What may be the baddest Vector you've seen ???

[WSJR1]

I have a 86' Vector and Im tryng to decide to build it better or let it go. I just fall in love with the new stuff. But if I made my Vector up to date and maybe what styling changes I could, electronics, seats, windshield maybe it would be like I want it....But is it worth it, money wise ?? So maybe you could point me in the right idea of a Badass Vector would be like, components, pics or mph....Thanks

[stylishskier]

see garys (instigators) old vector... that boat ran like a raped ape with SLO-MC power (just kidding) more tuning and he prolly woulda been in the 107-110 range, he hit 101 if I remember correctly...
Im sure there is a plethora of other vectors on the board that are real nice, his was the first that came into my head...
I say build it up and have some fun, just make sure its dry and solid

[1BadAction]

You're pissing your money away. Find a hull that was built RIGHT from the factory with good materials and doesnt handle like a turd. pro-comp STV, mirage, LTV, laser, etc etc.

[Scream And Fly]

Gary did an awesome job with his Vector. Here are some photos:

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/11.jpg

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/10.jpg

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/09.jpg

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/14.jpg

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/08.jpg

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/27.jpg

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/35.jpg

http://www.screamandfly.com/home/event_coverage/alva_2003/images/53.jpg

[steve]

Nice job Gary ! Sharp boat. Looks like you did a great job on the stringers and transom supports as well. Was an epoxy used for the gray speckled floor coating etc? Like a garage floor epoxy? Looks great. :cool:

And 100+ in a Vector , especially with a heavy OMC on the back is very good indeed.

[Hottrucks]

Ummmmmm What was Ronnies????
You may remeber him the guy from LI

[neveredge]

I have the motor off Garys Vector now and I believe the boat went up north and was in an accident while the guy was trailering it home. The boat held up really good during the accident so it just goes to show that if you build it right it can withstand a whole lot of abuse.

[Riverratt]

Ummmmmm What was Ronnies????
You may remeber him the guy from LI
Ronnie's was a Viper

[Hottrucks]

sorry my bad
but it was fast!!!!!!!

[Raceman]

Wayne Weeks, from Jay Fla. at the time set multiple NOA Kilo records in unlimited V Bottom in a Vector with an RS Johnson race motor. The one most commonly quoted was 113 or 114, but the last year he ran the boat I believe he bumped it to 118 and change. Bare in mind this was an old 6 two barrel crossflow, loosely the race version of the old 235, and Nitros was illegal for the class. His boat was an open cockpit comp Vector and the motor was bolted directly to the transom, which of course had to be cut down because of the shortness of the mid/gearcase.

The boat was called Southern Comfort and there's a picture of it here somewhere, although I couldn't find it doing a search. It was also pictured full page in an old Land and Sea catalogue, but the text shows one of the earlier records at a lower speed.

[Riverratt]

sorry my bad
but it was fast!!!!!!!
You are correct though that boat was bad ass and even shorter than a vector.

[mickeyjr]

raceman, isn't this it?

[JW]

I have the motor off Garys Vector now and I believe the boat went up north and was in an accident while the guy was trailering it home. The boat held up really good during the accident so it just goes to show that if you build it right it can withstand a whole lot of abuse.

I had Garys Vector for a while, rigged it with an XR2 and had it almost done when I decided to sell it and a ski boat I had. I did get a chance to run the Yellow Vector a while, it ran and handled GREAT. I sold it last year to a young guy, on his way home to Canada there was a trailering accident. The boat/trailer flipped and did some damage, but was fixed up at a local (Canadian) repair shop and was on the water last summer with the latest owner.

[JWTjr.]

Wayne Weeks and Sneaky Pete, these guys had two of the meanest Vectors ever. Both had race V6 OMCs, Weeks' had a Johnson and Pete's had a 'Rude. Would love to see either one today, or even try to recreate one similar.

Chip Watkins as well as many others used to run comp V-Kings (Vikings) in Mod-VP, and these were bada$$ for their time as well. I remember Dennis Hano ran one in Mod-VP and actually wond the v-bottom straightaway speed portion of the Powerboat Magazine Mod-VP Challenge in Louisiana in 1982; he ran 93 mph with an early Mod-VP Mercury and topped a slew of Lasers and Allisons. Mike Cullen, Tom Bagwell, Roger Meekins, and many more I can't remember also ran V-Kings in VP (what was then stock Mod-VP) and then of course in Mod-VP, before '82 when tunnel-Vs became popular in the class. After VP when they allowed engine modifications, all hell broke loose. But the best racing ever!

