Help with mooring pendant and swivel

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jhance

jhance

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
237
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Audrey Grace
Vessel Make
2003 Camano 31
Boat is on a buoy for four months in the summer in an area with a large fetch. I am using this mooring pendant: https://dbropes.com/products/custom-34x12chafeguards?_pos=8&_sid=2b1aceca3&_ss=r

My 3-strand mooring pendant is unraveling in some areas due to twisting while out on the buoy. Looks like I need a swivel.

I am looking at this one: https://www.e-rigging.com/three-qua...MIk7Txqv3R6AIVBh6tBh08owohEAsYAyABEgKn2vD_BwE

Anyone have recommendations on a good setup to prevent twist? I thought the mooring chain had enough play in it to prevent 3-strand from unraveling, but I guess not.

Also, my boat is ~12,000 pounds loaded. The swivel above is 7000 pounds WLL. That's gotta be sufficient (my guess is that it is since it's not like I'd be lifting the boat up in the air with the swivel)?

Thanks in advance. Sorta anchoring related?
 
I think the swivel was pretty much standard issue on similar bridles I've seen on the great lakes. That looks like the right size swivel. Galvanized is cheaper and may work just as well.
 
A little bit of a thread hijack so I'm sorry in advance.

Do you hang a black round ball when at anchor? I usually do and have had other boaters stop by and ask if I needed help, they didn't know what the black ball meant.

pete
 
I know a joke about "Blackballed". From the English "Yes Minister" TV series, regarding a Nigerian aspirant for membership of an exclusive London club. Equally irrelevant but heaps funnier. How about a yellow ball for quarantine?
PS. Can`t find the sketch, but here`s the punchline:

PM: "Was he blackballed?";
Sir Humphrey Appleby: "I should think so".
 
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The system that seems to work well attaches the chain directly to the mooring pennant with a light line and pick up stick attached to the spliced eye at the pennant end.

The mooring ball simply holds the chain end , no loads go thru the ball.

Place your boat name and boat size on the mooring ball.

Fix a 1/4inch loop on top of the pick up stick, so its EZ to grab with a boat hook.
 
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jhance said:
...I am looking at this one: https://www.e-rigging.com/three-qua...MIk7Txqv3R6AIVBh6tBh08owohEAsYAyABEgKn2vD_BwE
...
Click to expand...

I'd use galvanized over SS. I had one of those fail on our paravanes. A different application but it looks like the same swivel and it wasn't overloaded. I'm not sure if it was a manufacturing issue and/or crevice corrosion. It looks like the 2 end nuts are welded on. Was water able to get in and around the nuts/threads? Are these made for long term immersion in salt water?
 

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Apparently they don't make a jaw-and-jaw galvanized swivel. At least I can't find one anywhere. They are all stainless. Looking for 3/4.

Larry M said:
I'd use galvanized over SS. I had one of those fail on our paravanes. A different application but it looks like the same swivel and it wasn't overloaded. I'm not sure if it was a manufacturing issue and/or crevice corrosion. It looks like the 2 end nuts are welded on. Was water able to get in and around the nuts/threads? Are these made for long term immersion in salt water?
Click to expand...
 
How are the other mooring systems in your area set up?

You could always add a higher rated galvanized shackle from your swival to the thimble with monel seizing wire. Just thinking out loud here. :)
 
I don't see swivels on the buoys, but that doesn't mean anything. Most people don't think about these sorts of things.

Larry M said:
How are the other mooring systems in your area set up?

You could always add a higher rated galvanized shackle from your swival to the thimble with monel seizing wire. Just thinking out loud here. :)
Click to expand...
 
jhance said:
Boat is on a buoy for four months in the summer in an area with a large fetch. I am using this mooring pendant: https://dbropes.com/products/custom-34x12chafeguards?_pos=8&_sid=2b1aceca3&_ss=r

My 3-strand mooring pendant is unraveling in some areas due to twisting while out on the buoy. Looks like I need a swivel.

I am looking at this one: https://www.e-rigging.com/three-qua...MIk7Txqv3R6AIVBh6tBh08owohEAsYAyABEgKn2vD_BwE

Anyone have recommendations on a good setup to prevent twist? I thought the mooring chain had enough play in it to prevent 3-strand from unraveling, but I guess not.

