Help me unravel this mystery...

[s2sailorlis]

Over the past few weeks I have noticed that my 3 strand mooring pennants have been unraveling...each of the 3 strands in both have seperated.

Background:
Boat is CD 22.
Boat is in tidal location.
Prior to the unraveling...the lines had become twisted quite a bit.
Tackle set up is: mushroom - 1/2" chain to swivel to 3/8" chain thru an 18" Taylor mooring ball (T3C ball with the tube going thru it). The last link of the top chain has a 1/2" shackle, then a larger 3/4 shackle is used to connect the pennants.

What I noticed this year...the 1/2" shackle is getting "embedded" into the upper part of the tube that going thru the ball. Might this be causing the twisted line issue? I didn't notice it getting caught in the tube last year.

I do know there a Taylor branded collar fitting that can be attached to the top of the tube ($25.00) to prevent the shackle from becoming embedded into the tube, but I am unsure if this is the underlying cause of the lines being twisted and hence unraveling...

[Northstar1014]

You say that you are in a tidal area, so it makes sense that the lines are twisting as the boat moves around during the day. However I would have thought the swivel would minimize that, even if the shackle was getting hung up in the tube.

I get stressed when I see my pennants twisted or stuck on the chain, so if I were in your position, I would replace the stranded with Yale braided pennants, and get yourself the collar fitting.

[tartansailor]

You say that you are in a tidal area, so it makes sense that the lines are twisting as the boat moves around during the day. However I would have thought the swivel would minimize that, even if the shackle was getting hung up in the tube.

I get stressed when I see my pennants twisted or stuck on the chain, so if I were in your position, I would replace the stranded with Yale braided pennants, and get yourself the collar fitting.

Ditto

[Steve Darwin]

The advice I got from a local mooring expert is to place the swivel on top of the ball, where you can inspect and grease it easily. The swivel is usually the weak link in the mooring system, so use a big one with a closed ring on each end, not the kind with a pin secured with a cotter. Shackle the top-chain and mooring pendant to the swivel. The top of the ball can be protected by a wooden "do-nut" cut to size with hole saws, or similar made from tire rubber.