1976 22' SUS O/B "Hydration Break"

[DWbaseball]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and the tips and advice along the way! It's a total Thanks to iBoats for giving me the inspiration to get here.

Headed out next this Wednesday and will maybe remember to take my own pictures.

I have to swap out my prop for a little higher pitch as I am slightly over rev at full throttle so I got that taken off today. I'll then try to give a better report on top speed.

I can tell I am getting great fuel efficiency and therefore feel very good about my range with 20 gallons main + two 6 gallon portables of gas. Need to start trying to get a better measure of gph though now that I am past the initial break in runs.

No more boat projects have been completed haha!

 

[DWbaseball]

Another very successful boat trip on Wednesday. We covered a lot of miles starting in PA and going south on the Delaware River and then all the way across the C&D canal and a little further to the Bohemia River area and back. Three states in all will have to try to calculate the miles maybe need to find out if that data is in my Garmin.

By the end of the trip my main gas tank of 20 gallons was reading on empty so I switched to the portable tanks for the first time without a hiccup. Might have made it back on only the main but didn't want it to suck dry in the middle of the river.

My Prop change was a success I am now running a 14.5x19p aluminum prop and was hitting about 5800 rpms at full throttle and trimmed out. That had me moving about 38 mph gps speed and I managed to hit 40 as a max speed with four on board. I didn't feel like I was missing my hole shot either so I'm going to call this prop a winner.

I am also really pleased with the anchoring setup I have on the bow. I have anchored up now three times in 6-10 feet of water and it has been plenty easy to deploy and retrieve. I have a Guardian (by fortress) 4 lb aluminum with a good length of chain and it has held fine with boat wakes coming through.

Next on my list is to catch my first fish on board!

Happy boating everyone!

 

[BWR1953]

Very nice!

 

[Moserkr]

Glad you found a prop that works well and are enjoying the water! Sometimes I get a little jealous of all the water you guys have access to in the NE!!

 

[DWbaseball]

Still not taking lots of pics but here are a few from the past two weeks on the water.





Also from today a progress pic of the side cushions I am working on for the bow seating. White diamond vinyl is the same patterning as my blue side boards. Thinking they will turn out nice.



Happy Summer all!

 

[SHSU]

Taking pictures while boating is always hard. lol

SHSU

 

[Gibbles]

Taking pictures while boating is always hard. lol

SHSU

at least it's easier than it was, back in the day we had to have our images hosted and then post them.

I wish the software would take a direct copy paste from the windows clipping tool, but it's still pretty easy.

Now remembering to take pictures is another story.
I had my phone out and ready to take pictures, then decided "let me get the trailer parked first".
On my way back I totally forgot about it.

 

[DWbaseball]

Photo Dump for the Starcraft boys here since the site is working again. Hydration Break had an excellent season with no serious issues to report. Looking to get another boat day or two in before the winter in PA sets in. Haven't been doing a lot of projects for incremental polishes on the boat lately but definitely still have a list.

This summer was certainly one of my best in memory due to the great times had on this thing and planning for many years to come out of this build! Taking the boat out on the water is way more fun than the process restoring an old boat!

I also must report that on the few times we have gone fishing, I have yet to hook up. But my wife caught four with her rod one day! Oh well.

Most of our trips are from a ramp in Wilmington, DE right near the shipping port. We have been heading down to the CD canal area and dropping anchor in the Bohemia River which is a nice little day cruise.



Rod on the right was hot on this day but the left not so much.

Thanks to everyone who I stole a tip from on this site!

 

[DWbaseball]

Been awhile since I posted so here are some update pics. I couldn't be happier with the season I had with my 22' SuperSport, and the Merc 115 has been flawless for me in every way.

Took her out by myself for the first time about a month ago and landed my first fish from the boat, a nice Delaware River channel cat. Bigger than any that my wife has caught btw.

I also took out my kid nephews and brother out for a boat day this weekend.


Then just this week I toured the Philly waterfront with my younger brother, which might be my last trip for the season. USS JFK, USS United States, and USS New Jersey.

Still have a list of upgrades to do for the winter but been having too much fun for more boat work in the meantime. Safe boating everyone!

 

[Watermann]

Now that's some awesome boating, fish and ships.

 

[DWbaseball]

Now that's some awesome boating, fish and ships.

Thanks. It really has been awesome boating. The 22' really has been a good size for being out on the Delaware River, without being too big to handle as my first boat or on my own. I can't really imagine having less space.

Speaking of ships, we also see lots of other cool stuff moving around too. The port of Wilmington usually has a container ship in, moving bananas, and we have seen them loading and unloading bulk materials ships with claw buckets too. Not to mention starting to recognize the various tug boat companies and their colors.