlucky mooring was nicely in the middle.

The result was the mooring warp was steadily wound tighter and got shorter, seriously pulling the boat's bows down and making it impossible to release at HW springs.
I contemplated using a swivel, but the yard moved me to a nearby mooring which doesn't have that problem.
I think new boys always get allocated the rogue mooring to start with!
 
There needs to be a swivel on all fixed moorings but it is of a different design to an anchor swivel/connector.
 
Wow, so many replies. I just logged in and thank you all for some very interesting replies. While I digest the detail - btw, thanks to all for links and suggestions - I should add in no order but trying to answer some of the points raised; I sail single handed so a remote is useful although i agree i like to be at the bow when anchoring. When I say "remote" it was my error; I meant a corded electrical controller although I have an up/down control from the cockpit too. Tides: I think I mentioned Greece so tides not an issue. The swivel shackle (obviously) is in fact two parts and yes I do have another (3rd) shackle that attaches to anchor. I also have system for marking; plastic red ties: 1 for 10m, 2 for 20 etc and then blue when I hit 50m ten blue + 1 red for 60m, blue + 2 reds fgor 70m etc and a big BLACK one a metre or so before the end so it doesn't tear the retaining rope off by giving me some warning. Yes, the chan goes over gypsy. Blimey, 100m of chain I am not lifting by hand! Very deep water close to shore in the Ionian where i sail. I will now re-read and digest all offerings and my thanks again for all your time replying. This is one of my first posts (haven't logged on for over 4 years) so appreciate it immensely. Ciao for now.
 
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