Lost anchor/chain 282. Where do I find replacement?

[282Captain]

I finally did it. After a lifetime of nearly perfect anchoring, I just lost my anchor and chain. 2006 Cobalt 282 with Maxwell Windless. Where do I get replacement chain and anchor. Whist size?

[Kate]

I bought both from a local marina ship store. They are knowledgeable, I can look through the product catalog, the price was very close to online, and it makes returns easy. The chain size is specced to the windlass. Check the Maxwell site for that info. Length of chain is determined by the depth and conditions you typically anchor in.

"I just lost my anchor and chain."

How did that happen? The end of the chain/rope should be fixed to the anchor locker.

[billk2632]

May be water under the bridge (no pun inteneted), but last year I got my anchor stuck, could not get it loose for anything. I dumped all the chain and tied a float to it and marked it on my gps. Came back two days later with a diver to get it - $200 to retrieve $1500 worth of gear - 150' chain and a SS Lewmar anchor. Only in 20ft of water, but I'm not diving down there alone.

Fast forward, I have started rigging a trip line when I anchor now, basically a small float with a line and snap hook - clip the line on the hole in the front of the anchor shank - opposite where the rode is attached. This allows you to pull the anchor from the opposite direction if it gets stuck. I end up doing this a couple of times each year as I boat in a lake that is full of stumps and such.

Back to the chain/anchor - check with Maxwell, I have a Lewmar windlass that uses 1/4 chain, you don't see this size at the hardware store. For the anchor, if you don't want to spend big $$ for a Maxwell or Lewmar SS anchor, there are knockoffs for around $150, I would probably go that route myself - they look just as nice and for a day anchor work just fine.