Anchor Swivel Really Needed?

[Group9]

No, you don't need one. But, if you just have to have one, get a good one, like a Mantus.

[a64pilot]

For those of us with a Rocna, if you have a swivel, and maybe even if you don’t. If you reverse the boat, the water flow will force the anchor into the perfect position for it to come up correctly into the roller.
I suspicion that it will do this even without a swivel, but when the anchor breaks water, the chain twist may turn the anchor so it isn’t correctly positioned.

What I do is be on the bow until the anchor comes up, but leave it in the water. Then return to the cockpit and reverse, reverse slowly until I feet the anchor is clean of any mud, then raise and stow it from the cockpit. You don’t need to be on the bow and don’t need a boat hook to play with the anchor.

[JPA Cate]

Jim and I are among those who have removed a swivel from the rode. It is one of our jobs when in a marina, to unwind the chain.

It's sort of nice to find we're in such good company!

Ann

[Viking Sailor]

Anchor 'twist' link - for the 'big anchor' crowd - Cruising Anarchy - Sailing Anarchy Forums

[Mike Banks]

Is an anchor swivel necessary?

It certainly is--but it needs to be a GOOD swivel not some crappy knock-off.

[Capt. Ray]

I have never had an anchor swivel but do confess to having had some horrible chain twists to raise after a few weeks anchoring, a real pain and I don't want to do it again. I will be looking into Mantus for this reason. I might be worried about a swivel if the anchor is down for a year, but if the boat moves reasonably regularly I don't see a problem inspecting the swivel upon raising the hook. I will be refreshing my chains in a few months so this topic is worth reading...

Originally Posted by WSMFP

I recently refreshed our anchoring system with 160ft of 5/16 chain, 100ft of 5/8th rode and a 35 pound Mantus on our 31ft sailboat. I ordered a Lewmar anchor swivel but I'm kinda disapointed to see there's no apparent way to seize it with wire.....unlike the shackle I'm using now to connect chain to anchor. The swivel instructions call for anti-seize to be used on the threads.

Am I being overly worried and is a swivel even needed?

[a64pilot]

Only thing with the Mantus is it’s BIG, make sure you measure your roller to be sure it will clear.
The S2 is the one I’m using on 5/16” chain, the link is to its dimensions.
https://www.mantusmarine.com/wp-cont...L-ASSEMBLY.pdf

[kish]

An anchor swivel is useful to allow untwisting of chain for easy retrieval at the bow.

The swivel should never be attached directly to the anchor crown, as the swivel can twist itself to failure in torsion, if subject to large side loads on breaking out.

To obviate this possibility, [which is well known], I use a regular anchor shackle on the anchor crown and after 3 links of chain, I have an anchor swivel in line with the rest of the chain.
See for example https://jimmygreen.com/745-Anchor-Connectors

This eliminates the side loading on the swivel, which will protect the weakest point on the rode.

[a64pilot]

The way the Mantus is designed, it does not need to be in the middle of the chain, it can be connected directly to the anchor shank, most should not be.
The Mantus is different, it’s a rethink about how an anchor swivel should be. It is a different animal.

[thomm225]

I bought my good old boat in 2011 and had never anchored overnight even though I'd owned 12 other boats.

On the four sailboats I owned (beach cats) if I was out over night, I was racing/sailing in a long distance race of at least 100 miles so there was no anchoring

Point is I anchored this monohull (my first) in some very bad spots with onshore winds up to 30 knots 70 yards from shore with bay/ocean waves mixed

The old swivel, shackles, and CQR anchor that were on the boat when I purchased it for $2,000.00 have somehow held the boat from being beached on at least 10 different occasions of this nature (some of us are slow learners or we just like certain anchorages when things are good)

So I guess the PO purchased the right swivel since everything has worked out so far. The PO cruised the boat for 2 years in 2005 and 2006 to Florida then it was on the hard for 5 years so I don't know how long he had the same anchor setup since I never met the guy but I'm thinking it's been many years by the look of the shackles.

And my anchor rode is never twisted

[HankOnthewater]

My boat came with 2 SS swivels fitted, one to each anchor. Never had swivels before, left the swivels in place for 12-14 months, was OK, but often had to push the anchor with a boathook to ensure alignment with bowroller, ie 5 out of 10 occasions. Then I removed the swivels and..... still OK, no twisting, use the boathook seldom ie 1 out of 10? I have an Excel (primary) and Rocna (secondary).
The question that was asked.... my view is: "swivels are not really needed where I sail and anchor".

Therefore, 2 swivels for sale, made in Norway (but no brand), SS stamped with 7000 kg working load, suitable for 10 mm chain, and swivels are much stronger than the chain.

[Tingum]

Swivel on chain is fine, just make sure it is large enough and well built. Swivel with a rope rode will cause hockles in the line?

[NevisDog]

Just wanted to emphasise the importance of NOT connecting the swivel directly to any modern anchor (that is, anything other than the old fisherman/Herreshoff style with the big welded ring instead of a hole in the shank).

Even a single shackle between swivel and anchor is not enough; it really needs a short length of chain to allow totally free movement as you haul in on a well-buried anchor after, say, a (worst case) 90 degree windshift. Maybe the Mantus swivel is designed to be connected direct to the anchor (I'd still want to check on that though) but the Kong type must *never* be connected that way. That's why those bolts fail or forks fail (as in photos above) - through side-loading that can, and will, result from attachment straight to the anchor.

[Compass790]

Used blue Loctite for decades instead of seizing, no problems. We use a swivel & like it with mixed chain/rope rode but obviously some have different experiences. The rode doesnt twist when using the swivel. The swivel works as the anchor unloads between the gusts/swells I can only assume as I'm too busy chasing crays ( lobster ) to dive on it to check whats happening. Simple conclusion, dont use it if you dont like it

[Sojourner]

Here's mine... I think it'll outlast my chain