Howard Pipkorn Hustler. Looking for more history.

[Ron V]

One thing I can tell you - if it's a copy of a Shooting Star get ready for a new prostate and kidneys unless you run it on glass. My dad had a 13' Star back in the day and he said every boat wake was like getting yanked off a locker room bench and dropped onto the concrete floor. Everything gets trapped underneath since the tunnel doesn't go all the way through. Umbargers are good guys, known them for years and just bought my new Trailmaster trailer from them this summer. I would give Jim Jr. or Jim III a call at the McHenry location.

[MN4V]

You could ask over here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2399764693/
Mark N

[John Dorn]

I have been lucky enough to spend time with Mr. Kojetin. One of the two persons that builds the hulls we are talking about. I have two new emblems for the hull. Got me hands on the flyer that was handed out at the time by Howard for the Wildcat and the Venger. That's were the line drawing came from in my signature. From what I was told it was done by Howards brother.

I have emailed Jim Umbarger and know he did not make the boats. His words. He has made it clear on his thoughts on where the design come from. I dont think I would like to get into all of that. I have a boat that was done before 1968 (before Hydrostreame), and would like to put info together on the hulls of this time. From what I have found 3 hulls are still in existence. Two of the cats and one of the V's
My goal is to have as much info on the hull as I can before I start to work on the hull. Thanks for any info or input on the hulls. Give me more!
Is there more of them out there????

[restomods]

Hustler boats McHenry Illinois. Jim Umbarger raced and built the Hustler boats. He and my father raced twin Chrysler 105 outboard motors on them. Jim's family is still in the boat business in Illinois.

[John Dorn]

Thanks for the post.I have spoke with Jim about this boat.This is not his boat. HowardPipkorn and RichardKojetin built and race these boats in the late 60’s. http://www.pipkornhustler.com/richard_kojetin.html I’ve spent time withRichard and he has said this is one of the boats that they built. They usedMerc BP 1000’s on them and also tried twin BP.
I have not had any luck finding anymore of them around.I have been told there is some around but noone has actually show me one or even a photo one.They used the same logo as Jim on their boatsat that time but if you look at the bottom of the emblem it has Pipkorn Marine ProductsSt Paul Minn on them.
If you go to thesite I put up http://www.pipkornhustler.comI have every thing that I have come up with about the boat on there.It also has my progress on restoring the boatthere also. http://www.pipkornhustler.com/john_dorns.html

It looks like yours is a V bottom. Do you have the emblem from the side of the hull? Do you have photos of the back of the boat?
Howard did one of them also. He called it a Venger. http://www.pipkornhustler.com/venger.html
http://www.pipkornhustler.com/hoppys.html

[restomods]

I have a few pics I can send. System will only allow 1 picture attachement.

[restomods]

I have a few pics I can send. System will only allow 1 picture attachement.

[restomods]

U-39 was Jim U's my father was U-82 and is in the background of the picture

[John Dorn]

I Shure would like to hear more story's about Jim and Howard and this boat. My hull is more like a Switzer Shooting Star.

[DanUmbarger]

Hi John, My name is Dan Umbarger....Jim's oldest son. I found your site and is very interesting. I've talked to my dad about Howard's boats and he built some wood boats for him but doesn't remember building any glass boats for him. From looking at your pics the Venger looks to be a splash of our earliest 16' Victor. Then it appears he made some mods to the deck and made the flat bottom/tunnel boat. I've just started restoring an old Hustler 16' Victor so was interested in how yours is coming.

[John Dorn]

Hi Dan. Thanks for posting here. I have emailed with your dad a bit in the past. Just seen that he emailed me around the same time as the Switzer get together. Not sure how I didn't see the email.

Your Dad first sold Howard Victor boats first then sold the flat bottoms to him? Is there any of the flat bottoms still around? From what I was told/thinking Richard Kojetin's boat was one of your boats http://pipkornhustler.com/richard_kojetin.html
This one is still out there. Need a lot of work from what I was told. Chatted with the person that owns it.


I would love to here more about this time with your Dad and Howard.

As for my boat, Just have not had time to do work on it. I would love to see the one your working on.

John

[DanUmbarger]

Hi John, My dad says he did make a fiberglass flatbottom/tunnel but I don't remember ever seeing or hearing about them and I've worked with my dad since 1969. That being said he said he never sold Howard the fiberglass tunnel and didn't think he sold him the original 16' Victor. He obviously got ahold of one because the Venger looks identical to our early Victor. Looking at the Pipkorn Wildcat the deck and drainwell is totally different that the Victor and my dad said the fiberglass bottom is not one of his so Howard must have made that bottom himself along with changing the deck. He even took our Hustler metal emblem and had them made using his name on the bottom....I thought that was very interesting too. I guess imitation is a form of flattery

[DanUmbarger]

John, Here is a pic of the Victor I'm restoring.Someone had already replaced the floor and keel/stringers and they rotted out again and they repainted the deck in metal flake and it's peeling off also. This is going to be a LONG restoration but this is my favorite model so it will be worth the work when it's done.

[John Dorn]

anks Dan. What hulls was your dad selling to Howard. How does the over all dimension of the Victor and the Venger compare? http://pipkornhustler.com/venger.html
I looked over the Wildcat and the drawing I have on it and most is not the same. The deck I have, does not have the detail that the draw or the photo has on the front center of it. I'm thinking its an early version of the wildcat.

Do you have any info on the Boat House Bulletin #66-202-8? There are two of them. One has your Hustler info on it and the other has Howard's Its looks like Richard Kojetin's and his boat.

[silverfox]

I had a 15' Hustler V hull brand new. Lemon-lime metalflake. It had full length strakes on the bottom so it took a little bit of driving to get rid of the rocking side to side. The 15 footer was actually a 14' with a longer nose to qualify for the FJ class at the time. I had a 125 15"Merc and it did about 65MPH . I didn't race it just cruising. Fun boat.
Bill Hoch