Lost Our Boat Due To A Bad Mooring Swivel...

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by hzcruiser

Oh, I see, the tube was U-shaped then. That makes sense, thanks.

More like teardrop shape with both exits of the tube side by side so that when the pull direction reversed the sawing motion of the rope through the tube was minimized.

[NYSail]

Originally Posted by Bambooboat

I'm sorry for your loss as well. It is the stuff we are all scared off. Many of us are here on this forum to learn about how to do things right and stay out of trouble. In this case it seems such a random, bad luck situation, but it does point out the weak links in the system to watch out for.

Your attitude to the loss and your young daughter's wisdom is admirable!

I do not wish to take the thread off topic but do have a question. I'f I were sitting in my boat at an anchorage and see an unattended boat drifting by, I would not want to just sit there and watch the drama unfold. So if I were to jump in my dinghy and board the boat and try to help, what situation would I be facing? What could a person do with no keys? No access to the power circuits? Limited time? Radio for more help? Try and drop the anchor? Tie up to the dinghy and tow? What if the efforts are unsuccessful and I end up on the beach with the boat? Might the owner feel inclined to sue my pants?

Maybe we have an opportunity here to mentally prepare for a similar situation here.

If it was drifting by you could raft it up to you........

[Hope Light]

Sad story. The galvanized swivel pictured has been absolutely taboo as part of any ground tackle or mooring for at least the 40 years that I have been cruising.

[NSboatman]

Well, they're used almost universally in this area... although many folks do hate them (myself included). I do not ever use them anymore, as I've also experienced similar failures - thankfully with much less drastic consequences.


But around here (and many places I've cruised) if you take a mooring of any type - you're going to find a swivel on it somewhere... and it's usually one of these galvy types.



Now, not all galvy swivels are created equal. The right Metallurgy, proper assembly, welding and and QA, along with proof load testing and batch destructive testing and analysis is de-rigeur in lifting and critical load-path components... unfortunately a consumer or user has little evidence of that after the purchase is done: a crappy swivel looks exactly like a strong one, underwater.


But if you're one of those who must have a swivel (currents/tides, funky winds, long periods unattended, etc) - make sure you buy a tested and certified unit if at all possible. A $20 Swivel is not one of these.



Interestingly, they are also used on many, many (i.e. thousands in this area alone) nav aids and buoys. There aren't that many failures of those devices - a few do wander occasionally, but it's rare. perhaps its partially because the mooring equipment on buoys is disproportionately massive compared to most yacht anchoring and mooring systems; and also because they are on strict annual maintenance regimes...



ymmv...bg

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Bambooboat

I do not wish to take the thread off topic but do have a question. I'f I were sitting in my boat at an anchorage and see an unattended boat drifting by, I would not want to just sit there and watch the drama unfold. So if I were to jump in my dinghy and board the boat and try to help, what situation would I be facing? What could a person do with no keys? No access to the power circuits? Limited time? Radio for more help? Try and drop the anchor? Tie up to the dinghy and tow? What if the efforts are unsuccessful and I end up on the beach with the boat? Might the owner feel inclined to sue my pants?

Maybe we have an opportunity here to mentally prepare for a similar situation here.

We towed our previous boat (25,000 lb) with a 3.5 HP outboard on our dinghy when the main engine failed in the St. John's River, Florida. Admittedly, it was down stream most of the way and in good weather. Hip tow.

The bridge operators wouldn't let us through the bridge like that (or under sail) so we had to call Sea Tow.

[Marla]

I hope you are doing as well as you sound. You must be good roll models for your daughter to experience her sage wisdom. I back down on an anchor but never thought of backing down on a mooring. I assumed the wind would prove helpful. This is a good lesson for all of us. Life is so interesting. I wonder what all has come out of this episode that are the silver linings. And I am sure it is wrenching to lose your boat. 40k miles is a long enduring relationship. What was her name?

[mark0978]

What amazes me is that given how easy it is to monitor your position with an anchor watch program on a phone, that so many people don't do this. In this case it wouldn't have helped (they weren't on board) but there are people in this thread that discovered they had drifted in the morning when they woke up, and recently on svDelos they talked about dragging/drifting during the night.

I have a USB charger wired to my battery that makes sure the phone makes it thru the night, and the anchor alarm gives me real piece of mind that the boat is close to the spot I went to sleep at.

