The Knotty Professor: Lost Another Anchor? You May Be Using Your Swivel All Wrong!

[@youtubeleavemealone]

Thank you for properly describing the reason not the attach the swivel to the anchor directly. I have encountered a swivel manufacturer that was unaware of the issue. I have seen an improper installation on a brand new 3 million dollar yacht. I have seen failed swivels, just as you described. The risk & the reasons are real.

[@thepillar4473]

Great advice!!!

[@LovingAtlanta]

👍Awesome. So inspirational to see a woman talking about this stuff. I believe my girlie girl self can even do this. Thank you. 🙏💝

[@besearchingforwisdom6267]

Use a short length of chain between the swivel and attach it to the other end of the anchor, then a break-away at the end of the arm

[@josephballerini3730]

Going to try a swivel for the fist time this season. I am a little nervous about it but I've had more and more problems with kinked up chain and it is a pain in the butt to unwind.

[@josephballerini3730]

I also have multiple extra anchors and rode on board so that is some back up.

[@sell500hp]

It's worth adding that a good strength quality shackle should be used 😊

[@jimmerrill5471]

You are a superhero

[@timothyberg7081]

Are Maillon Rapide quicklinks used in marine applications? If so, then hand tighten and one-quarter turn with a wrench; any more and splitting of the barrel due to over-tightening will happen.

[@percivalgooglyeyes6178]

I've always avoided using a swivel and so far just a shackle has worked fine for me. I've never trusted the shear strength of the center bolt on a swivel. What is the downside of just using a shackle and not a swivel?

[@wallacegrommet9343]

If your anchor rode and chain haven’t gotten twisted on retrieving then you probably don’t need one.

[@Misteribel]

Indeed, a swivel helps turning the anchor. Chain can have twists that can weaken it, which the swivel takes care of by turning. An added bonus is that some swivels ensure that the right side is always up when you pull it up the bow roller. No hand turning over the bow in a rough sea needed anymore.

[@sailingmsmalachite1503]

I have 60 meter of 10mm chain on my delta anchor on a 15 -16 ton colvic Watson 34.6 When I lift anchor my chain twisted making it jump in the anchor winch I’ve just got the same anchor swivel and was going to fit it directly to the anchor though I do some research 1st But now sill thinking 🤔 Do I just put up with the twist in the chain or do I fit it the same as in here ????

[@Darkhorsemarine]

Have you taken the vessel to deep water and let all the chain out and allow the anchor to hang freely for a few minutes to untangle the chain?

[@sailingachilles7810]

Great video and wow your well 👌

[@Darkhorsemarine]

Thanks 😁

[@nickcancro7927]

Use a mantis swivel. The shackle is included and part of the design

[@Darkhorsemarine]

@@nickcancro7927 agree- and we recently started carrying them. Makes it so much easier!

[@simonband6991]

That shackle you are using is undersized,you need next size up and use three links of 10mm chain. All will fit properly and is just what i have on my boat.

[@bobbymatos3951]

Hi there! The sizes of shackle to chain link are not described in this video. This video is purely for demonstration. However, you raise an excellent point! We recommend that you choose a shackle size that is one size bigger than the chain you are using. So for example, if your anchor rode has 1/4" chain, you would want to go up to a 5/16" shackle and keep the links in between as 1/4". Also, if you go up any bigger than one size, the shackle will not fit through the chain link. Thank you for your comments! Happy Boating!

[@bojangles8837]

I have never seen the point of anchor swivels. All they do is add a potential point of failure to the anchoring system and provide little to no benefits in return. The fundamental mistake; as you have correctly pointed, is off-axis load will subject the cheeks of the swivel huge loads. So does the much advertised Ultra swivel solve this issue? Nope, it only articulates about 30 degrees, which, while it reduces the problem in everyday use and does not solve it when the chips are really down. Wait, it gets worse: The very ball and socket that allows articulation introduces a potential failure point. And the fact that the swivel shaft-made of stainless and therefore subject to work hardening and is torqued over the bow roller every time the anchor is hauled. Stainless steel is, more than most alloys, subject to strange and difficult-to-predict failures when subjected to repeated high loads. The swivels are restricted from articulating in one plane as part of its automated anchor orientation-on-retrieval feature. A “feature” that may increase the chances that it will be subjected to just the sort of loads I worry about-that's no feature, that’s a bug. Bottom line, I firmly believe that for those who feel they must have a swivel, the only right way to install it is as shown, with a short length of chain between it and the anchor so it is never subjected to an off-axis load. But this does not solve the problem because the shackle can’t be oriented properly.

[@Darkhorsemarine]

Very true. Some of the high-end swivels are warrantied for life so it does provide a little piece of mind that you won't be out of pocket at least if they fail. I've also seen more of the integrated shackle/swivel combinations like the Mantis swivels. I think for most, a shackle will work but if your chain is hockling as it's being pulled into the gypsy, it could cause some real damage so that may be the point where a swivel is needed. We generally recommend using a shackle only first and then if needed, add a swivel instead of defaulting to using a swivel right out of the gate.

[@kccarrtheoregonhillbillyhi4803]

So why does the manufacturer recommend doing it the wrong way then?

[@Darkhorsemarine]

Not sure why they don’t recommend this. We just notice we don’t get customers calling about broken swivels when trying to break their anchors free from the seabed after advising them to us this method.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

I can attest to the accuracy her presentation. I added a swivel and the anchor gets jammed sideways at the bow roller. That never happened when using only a shackle

[@Misteribel]

​@wallacegrommet9343 a swivel should actually help with getting it straight. There may be something wrong in your setup, or it's the wrong kind of swivel. But there's nothing inherently wrong with not using a swivel at all. Occasionally you may need to turn the anchor by hand when hoisting it to the bow.

[@Misteribel]

That shackle is very small. I know it's just a demo, but I'd like to stress you should use a rated shackle, one that's rated above the WSS of your chain. Furthermore, use a stainless shackle only with SS chain (Aisi 316 or better, 318). If your anchor is galvanized, use a galvanized shackle instead. They're stronger than SS shackles. The swivel should also be rated, and checked for cracks every time you hoist the anchor.

[@dustydavey7313]

Or just don't use shitty designed swivels