Swivel the weak link?

[barnakiel]

You need a weak link or else your cleat will go. So there will be a weak link and unless you want to lose the whole chain out, it will be the swivel.

I never use swivels in our boat but then again I never use a winch, this is the easy way out but likely in small boats only.

Sure, when the anchor arrives belly up you can tie it off and flop the chain on the gypsy. Ease the strop and the anchor will align.

Etc.

All depends on where you anchor and how often you re anchor. You may want a swivel or else you may want no swivel. I think last time I heard this when watching the Fraggles. ;-)

b.

[nigel1]

If single handed, trying to flip an anchor the right way up, either by hand or by going astern, is not always convenient, and in a tight anchorage with a bit of blow, can get a bit hazardous.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Dougtiff

........ having worked in the offshore oil industry as a diver for 20 year's, I never saw swivel's used for anchoring on barges or rig's.

First time for everything


This is a Bruce, the main mooring chain has been disconnected at the swivel


Second picture is another Bruce, which has taken a real battering, the swivel can be seen at the roller



Swivels are becoming very common in rig mooring systems, especially where the mooring is wire/chain combination.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by thinwater

And since the chain cannot turn in the windlass gypsy, you DO NOT want the swivel in any different rotation than when it was lowered

Seems so very logical.
Decision made, s/s swivel and s/s shackles being removed as I am upping the anchor to 150lb supreme vs 80lb plough on a 60ft 60 tonne trawler and feel the swivel and shackles will be the weak link

[RichMac]

Look at the twisted chain in this pic posted by Noelex 77 last year, is this caused by a using swivel, or no swivel?

I never use a swivel, sometimes the anchor rotates a couple of time when coming up, no problem. I have wondered if a swivel can actually allow the chain to twist more.

Any ideas how a chain could get so twisted?

[sailormed]

Are you sure that this is chain? Looks more like rode to me.


Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Cruisers Sailing Forum

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by sailormed

Are you sure that this is chain? Looks more like rode to me.


Envoyé de mon iPad à l'aide de Cruisers Sailing Forum

It IS rode - but it's a chain rode

Look closely at the first foot or so and you'll see the links...

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by RichMac

Any ideas how a chain could get so twisted?

If the boat rotates 360° it will put a twist in the chain. In some conditions the boat can do many of these turns in a short time. If there are enough turns in same direction, without a swivel it can be a problem.

The twists are not noticed until the chain is retrieved. If you use a windlass the gypsy will not pass twisted chain, so the twist become compressed into the last bits of chain between the anchor and the bow roller. Once the anchor breaks out it will spin around (sometimes at an alarming speed) to untwist the chain, but in some extreme cases, without a swivel, the chain starts to hockle before the rode can be shortened enough to break the anchor out.

A swivel solves this problem. I have encountered this difficulty only very rarely so I don't use a swivel. If you anchor in shallow water in flukey wind, especially with current, it may be a more significant issue and require a swivel.

[Cottontop]

There's ALWAYS going to be a weakest link. What's important is that the weakest link is strong enough.