Do I need a Swivel on my Anchor?

[chris95040]

Upgrading my 35lb cqr to a 45lb rocna in anticipation of anchoring in some weedy spots over the next few weeks.

I see a lot of photos of anchors with swivels where the chain is attached. My current setup (cqr, 100ft of 3/8" sl chain) has no swivel.

Anyone have any practical advice?

[Tayana42]

No swivel! None needed. Why add a weak link?


S/V B'Shert

[nigel1]

I originally managed without a swivel, but on occasion's the 60lb manson boss anchor would come up to the roller not correctly orientated. Can be sorted in ideal conditions, but if you are single handed, and there are strong winds, and a tight anchorage, you dont want to be messing about on the foredeck trying to turn the anchor.

About 3 weeks ago I purchased a Kong swivel, largest one which would fit my chain and anchor. OK< so it may be a "weak link" in the system, but it's still rated with a break load of 5 tonnes straight pull and 2 tonnes lateral pull.

Since fitting, no more dicking about on the foredeck trying to get the anchor to turn on to the roller.

[Kenomac]

Swivels made by the Ultra anchor company are well-made and massive... Much stronger than chain. If you're going to add one, which will make your anchor retrieval much easier, buy quality, not crap... Like the poor quality swivels you'll find in the marine stores.

[autumnbreeze27]

Info I got from a guy who's lived on a boat his whole life and cruises extensively on a power boat:

If your on anchor for a while and the boat swings around, you can end up twisting the chain pretty good. If some weather comes in, and you load up the chain, the torque can cause your chain to fail.

So we bought a swivel. Yeah it's something to monitor, just like the chain and the rest of your ground tackle.

[CSY Man]

Been successful for 20 years without a swivel, anchors up to 55 lbs Delta. Windlass or no windlass.
It is doable, but as I get older, I my need tools such as swivels, electric windlass, etc.
Still think of the swivel as a weak link with nasty corrosion going on inside and waiting to break under load then put boat on the rocks. (

[estarzinger]

We used a "twisted link" design - one of these: OSCULATI Twist connection, anchor-swivelling version

Which was brilliant at turning the anchor "right way up" automatically. It seemed well designed and strong.

We badly deformed a more traditional kong swivel in hurricane Lenny and it was less "automatic" at turning the anchor (some of that will depend on your anchor roller design - ours were pretty narrow).

[model 10]

I stopped using a swivel because of, peer pressure I suppose. I am going back to using one. The backwards thing with our big Rocna is too dangerous sometimes. The center bolt on the Kong is my only worry so I have drilled it and use safety wire. The base of the fork part has pretty sharp edges so a little time with a small file makes that area look better too.

[Kenomac]

Here's a picture of the swivel we use. Much larger in person and 3-4 times the price if the cheapies at the marine store.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

We badly deformed a more traditional kong swivel in hurricane Lenny and it was less "automatic" at turning the anchor (some of that will depend on your anchor roller design - ours were pretty narrow).

Still,if it took a hurricane to deform the swivel, it does show the strength of this type of swivel.

Evans, where did the swivel deform, was it at the fork. How was the swivel connected to the anchor, direct to the shank, or was there a shackle between swivel and shank.?

I was considering the Osculati type,m but none were stocked at the places I was in, and mail order was not an option.

[nigel1]

Just for interest on the subject of swivels

https://coxengineering.sharepoint.co...elconnect.aspx

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Evans, where did the swivel deform, was it at the fork. How was the swivel connected to the anchor, direct to the shank, or was there a shackle between swivel and shank.?

Yes, at the fork. And yes, direct to the shank. Something (a couple chain links) inbetween would probably have helped. But I fundamentally like the Twist design better now in any case as it does a better twisting job.

[El Pinguino]

I found that my Rocna always came up A about face ( 180* ). Discovered that if, just before it reached the surface, I had the boat moving slowly astern it would come up to the roller correctly orientated. Just the hydrodynamics of the beast I guess.

Re the connection to the anchor, P Smith reckons with the rocna the shackle at the anchor should have the bow of the shackle taken through the stock... not the pin. Doing that and then attaching the swivel should reduce or remove the risk of fork deformation on the Kong or whatever.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Just for interest on the subject of swivels

https://coxengineering.sharepoint.co...elconnect.aspx

Interesting in that in every case he shows the pin rather than the bow through the stock....
P Smith ( once again) says the reason the slot in the stock is elongated is to allow passage of the foot (? for want of a better word) of the shackle through.

Makes sense to me... that is where all the bending/splitting/popping open forces are when a lateral load is applied.

[Four Coconuts]

I had been using a Kong swivel between 3/8" HT chain and a 73lb Rocna. Although it was the largest Kong that would fit with the chain, the working load was 4,000lbs vs. 5,400lbs minimum on the rest of my ground tackle system. After 9 months of using it full time cruising it was bent/deformed to the point where it would no longer swivel. A few days after I removed it we hosted a party with 8 other full time cruisers and I brought it out to show everyone. The group was split right down the middle between those using swivels and those not. Those not using them weren't having any issues. We never replaced it, and haven't had any issues, either.

Re: installation, I hooked it directly to the anchor as illustrated on the packaging that it came in. After it failed I went to their website and found a DIFFERENT recommendation - it recommended connecting it between chain links, with about 12"-18" of chain before a traditional shackle to the anchor. I suspect if I had installed it that way it may not have deformed the way it did when it was connected directly.