Glad I found you all!

[Norboo]

@Tollus, thank you for all the info. I can’t wait to venture out to Lake Anna this summer. I spent lots of time out in Chesapeake Beach for fishing and cursing. However, salt water isn’t as fun for tubing.

I have one more question. How did you top off your battery at TnT?

 

[Tollus]

Yeah, the battery issue is a pain.

I installed an VSR, so my starting battery gets charged first and only when it's topped off does the VSR close and allow a charge to hit my house battery. As soon as the starting battery drops below a certain level, the VSR opens and charges only the starting battery again. That way I know I'll always be ok to start the boat. Then every few trips I take the house battery home and charge it. If I make long trips to DC or Fairview Beach, some times the house gets fully recharged and I don't need to take it home. My fish finder has a voltage display option and it's hooked up to the house battery, so I can monitor the charge on the house battery that way. I don't worry much about the starter battery because all it does is start the engines and is always getting a charge from them whenever they are running.

Whenever I'm at Lake Anna (I have access to power there) or have the boat home to do some work on it, I hook the charger up to the starter battery. Once it's topped off, the VSR closes the circuit and the charger will begin topping off the house battery too. The VSR actually puts the batteries in parallel, so the house battery will begin to pull charge from the higher voltage in the starter battery. Once the starter hits the cutoff voltage for the VSR , the VSR will open again until the start battery is full and that cycle goes on until the house battery and the starter battery are equally charged to full capacity.

ACR - automatic charge relay (I think) and VSR - voltage sensitive relay....basically the same thing. Here's the one I have....

http://bepmarine.com/home-mainmenu-8/product-729/716-sq-140a-dvsr-single-engine-two-battery-banks

 

[Rigger]

Tollus, were you at the Dulles Boat Show this past weekend? My wife (Kara) and I were working the show as Yamaha owners for Lake Country Marine.

 

[Tollus]

I was not there, but I wish I had gone. Do you keep your boat at Aquia or at Lake Anna? Or are you like me, 70-80% on the Potomac and when I have time I'll pick the boat up from Tyme n Tyde and tow it down to Lake Anna. The kids prefer the lake, I prefer the drive and ease of the Potomac - especially with the fork lift service at TnT.

I almost bought a boat from Lake Country, but then found my 07 SX230 from a guy that used it at Lake Anna. He was a master mechanic and took such great care of the boat that it looked brand new when I bought it in '11. He washed it and silicon sprayed the jets after every use. He'd probably throw up if he saw the way I keep the boat. It gets 1 or 2 washes a year. Since I am dry stacked in a boatel, I get out of the boat and drive home. They put it away. It's generally got dog hair, sand, etc. in it when it goes away - usually wet. I don't even cover it....I'm on the top rack with a roof over me, so nothing to drip on me. I try to keep it fairly clean while on the water and keep plenty of rags to wipe everything down inside and out then give it a thorough cleaning once or twice a year.

 

[farrelltravis]

Welcome aboard - glad you are here!

 

[Norboo]

Yeah, the battery issue is a pain.

I installed an VSR, so my starting battery gets charged first and only when it's topped off does the VSR close and allow a charge to hit my house battery. As soon as the starting battery drops below a certain level, the VSR opens and charges only the starting battery again. That way I know I'll always be ok to start the boat. Then every few trips I take the house battery home and charge it. If I make long trips to DC or Fairview Beach, some times the house gets fully recharged and I don't need to take it home. My fish finder has a voltage display option and it's hooked up to the house battery, so I can monitor the charge on the house battery that way. I don't worry much about the starter battery because all it does is start the engines and is always getting a charge from them whenever they are running.

Whenever I'm at Lake Anna (I have access to power there) or have the boat home to do some work on it, I hook the charger up to the starter battery. Once it's topped off, the VSR closes the circuit and the charger will begin topping off the house battery too. The VSR actually puts the batteries in parallel, so the house battery will begin to pull charge from the higher voltage in the starter battery. Once the starter hits the cutoff voltage for the VSR , the VSR will open again until the start battery is full and that cycle goes on until the house battery and the starter battery are equally charged to full capacity.

ACR - automatic charge relay (I think) and VSR - voltage sensitive relay....basically the same thing. Here's the one I have....

http://bepmarine.com/home-mainmenu-8/product-729/716-sq-140a-dvsr-single-engine-two-battery-banks

Thanks Jeff. I have two batteries but need to keep them topped off especially when I plan on upgrading my crappy stock stereo (no choice but to upgrade). Lots of projects to tackle this year.
.

 

[Norboo]

Tollus, were you at the Dulles Boat Show this past weekend? My wife (Kara) and I were working the show as Yamaha owners for Lake Country Marine.

I spent about 30 minutes talking to Kevin past Sat. Great guy and very knowledgeable. I ma pretty sure I ran into you and your wife that day as well.

I plan to taking my boat down there for all my repairs/service from now on. Coleman PowerSports had my boat for almost a year to replace an engine. They forgot to seal my exhaust and almost sank my boat. They also, kept it outside uncovered for most of part. Boat was a mess when I pick it up.
Had to do a major cleaning and get mold out of my covers and storage carpeting.

 

[OperationROL]

Welcome Aboard and back with the others!

