242 anchor size

[Gumbeaux]

Anyone know the stock 242 anchor size? Can't find any specs. I lost mine and need a new one. My backup river anchor is too small. Read all the box anchor threads etc but I think something slightly heavier than stock will do just fine. Thanks.

 

[sysinu]

Have you tried just adding more chain to your river anchor?

The anchor locker on the 242 is small by my books. It's got tons of room for rope but no room for Danforth shank. Pretty sure the Fortress FX-7 will fit the 242LS anchor locker. I would add chain to that anchor as well (like 12' of chain)... but that's just me. There are a bunch of "small box anchors" that people have welded on mounting elements for the anchor locker, but I wouldn't go that route without adding a bunch of insulation/padding in the locker itself. Those box anchors can bounce around when they aren't collapsed and they'll do quite a bit of damage under just the wrong circumstances.

 

[txav8r]

Have you tried just adding more chain to your river anchor?

The anchor locker on the 242 is small by my books. There are a bunch of "small box anchors" that people have welded on mounting elements for the anchor locker, but I wouldn't go that route without adding a bunch of insulation/padding in the locker itself. Those box anchors can bounce around when they aren't collapsed and they'll do quite a bit of damage under just the wrong circumstances.

Any anchor can bounce if not locked down. I don't know of a "bunch" of people that have welded on mounting elements. Just me. I made a good number for guys. A couple of guys tried and I have not read of many that were successful at doing so. And honestly, my anchor fit the '07-'09 AR/SX/SR 230 and none other, except for any 232 in the same year range. I don't know of anyone that has "welded on mounting elements" for a 240/242. The mount area is not geared for any kind of box anchor, and any danforth style anchor is not geared for holding a 240/242. But more power to you if you find that a danforth style anchor is your cup of tea. And if you hang any anchor or even lay it in your locker, pad the locker...a bouncing anchor can and will CRACK YOUR HULL!

 

[sysinu]

Any anchor can bounce if not locked down. I don't know of a "bunch" of people that have welded on mounting elements. Just me. I made a good number for guys. A couple of guys tried and I have not read of many that were successful at doing so. And honestly, my anchor fit the '07-'09 AR/SX/SR 230 and none other, except for any 232 in the same year range. I don't know of anyone that has "welded on mounting elements" for a 240/242. The mount area is not geared for any kind of box anchor, and any danforth style anchor is not geared for holding a 240/242. But more power to you if you find that a danforth style anchor is your cup of tea. And if you hang any anchor or even lay it in your locker, pad the locker...a bouncing anchor can and will CRACK YOUR HULL!

There were just so many posts about it, I had assumed that more than one person was doing it! Sorry, didn't intend to offend with that previous comment.

I think that the small box anchor, collapsed down, would fit in the bow anchor locker and could mount in one way or another.

The good news about the Fortress anchors being aluminum is they are very light weight, so your anchor chain is what weighs the most, helps to not require so much padding as only the anchor really bounces around (the chain stays pretty much in place even in really nasty chop).

On my boat, I have a FX-11 with 12' of 3/8" chain on as a 212' rode in the bow anchor locker. I cut off a few inches of the stock from both sides so it would fit more easily. That anchor holds extremely well, but I owe most of that to the chain and not the anchor.

Then in my storage compartment behind my driver's console I have a large box anchor with a 100' rode. I also have an inflatable buoy in there as well (for when I want to leave the box anchor in a bay and re-attach to it later). That and an extra 2 100' sections that I have in cable management clamps.

For my large box anchor, I will probably be adding some chain to it. Even though you don't really need chain, I think a large box with 12' of chain would give me the peace of mind that I need. A nice benefit of adding chain is the ability to use a anchor buoy style of retrieval for it (so I don't have to break my back pulling my anchor every time).

Finally in starboard aft compartment I have a large slide anchor with 50' rode.


I also have a Manson Supreme that I have used once... I should sell it, it's probably my most expensive anchor and I never use it. That thing held better than anything (felt like it buried 3' in the lakebed)... but the only way to store it would be off the bow attached to a windlass.

