Anchor for a 25 ft cdory

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 2:04 am Post subject:

We use a Mantus SS swivel it has 3 huge advantages; it is short and compact so it has a good chance of fitting between the stowed anchor and the windlass; it's design attaches to the anchor with a shackle so there can never be any bending force on it and there are no welds that can encourage crevice corrosion which can be the hidden Achilles heel of stainless. This is the only swivel that meets my safety needs, frankly, I think the rest are just dangerous marketing bling. There is a photo of ours on the 2nd page of our Sierra album.

I always before resisted swivels as being a weak and unreliable link but Dana does all the anchoring and as we often anchor for days, with a lot of wind shifts she was fighting too much twisted chain. With the Mantus we are now both happy as there is less chain twist and the anchor easily flips up and around into it's stowage.

The 9/16" braided nylon is also a huge improvement over 3 strand, it never hockles, it flakes down in the locker without tangles and is just more civilized to handle.

I think our 24 lb (12 kg) Vulcan has enough surface and weight to be a good anchor in soft mud with the aid of 50' of 5/16" g4 chain. (1/4" g4 chain is nominally strong enough for a 25 but I don't trust it's strength if it snatches up hard when wrapped around a rock)
I know this may all seem a bit overboard but we have had winds anchored in the same area in the Sea of Cortez we still cruise that have in the past exceeded 80 mph. In lake Mead we once were surprised by an over 40 mph wind one long night anchored in a small cove almost surrounded by rocky bluffs, literally a dozen feet from the lee rocks, even we did not sleep well that night!

bridma · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 11:39 am Post subject:

Looks to be a good swivel. Certainly one of the better one's I have seen.

Martin.

thataway · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 11:57 am Post subject:

I have tried swivels several times, and found they really don't add any advantages in many thousands of nights at anchor. Current boat has a swivel, and I am taking it out.

journey on · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 1:18 pm Post subject:

I use an ACCO galvanized swivel on Journey On. Load limit is 1500 lbs, I assume this is the working load. Never thought about it, but it has shackles at both ends. Also made in the USA. Goes well between the chain and anchor.

Worked on this boat and it's predecessors. Never failed. As a matter of fact, I can't think of how we'd have recovered the anchor if it had failed. Since the 25 sails at anchor I think a swivel is needed. The cleat will pull out before this swivel fails.

Boris

bridma · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 3:56 pm Post subject:

bridma · Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2020 5:17 pm Post subject:

Rule of thumb regarding anchoring. Take a look at your ground tackle and identify it's weak spot. What ever that is, be it anchor, chain, shackle, or swivel, and remove it.

I know this info is 101 to you old salts, but it is hoped it will help new boaters or those with little anchoring experience.

Martin.

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 2:08 am Post subject:

I never liked swivels over the decades of anchoring either but I no longer like having Dana dealing with twisted rode. I did like the 5/8" American made galvanized swivel we eventually tried on our big sailboat but an over strength galvanized swivel is to long on our little 25 for the anchor to stow against the roller.
I actually shudder at the sight of how badly designed or rigged virtually all the swivels in our marina are on boats I walk by.
Our Mantus swivel is well designed and is not a weak point as it is rated for boats up to around 40' as is the chain and nylon rode.
I think the 1/4 chain that normally comes on these boats could be more of a problem as chain is not good at at resisting sudden snatch tension. On the ranch over the years I have broken many chains under sudden load up to 5/8" so I don't trust it like stretchy nylon or even polyester when my life is on the line.

thataway · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2020 11:32 pm Post subject:

The high test G4 1/4" chain SWL is 2600 lbs. Yield strength is 7800 lbs (Boater's Pocket Reference by Thomas McEwen--which every boater should have in his library).

I never let chain take shock load. Always use snubbers--if possible with enough elasticity/give to stretch several feet (for example I use 5/16" snubber with 1/2" nylon 8 plait rode.

I had also used the ACCO galvanized Swivel on larger boats, and it just didn't really swivel when under load in my experience.. The better ones have bearings, which allow swivel when under pressure.

Generally as you bring the chain up it will untwist, as well as let the natural twist in the lay of the 3 strand nylon re-apply.

localboy · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 2:08 pm Post subject:

Martin, we originally had an early version of a swivel. Can't even remember the brand as I bought it from a marine used parts store. Although it worked, the design without the small link of chain inserted, was a weak spot. After reading of failures of similar swivels, I eliminated it.

This Mantus swivel however rotates and has a built in shackle, so the stress shearing the pin or pins (from side-loading the swivel) is eliminated. Exactly what the small links of chain inserted would do.

https://youtu.be/k_DcEtcqcRU

localboy · Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2020 2:17 pm Post subject:

Sandy, I've only done a few loops for gear. Something I'm sure I could learn. Just never have had the need. My brother has been a blow-boater for decades. I just give my stuff to him and he whips it out (pun intended). Laughing

Micahbigsur@msn.com · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2020 3:14 am Post subject:

I know that new 1/4" G4 chain is adequate for a 25 but with wear and tear over time it doesn't have a lot of reserve and it is so light compared to 5/16 G4 wich has a working load of 3,900 lbs and ultimate load strength of 11,500 lbs, I think the extra weight on the shank really makes a difference with 50' of it and a 24 lb anchor and 7 to 1 depth we have never dragged.
We don't need a snuber like on our big boats with all chain, one of the advantages of the 9/16 nylon rode wich also has extra beef to resist chafe.
For Dana and I, our anchoring system is the most important system on our boats.
We never tie or run up on shore and some places like lake Mead and Baja can have marginal ground for anchoring and with the wind shifts can have a lee shore, we often like spots where few other people anchor and conditions are challenging.
I always liked the saying "if they don't laugh at the size of your anchor it is to small"!

Hunkydory · Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:39 am Post subject: