Sunsation Rocket in VA
 

Powerplay Jay here are some pics of our first time out down here in VA. We did not make it out to the Bay since there was 15-20mph north winds and 4 footers so we just stayed in the Elizabeth River. Already missing LSC after the 2 hours I spent flushing the engine and washing the boat and trailer when we got home, LOL.

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Now that is badass! I can't imagine how small it felt looking up at that monster haha. How is the weather there?

Weather was nice today about 80-85 but strong north winds so no go on the Chesapeake Bay. I hope the longer boating season down here makes up for all the extra maintenance, LOL! Those Carriers are no joke! They are so much bigger than the 1000ft freighters we see on the lakes! Will get some more pictures of the rest of the Aircraft Carrier fleet when we can get out to the bay. That one was in the Norfolk shipyard.

Isn't military hardware in that area awesome! I have a pic I took of some dolphin beside the boat a few years ago....only noticed later there were 4 (FOUR!) aircraft carriers in the background. We also were sitting at the mouth of the bay one day when this huge swell started moving towards us. As it got closer it was a sub being escorted out.....damn things put out a 8-10 ft wake!

Can't wait to explore all the other areas in the Bay and checkout more of the hardware and sights. Thinking about some trips to NC waters next summer also since its so close.

Ill have to Google map that area. How salty is it? Brackish? The Navy stuff would be cool to see. I've heard the subs displace so much water that if they are under the surface it will still create a roller 10-30' high depending on speed and depth. If true it has to be crazy cool.

10ft is realistic for a sub, aircraft carriers put out nearly the same size wake (much bigger than the freighters). The area is full ocean salt in the bay as well. Norfolk is the largest naval station in the world. Something like 100+ ships at dock in the area at all times.

Yep all salt the boat was covered in it! The Great Lake Freighters don't have much of a wake only a few feet. I thought it was weird this weekend that there was no huge container ships at the pier or in the river

Looks like I have to add that area to the bucket list.

I did get the greatest compliment I ever had about the boat yesterday at the Portsmouth City Park Boat Ramp, which I was really happy about with all the work I did on this boat the last 3 years! I don't think there are many performance boats down here just fishing and runabouts here in the area. I was strapping the boat back to the trailer and a guy we saw while out in the river in a 20ft center console pulls up to me with his boat on the trailer and says "your boat is bad ass" 'How much does a boat like that cost" And I say I hope its worth 15k, I have well over 20k into it and do the work myself, so add another 5-8k on that for labor! Then he says that boat is worth every penny of 15k! That makes me really happy because I know my boat is a loss of money but someone else thinks it is bad ass! And makes me feel good about all the work I put into it!

Awesome story man. You should be very proud! From the pics it looks bad ass! I just wish I saw it before you moved.

Thank you! It would have been great if you seen it before I left! It was always a LSC boat but the guy I got it from started letting it go to **** after he got married and had kids, so I started the restoration! Just wait a few weeks! I am going to cut this extended boating season short and starting a full re-rig of the boat!!!! Don't tell my wife yet! LOL! I have big plans in the works! My Rocket will be the best in the world! I want a bigger boat but I am not done playing with the Rocket yet!

That is great to hear. Have you been in "Bottle Rocket"? That boat was done a while ago but has all the right pieces to be right. Hands down a very cool boat. Jessica's turned out good also. Talk to Wayne and tell him you're a friend of mine.

I have never seen those two Rockets. The guy that bought my bolster seats earlier this year was friends with Jessica and was telling me about those boats.

If you do that Wayne may hang up. Just kidding.

I wish I never sold my Rocket. That boat was a blast to run. I wonder where it is now.

Lol.

How's the noise enforcement? Going out Sat for the first time. You have the Phantom out yet?

No sound meters on the SCC boats. Phantom is a mess used it 3 time. Leaving again Monday so no cleaning this year.. Just looked and it is warming up next week. Figures

Have a concert Saturday so no boating this weekend.

Bummer. Second year in a row I only run into you while driving Toms boat and can't even buy ya a beer haha.

Got out again today it was very nice out and perfect 1-2ft chop for high speed runs but there was freaking crab pots everywhere! I was dodging them all day so didn't get any wide open runs. And the damn floats for them are about the size of a 2 liter bottle. Man I need to learn this area. And I don't think I will ever run at night with these damn crab pots. I tried to get some pictures of them and how small and hard they are to see, you can hardly see them in the pictures. Still fun and saw some new sights and a bunch of dolphins, never see that on the lake. [ATTACH=CONFIG]506895[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506896[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506897[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506898[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506899[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506900[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506901[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506902[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506903[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]506904[/ATTACH]

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FYI: Crab pots tend to run in lines parallel to water depth lines and are typically in at least 8 feet of water or more (if you see crab pots, you know it's deep enough for your boat). The pots are deep enough you just need to miss the buoy/rope......if it's just by a foot or 2 your still good cause you won't hit the pot. I have had people tell me the prop is spinning fast enough that you don't even need to worry about the buoy rope as the prop will simply sheer the rope off but I'm not willing to test that theory on my boat. Plenty of places to run without buoys you just haven't learned where everything is yet.

Thanks for the info on the pots! Yes I don't want to test the speed theory either! I have allot to learn about boating in this area!! Really would like to meet up with some other OSO boaters soon that can help me out! I met some boaters but they are fishermen and starting telling me about fishing spots, I get my fish at the store. I never had one fishing pole on my boat.

I'm from Richmond and sold my 382 a couple years ago. Bought a 21ft CC and don't make it down there unless I'm a passenger anymore. (and my CC has never had a fishing pole on it either!) All my trips down there were for poker runs/other events and I don't know alot about where locals just "hang out".

Cool, thank you for all the advice so far! I know you posted in my other thread about VA. If you are down this way hit me up! We will go for a ride in the Sunny Rocket! Its a fun little 24/7!!

Have you gotten out to the Bay yet? Say between the two tunnels(Hampton Roads & Chesapeake)?

Sunday we were running around the west side and James River had good chop there. We tried going out to Virginia Beach area but when we got past the tunnel started getting 3-4ft waves due to the NE wind so thats why we went west side Sunday.

Ya you can pretty much break the area down into 3 sections. 1) Inside the Hampton Roads bridge tunnel. 2) From the tunnel to the Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel. 3) from there to open water and VA Beach. Each section gets progressively rougher.
As far as crab pots, if you get out to the bay you can away from a lot of them. Don't get me wrong there still out there but you can find a long straight run between the tunnel to open her up, weather dependent of course.

Cool! I thank you for the info!!! Do you know any popular anchoring spots down here or good restaurants that are on the water?

Waterside (Norfolk) for restaurants, you probably already knew that though, and Lynnhaven inlet has a couple right inside the inlet. If you continue on into the inlet to Broad Bay theres some beach areas to anchor, Seashore State park being one of them. Don't know if this info is a repeat from your other thread (I can't remember) but that's what I know of off the top of my head.

FYI. Saw this and thought it might interest you.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/m...kend-bash.html

Today was great 85 degrees and sunny with no winds!! But this was the last run for the season for me, I got a major re-rig that I'm now going to start to be ready for next year!! Had a great time today mostly ran in the James River and conditions were perfect! Here are a few pics the wife shot for the MI guys.[ATTACH=CONFIG]509289[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509290[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509291[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509292[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509293[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509294[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509295[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509296[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509297[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]509298[/ATTACH]