 

[billyb]

I lost my second anchor this season.

I lost my Danforth the first time I used it this year, and my 26lb navy anchor on the last outing of the year.

Same problem both times...could not pull it up. Forward, backward, me my stronger brother, no option but to cut the line.

I am thinking of a box anchor...but for that price I can get three more navy anchors...

What say you?

Again, I can get any anchor to hold, retrieving appears to be the bitch...

 

[sysinu]

I lost my second anchor this season.

I lost my Danforth the first time I used it this year, and my 26lb navy anchor on the last outing of the year.

Same problem both times...could not pull it up. Forward, backward, me my stronger brother, no option but to cut the line.

I am thinking of a box anchor...but for that price I can get three more navy anchors...

What say you?

Again, I can get any anchor to hold, retrieving appears to be the bitch...

Well... a box anchor doesn't bury like a danforth or other plow style anchors. Box anchors are meant to pop and re-set in 1' and usually they do. So if you simply get over the anchor and pull up on it with minimal effort it will pop free. Then you just have to pull like hell to get it and the 20# of mud that it takes with it to your boat. ;-).

If you spend a bunch on an anchor and tend to lose them, you may want to try an anchor saver (won't work on box anchors, only plow and digger style anchors). I've never used one, but the idea makes a lot of sense. My Manson Supreme has a slide mount point that allows you to pull the anchor from a different leverage point. I think the anchor saver does something similar.

Have you tried using an anchor ball to retrieve your anchors? I was skeptical at first on this, but they work REALLY well if your buoy is large enough (and of course you have to use chain for it to fully work - but an anchor ball works great at getting your anchor flukes to pop free).

 

[jawsf16]

I fit a box anchor and a 25 lb richter in the anchor,locker no,problem. Plus padding and rode... Love them both.

 

[txav8r]

There were just so many posts about it, I had assumed that more than one person was doing it! Sorry, didn't intend to offend with that previous comment.

No offense taken! I was just helping to clarify...sorry of I came off sounding offended. Admittedly, I am a box anchor lover, and at some point, I am going to make one that fits fully assembled in the 240 locker, but it won't hang like it did in my 230. So far, the folding/unfolding of the small box anchor hasn't proven to be too much of a hassle. But I did remove the bow boarding ladder and the latches for the danforth style yamaha anchor completely, as they are not needed in my book. Again, no offense taken or intended, were all here to help each other!!!

 

[Gumbeaux]

Good points all. Yep the challenge with my stock anchor has been retrieval not hold. Lake Lanier has a lot of trees down deep and some pretty steep drops. Thinking to just replace it and add some god amount of chain to the river anchor that I use as a second anchor.

 

[billyb]

Lake ozarks has a mess of trees as well. To the point I am thinking of getting a fish finder just for anchoring...

 

[Kane Martin]

I might have pulled up your old one last week!! I threw anchor and when i pulled it up, I had 2!!

HAHA

 

[txav8r]

If you can help it, never try to set an anchor in boulders/stumps/brush/trees...you may not get it back and will most certainly have difficulty getting it back. I once pulled up a 3" caliper tree that had been cut and thrown out. That was one tough retrieval.

 

[Gumbeaux]

Kane, any chance you did that near jumping rock up near Gainesville marina? I have seen a few people cut anchors loose there. That's where I lost mine...in about 60 feet of water.

I hate to deploy in trees....I often pull logs up. But some good spots on Lanier require you to take this risk...

 

[Kane Martin]

no, it was west of lake Lanier islands

 

[Thor]

There were just so many posts about it, I had assumed that more than one person was doing it! Sorry, didn't intend to offend with that previous comment.

I think that the small box anchor, collapsed down, would fit in the bow anchor locker and could mount in one way or another.

The good news about the Fortress anchors being aluminum is they are very light weight, so your anchor chain is what weighs the most, helps to not require so much padding as only the anchor really bounces around (the chain stays pretty much in place even in really nasty chop).

On my boat, I have a FX-11 with 12' of 3/8" chain on as a 212' rode in the bow anchor locker. I cut off a few inches of the stock from both sides so it would fit more easily. That anchor holds extremely well, but I owe most of that to the chain and not the anchor.

