Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

[JasonJ]

I have seen this thing for the last few months and finally decided to find out the deal. It is a 1979 Hydrostream with what looks to be an early 60s 100 horse merc inline six. Interior is shot, outer hull looks good but dirty and oxidized, structure may be okay, hard to tell, although it has the thickest transom I have ever seen in my life. The motor has not been ran in Lord knows how long, the people who own it bought it but have not tried to run it. It was last registered in 98, so I am guessing the motor needs at least a carb job and a new water pump.<br /><br />I did some web research and found out it is a really good boat as far as speed performance, the company still makes that model even, and used prices I have seen from $9000 to $2000. The owners of this one wants $800 or best offer. I feel like they should be luck to get $400 if that since it needs so much work, but any opinions from anyone who has directly dealt with one of these boats is much appreciated. I want to know if it is a scary death ride that is only suitable for flat water or can it handle some chop, will it flip or handle wierd. <br /><br />Anyone who followed Project Skanky Beast knows I am not afraid of a project, I can fix any aspect of it, I just don't want to put a ton of work into a boat that will kill me if given half the chance. Any info appreciated..<br /><br />

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[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

its more a question of logic Jason ... with gas prices going right thru the roof, and those old mercs are gas hounds from helll ... this thing is basically a rider-arounder, skanky at least can anchor up and fish, AND go fast if need be<br /><br />its pretty, and that hull looks like it is designed for a bit of chop, but its a hunnerd buck a day habit at least, lol, put the bucks into The Beast!<br /><br />(gotta admit, if I had a pier Id have a flotilla assembled around it too, lol)

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

I guess I figured I already have a 125 horse Merc, a 100 horse can't be any worse. I agree that it is a useless boat, but man is it nasty lookin'. In my research I found some of those things going as high as 96 MPH, just a bit too fast for me. I think my problem is I rebuild a friends 170 horse inboard in a 16 foot ski boat, and when we took it out I about blacked out it was so fast, I may be struck by the speed on water bug. I also was considering buying this boat and fixing it up purely to re-sell, but I rarely if ever see this type of boat on my lake. My lake gets so rough, that is why I built Skanky Beast, it is smooth as silk in the rough, and has nice high sides. I havn't gotten around to learning to swim, but I just can't stay off the water. Makes no sence....

 

[MurdockJr]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

That thing looks like it could fly. Could be fun.

 

[svilla]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

Hey Jason check out this site and do a search there are a couple of these boats on the forum.<br /><br /> http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/index.php?s=49a7716a1698e775264a802dae947bea&menu=2 <br /><br />These are cool boats and if you want to go fast this seems like it would be a good hull to do it with.

 

[SeaMasterZ@aol.com]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

sorta like at the end of Jaws, where Roy Schneiders character Brody says something about it only being an island if you see it from the water ... its all perspective, if you really WANNA scare yerself silly with a nuclear powered water skeeter, have a ball!!!!<br /><br />Cause I KNOW youve figured out how many boats you can squeeze in around that dock, and what the helll, ya can always makea bigger dock, lol<br /><br />inland where you are, werent those big block berkley boats the rage 25 - 30 years ago? 18 footers with a chrome 455 Olds Rocket hooked to a berkley water jet?<br /><br />THAT would be fun for chits and giggles, lol

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

Between the wakes from other boats and the almost continuous chop from wind, my lake has chop that averages 2 feet on up. It is a large lake, 44 miles long, 10 to 20 miles wide, and 1200 feet deep in places. It is shaped like a backwards small case "r". We call the vertical part of the "r" the big lake and the horizontal part the small lake. On the big lake you just cant use anything low and flat, that chop gets huge, up to five feet at times with whitecaps. Not oceanic, but still loads of joy. The small lake is more calm, but still rarely suitable for a boat like this. Once in awhile on a calm day I'll see someones nasty bottle green metalic flaked big block jet beast rippin' it up, but it goes home as soon as the wind comes up. Bass boats do not fare well here, I can count on one hand the amount of bass boats I have seen. The deep V aluminum and fiberglass boats reign supreme here.<br /><br />I have decided to not get this boat. If it is still around next year, I may low ball him and get it, but I have so much else I need to spend money on.

 

[DJ]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

Jason,<br /><br />Go buy your trolling motor and battery set up. You'll enjoy that more.

 

[sorrydog]

Re: Questions/opinions on potential Hydrostream purchase

Whatcha got there is a hydrostream vector. Not many of them make it out west. Actually, the record with one of them is in the one teens. Quite a few of them around going a 100 if your brave enough but it takes around 300 horses to do it. I would expect that motor to push it to high forties. If you want it to be fun I would recommend a Merc V6. A 200 will push it to between 85 and 90, but the boat needs to be setup well for that.<br />IF the boat is structurally sound then $800 or $400 is a good deal. It's been quite a few years since these were made by Hydrostream so rotted transoms, floors, and stringers are common. The boat will fly over 1 foot to foot and half chop. After that it will pound you. These boats are nearly as fast as allisons,stv's , etc. with the same power, but the hull tech is early seventies so it isn't as refined-- hydrostream put out better lake boats later on, but vector is still one of the fastest.<br />If you want to know more take a look at hydrostream.org