[cadmus]

Sorry for your loss @NahanniV,

Thanks for the photos.

[ebsail]

Very sorry for your loss.
Here at the Nyack Boat Club on the Hudson River in NY we have new guidelines for moorings of which we have aproximately 90 in use. These guidelines came into being after we lost 6 boats during superstorm Sandy. Each owner is responsible for their own mooring. A few of the guidelines are no chain less than 1/2" for any boat no matter how light. Anything less disapears rapidly. Working loads for shackles have to match chain strength, so shackles have to be one size larger than the chain and swiveles have to be TWO sizes larger to match the working load of the chain. For larger boats everything grows proportionately. No chain or fittings are allowed unless made in the USA, or the Netherlands. Since these changes took effect, loose boats have been very minimal, one due to a worn through pendant (every boat should have 2) that rubbed on something or in one case when a newly purchase boat was put on a 4 year old mooring and the new owner did not inspect the old chain.

[Hahser]

Slight association of ideas:-

I recently changed my ground tackle - heavier chain plus hook but backed off from buying a new swivel to attach chain to hook. Seemed foolish to invest in heavy new gear and buy a swivel connection who's pin is hidden from inspection.

I haven't had any twist or problem caused by the simple shackle connection.

Compare notes?

[jdaltonpe]

Moorings are often preferable in many locations and sometimes mandatory due to protected reef area. I like to use moorings but never trust them - seen and heard of too many failures. If I am in the trade winds or a settled area where there is not much direction change anticipated I will take a mooring using my bridal and then back off just far enough to clear the mooring block before dropping my anchor, I then back off further while dropping chain and leave it piled up there. This way if the mooring fails you stand a very good chance of holding on your anchor. Redundancy is always a good safety feature. Been doing this for years and so for have never had a tangle.

[The Salty One]

Originally Posted by NahanniV

Yes it was the welded type.

I had a look at it by pulling it up as close to the surface as possible when we took the mooring. At that point it had some growth on it, but seemed intact. In the pic I posted of the failed swivel on deck all the growth has been cleaned off, presumably by being dragged over a mile of sandy bottom.

I know this is hind sight, and maybe will help someone in the future.

I keep onboard two 1/4" aircraft cable chokers that I attach above and below the swivel. If the swivel parts, the chokers only slide as far as the swivel and lock. In lieu of cable, something similar can be done with good spare anchor rode or quality nylon rope.

[CaptFigmo]

I had one of those swivels part in me as well.
Fortunately it was when I was unmooring and all I lost was the anchor. Lesson learned!!
No I use a heavier s/s one.

[wingssail]

Sad to see your loss.

In our area we lose 1-2 boats per year, usually due to dragging rather than failure of the mooring hardware.

In the four years I have been here no boat has ever been lost while the owner was aboard. ALL were lost while the owner was ashore or absent. NONE had a dedicated boat watcher, human or mechanical, to watch the boat and attempt to effect a rescue (some boats with a watcher have come adrift and were saved). NONE of the boats which were lost had left anchor lights on and in the case of the most recent loss other owners onboard their boats in the anchorage tried but were unable to monitor the boat which dragged ashore because it was unlighted. (There are other commonalities which complete a profile of which boats are most at risk, we can go there later).

I would never leave my vessel on an anchor or mooring in any harbor or exposed roadstead which is subject to even occasional high winds or waves. The marinas cost more, but I would rather pay that than worry about my boat every minute I was away, or worse, lose my home and sole possession.

So, in conclusion, debate the kind of mooring equipment if you want, but to be safe, don't leave your boat anchored or on a mooring when you are gone.

[botanybay]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I left out the best reason to use a mooring. You are over live reef.

Absolutely!

Here in sunny Southern California moorings consume most of the good anchorages leaving 70-90 feet depths for anchoring. The bigger risks are the other anchoring boaters, many of which think 1.05:1 is perfect. Ie an undersized danforth, generally bent, with 5 foot of chain and then line. If all of the chain is on the bottom must be good... sigh

On the other side, the mooring contract absolves the company of all liability and states that the mooring is for use in “clement” weather.

Fortunately these moorings are well maintained and I dive on the ones I use a couple of times a year. Also a good time to look at where all of the rocks are in case I overshoot the mooring😟

These are bow and stern moorings, no swivel, mooring ball is attached to chain, mooring penant is attached to chain via a galvanized shackle.