 

[Rigger]

I was not there, but I wish I had gone. Do you keep your boat at Aquia or at Lake Anna? Or are you like me, 70-80% on the Potomac and when I have time I'll pick the boat up from Tyme n Tyde and tow it down to Lake Anna. The kids prefer the lake, I prefer the drive and ease of the Potomac - especially with the fork lift service at TnT.

I almost bought a boat from Lake Country, but then found my 07 SX230 from a guy that used it at Lake Anna. He was a master mechanic and took such great care of the boat that it looked brand new when I bought it in '11. He washed it and silicon sprayed the jets after every use. He'd probably throw up if he saw the way I keep the boat. It gets 1 or 2 washes a year. Since I am dry stacked in a boatel, I get out of the boat and drive home. They put it away. It's generally got dog hair, sand, etc. in it when it goes away - usually wet. I don't even cover it....I'm on the top rack with a roof over me, so nothing to drip on me. I try to keep it fairly clean while on the water and keep plenty of rags to wipe everything down inside and out then give it a thorough cleaning once or twice a year.

We keep our boat at Lake Anna. I've got a covered dry slip that has an outlet for charging just a few hundred feet from the ramp. As for Aquia, the Creek is some of the nastiest water I have ever seen and the two no wake zones to get out to the Potomac total 35 minutes, not worth it! The second you put your boat in the creek it's covered in - stuff - kind of like peanut butter sticking to your tongue . If you and Norboo ever come down we have to at least get a quick intro in if nothing else.

 

[Rigger]

I spent about 30 minutes talking to Kevin past Sat. Great guy and very knowledgeable. I ma pretty sure I ran into you and your wife that day as well.

I plan to taking my boat down there for all my repairs/service from now on. Coleman PowerSports had my boat for almost a year to replace an engine. They forgot to seal my exhaust and almost sank my boat. They also, kept it outside uncovered for most of part. Boat was a mess when I pick it up.
Had to do a major cleaning and get mold out of my covers and storage carpeting.

Well I certainly apologize if I met you and don't remember. It was a busy weekend. Lake Country has been VERY good to us and to many others I know of, you certainly won't be disappointed! If I can help pave the way - in any way - I'm all yours. Really sorry to hear about your troubles. Coleman PS sucked! Never heard a good thing about e'm in there short time as boat dealers, if you could call e'm that. Like I told Tollus, I certainly look forward to seeing you all down this way sometime. And if for some reason you end up boat less for a stretch you and yours are always welcome to hang with us.

 

[latitudeadjuster]

Hey @Norboo and @Rigger Im at lake Anna too! Love it!

 

[Norboo]

Plan on going down to Lake Anna next week. Any good fishing spots for stripers? I still don’t have a fish finder. What types of lure and baits to use?

 

[latitudeadjuster]

Get some minnows (from marina) to try a few feet down.....you will catch striper or big ass catfish. The catfish taste better than the striper.


Depends on the location. Are you familiar with LAke Anna?

Where do you put in?

 

[Norboo]

plan on putting in at Sturgeon Creek Marina.
I am not that familiar with Lake Anna.

 

[latitudeadjuster]

Look up hunters landing. Pretty good place to put in and out. Lots of striper up this end of lake. Its probably about same distance from where you are coming. If you put in at hunters and go towards bridge you see that goes to main lake....if you go away from bridge its perfect for fishing, wake boarding tubing etc, calmer.

 

[Norboo]

Look up hunters landing. Pretty good place to put in and out. Lots of striper up this end of lake. Its probably about same distance from where you are coming. If you put in at hunters and go towards bridge you see that goes to main lake....if you go away from bridge its perfect for fishing, wake boarding tubing etc, calmer.

Going away from the bridge, when it forks, do I go up north or west? Roughly, how far should I travel in that direction?

 

[latitudeadjuster]

You can go north or west. But don't go past ether bridge, days bridge or pamunkey creek bridge. I usually stay north it got a nice size body of water for watersports. I went west last night all the way to bridge and it was still 9 ft so good as well. I marked some "F"'s for fish of places I know, but you know how that can be. The south shouldn't be too bust. I like this end of the lake this time of year. The water is cooling so the striper start coming to feed in these areas. They should be top water but always good to throw some minnows 10-15 feet.

 

[Norboo]

You can go north or west. But don't go past ether bridge, days bridge or pamunkey creek bridge. I usually stay north it got a nice size body of water for watersports. I went west last night all the way to bridge and it was still 9 ft so good as well. I marked some "F"'s for fish of places I know, but you know how that can be. The south shouldn't be too bust. I like this end of the lake this time of year. The water is cooling so the striper start coming to feed in these areas. They should be top water but always good to throw some minnows 10-15 feet.
View attachment 11628

Thank you! Guess damn area is too warm?
I will make my way out there coming Thurs and let you know how it goes.

 

[latitudeadjuster]

Thank you! Guess damn area is too warm?
I will make my way out there coming Thurs and let you know how it goes.

The water ia cooling off from a 85 degrees to79 this week but the weather this coming week will be in the upper 80's. So water temp may come back up. higher the temp the lower to drop minnows.

 

[Norboo]

Had a great day last Thurs. but went out late in the afternoon and temp was little too hot for fishing. We caught bunch of Blue gills, some catfish and one small striper. Water was warm and calm. Great for boating and swimming. We also did some grilling. Had a blast out there. We are thinking about going again this Weds.