“Captain Billy Wyatt, 78, of Topping, lost the legendary Sundancer II on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022.
He had been fishing the Rappahannock River for nearly 60 years when on a normal winter morning while gearing up for one of the last days of the Rockfish season he heard a loud explosion at about 7:30 a.m. while walking from the bathhouse in Broadcreek Marina and Boat Works in Deltaville, back down to the boathouse.
His worst nightmare instantly became a reality, his beloved boat had exploded and pure adrenaline kicked in as his daughter Ashley Wyatt and brother Dean Wyatt tried to put the fire out with every fire extinguisher they could find in the boathouse.
The covered boathouse had 10 boats total in its slips next to the Sundancer II. Every person that was in the area ran to help, calling emergency services and grabbing more extinguishers but there was nothing that could be done but untie her and push her out of the slip.
Billy Wyatt’s daughter would love nothing more than to see her daddy fish his last years on this river just like all of his friends, family and radio captain friends whom he’s never even met. This community is one of a kind and has showed its support through Facebook, phone calls and lots of visits. Donations of used tackle, electronics, fishing gear, etc. are being accepted and greatly appreciated for one of our very own Vietnam veterans who lives and breathes fishing. Drop off locations will be announced on various local Facebook pages and other local sources willing to allow.” — Ashley Wyatt
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