Then in my storage compartment behind my driver's console I have a large box anchor with a 100' rode. I also have an inflatable buoy in there as well (for when I want to leave the box anchor in a bay and re-attach to it later). That and an extra 2 100' sections that I have in cable management clamps.

For my large box anchor, I will probably be adding some chain to it. Even though you don't really need chain, I think a large box with 12' of chain would give me the peace of mind that I need. A nice benefit of adding chain is the ability to use a anchor buoy style of retrieval for it (so I don't have to break my back pulling my anchor every time).

Finally in starboard aft compartment I have a large slide anchor with 50' rode.


I also have a Manson Supreme that I have used once... I should sell it, it's probably my most expensive anchor and I never use it. That thing held better than anything (felt like it buried 3' in the lakebed)... but the only way to store it would be off the bow attached to a windlass.

Just to clarify, the FX-11 shank is 27" long and will fit in the bow anchor locker? It is a damn nice anchor and I want to make sure it will fit before I throw down for one. Thanks

 

[sysinu]

It fits in mine, my boat is shrink wrapped otherwise I would go open her up and just show you. Pretty much what I did is I cut down the stock (not the shank) so I would have more side-to-side play inside the locker and then the shank just lays down in toward the nose of my bow. Then I pile all the chain on top of it.

So it fills up like this:

Anchor locker lid
Chain
Anchor
Nylon rope
Anchor locker bottom


I don't have to fight it at all to get it in and out, it fits just fine... the only thing is I don't use the built in anchor retention brackets in the locker because the stock is too long for that.

 

[Thor]

Thanks Sysinu, very helpful. I am taking my boat to the gulf coast for the winter and thought I should get a decent cooler, so I just ordered a 36 pack AO from Amazon. Then I figured maybe I should also get an anchor and some chain. The fortress will look sweet when I anchor up on the beach! What kind of rode do you like, nylon or polypropylene?

 

[sysinu]

The FX anchors look like any anchor, the only ones I have seen that visually look amazing are the stainless steel ones, like the Manson Supreme SS. That said, your anchor will be buried if it's working correctly.

I use either 6' 3/8" coated + 12' 3/8" galvanized chain or a single ~14' of 3/8" galvanized chain and then 1/2" (might be 3/8" now that I think of it) nylon solid braid. The chain options I have are d-link attachable so they are interchangeable between my anchors. On each chain, I have 2 100' segments of nylon and then another 2 100' segments that have not been merged that hang out behind the driver's console.

So in total, I have a LOT of nylon on the boat, but it's amazing how frequently it's needed. I boat in deeper waters, though - usually anchoring in at least 30-40' deep water where the anchor sets.


On a side note... orval's ez pull is your best friend with any of these anchor configurations where you're pulling up a ton of rode. It's that or get a windlass .

 

[HawkTX]

This is what I have and I really like it!

http://www.amazon.com/Slide-Anchor-SBA-Small-Box/dp/B0000AXND7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448385531&sr=8-1&keywords=box+anchor

I don't keep it in my anchor locker though because it's pretty heavy. I put it under one of the front seats on top of some foam padding I cut out for that space.

 

[sysinu]

@HawkTX my backup anchor is the Large Box Anchor, I use it for 2 point anchoring and buoy anchoring all of my inflatables. It does work and I would say is more versatile in its uses, but it's no replacement for a deep digging/plowing/burying anchor. The only way I would consider a box anchor as an overnight anchor is if I put a mushroom anchor somewhere (like 15' of line from the anchor) on the rode. Even though they re-set quickly, they pop too easily in my opinion.

Slide Anchor is a great brand. I have 2 large shore spikes as well, great products. But as usual, every tool has a purpose . Hammer can drive a screw if you hit it hard enough, but best to use a screw driver.


Edit: this post was made knowing full well that opinions are like the tail end of the digestive system... everyone has one but not everyone wants to hear it. My comments on the box anchor are just my opinion. Lots of people use box anchors as their primary anchor.