Also, my boat is ~12,000 pounds loaded. The swivel above is 7000 pounds WLL. That's gotta be sufficient (my guess is that it is since it's not like I'd be lifting the boat up in the air with the swivel)?

Thanks in advance. Sorta anchoring related?
Click to expand...
I purchased a similar mooring line from dbropes two years ago, and no issued with a 5/8" galvanized swivel, connected directly to the mooring chain, not on the top of the ball. I attached 2 ft of pool noodle 2-3 ft from the thimble (it is very cheap), and works great to avoid damage on the rope. I recommend to use the pool noodle, as well the mooring lines from dbropes.com are made with 100% nylon with a lot of stretching, they made custom orders too ;)
 
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If the longevity of the swivel is in question, would it make more sense to put it on top of the float ball to keep it out of the water ??
 
Benthic2 said:
If the longevity of the swivel is in question, would it make more sense to put it on top of the float ball to keep it out of the water ??
Click to expand...
I agree, if the length of mooring line is minor of the distance from the cleats of the boat to the water, if the line is longer be sure that the rope will go around the chain under the mooring ball and the swivel on the top do not make his work damaging the rope. (see the pictures)


102702956.Q1D5yO1p.jpg


102702954.i1xeVq0T.jpg
 
I decided AGAINST going with a swivel completely. After talking and researching, too many stories of swivels being the first item to break in the mooring system. Not worth the risk. My pendant is two seasons old and started unravelling in one area. Two seasons is about as long as one could expect from a pendant in constant sunlight (May thru Sept), so the pendant has lived it's life. Time for a new pendant. I'll just deal with any twisting as I see it in the pendant instead of introducing another possible failure point.
 
"I decided AGAINST going with a swivel completely. After talking and researching, too many stories of swivels being the first item to break in the mooring system. Not worth the risk."


GOOD MOVE , a single point failure that could cost the boat is always a poor choice.
 
I don't know how the rope would unwind. Where is the twist coming from? Tidal flow turning the boat counter clockwise all the time?
Also, nylon rope is not know to be much effected by UV from sunlight.

Probably good to not have the swivel. The one you chose was WAY to large in my opinion. The jaws were an inch and a half wide. It was the pin that was 3/4.
 
The twist confuses me as well. We do get tidal exchange in our area, so between that and the wind, it's happening nine the less.

Is it possible to have too big of a swivel considering it is a failure point? Regardless, won't be using one.

Greg S said:
I don't know how the rope would unwind. Where is the twist coming from? Tidal flow turning the boat counter clockwise all the time?
Also, nylon rope is not know to be much effected by UV from sunlight.

Probably good to not have the swivel. The one you chose was WAY to large in my opinion. The jaws were an inch and a half wide. It was the pin that was 3/4.
Click to expand...
 
FF said:
"I decided AGAINST going with a swivel completely. After talking and researching, too many stories of swivels being the first item to break in the mooring system. Not worth the risk."


GOOD MOVE , a single point failure that could cost the boat is always a poor choice.
Click to expand...
Everything is a question of sizing and resistance... On your car your wheel stud is a single point of failure, but sized not to be subject to break, same for a lot of things...
A swivel is a point of failure as much as any chain piece, samson post or cleat.
If sized to sustain what it should be well there is not much point of failure, not more than a rope or anything else.

In a other life I was doing a lot of climbing, any anchor was a single point of failure, but when intended to sustain 100x your weight well...


L
 
The problem with a swivel is that you can't fully inspect the inside mechanism where corrosion lurks.

Lou_tribal said:
Everything is a question of sizing and resistance... On your car your wheel stud is a single point of failure, but sized not to be subject to break, same for a lot of things...
A swivel is a point of failure as much as any chain piece, samson post or cleat.
If sized to sustain what it should be well there is not much point of failure, not more than a rope or anything else.

In a other life I was doing a lot of climbing, any anchor was a single point of failure, but when intended to sustain 100x your weight well...


L
Click to expand...
 
Lifelong moorer here. Swivel is the weak link. Don't use one.
Get a better pennant. Let it twist.
 
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