JWTjr.

[hydroholic]

Wayne Weeks, from Jay Fla. at the time set multiple NOA Kilo records in unlimited V Bottom in a Vector with an RS Johnson race motor. The one most commonly quoted was 113 or 114, but the last year he ran the boat I believe he bumped it to 118 and change. Bare in mind this was an old 6 two barrel crossflow, loosely the race version of the old 235, and Nitros was illegal for the class. His boat was an open cockpit comp Vector and the motor was bolted directly to the transom, which of course had to be cut down because of the shortness of the mid/gearcase.

The boat was called Southern Comfort and there's a picture of it here somewhere, although I couldn't find it doing a search. It was also pictured full page in an old Land and Sea catalogue, but the text shows one of the earlier records at a lower speed.

I was born and raised in Jay Fl. and lived there for 26 years.Small town and pretty much everybody knows everybody.I knew Wayne Weeks as well as his other family members and went to school with his son and his daughter.Me and his son were friends and I got to watch him race locally many times.I am not an OMC fan ,but him and his father Wilbur and his brother Anthony could make those old motors really scream.If he was racing at any local event,9 times out of 10 unless he had a mechanical problem he was going to win. It was not a question of who was going to win but rather who was going to finish behind him and in what order.Him and his brother used to build some small 10 ft hydros that were skinned out of some 1/4" plywood that was made from wood from some tree that grows over seas.It was really strong and VERY VERY light.Almost felt like a peace of styrofoam and they said they paid in excess of $300 for a 4x8 sheet. They would put some real small Johnson or Evinrude motors( usually between 30 and 50 hp) that had their special touch on back of those little hydros and go out and just spank the crap out of a lot of the bigger boats.I know Wayne raced in various race divisions and did pretty well but never really seen him run in to many out of town races. I just know when they were on the rivers and lakes around this area they were the top dogs.They could build pretty much any brand of motor and make it scream unbeleivably but prefered the OMC's over anything else.Wayne was a nice guy and easy to get along with and loved talkin about boats and basically anything to do with the water and speed.He was very smart when it came to most anything mechanical and could build some pretty bad street rods as well.I don't know what his brother is up to but his father still lives in Jay and occaisonally builds some fishin motors as his health will allow.I beleive his record in that Vector will probably stand for years to come if not forever.

[Raceman]

raceman, isn't this it?

That's the one. That picture is from 78. I think I ran about 105 or 106 that year. Wayne ran AT LEAST 2 more years after that one when I was there, and I think one or more when I wasn't. I'm pretty sure his last record set was 118. The only year that I ever went when Wayne wasn't the record holder was the year that Glenn Dickerson from Waco Tx set it in an Allison. He went 115 that year I think.


I know Wayne raced in various race divisions and did pretty well but never really seen him run in to many out of town races.

He ran Montgomery Ala several times, Douglas Ga. at least once and every time I ran the Kilo's in Knoxville Tenn except the one above, plus several years when I didn't. Wilbur also ran his own Vector in most of those events. Wayne outran me every single time we met except for once in Douglas. Later the same day we both stepped up and ran the inboards and he beat me in that class after we'd put most of them on the trailer and met again in the semi's. I was running beside Wilbur in his Vector in Panama City when he blew over and ended up with that win also when Wayne didn't run the final because he went with his dad to the hospital. The two of em were damn fierce competitors.

[hydroholic]

I would hear from people how he did at races that were not local but as I said unfortunately I did not get to see him race very much(or Wilbur) at races that were not local .He was a fierse competitor along with his father. It would be interesting to see what kinds of other records he may have been able to set and what more he would have done with those old cross flow OMC motors or even the loopers if he were still around.I'll bet there would be a lot of Mercs on their trailers and going home early if he were still around.He and his father were pretty amazing.Seems like it was yesterday,man how time flies!

[jmg944t]

Anyone know the source of the rub rail on that yellow vector? Does it go over the original?

[RBT]

Rubrail

John Spaeth 705-484-0407

RT

[vector mike]

I can't remember for the life of me right now where I got mine but I'll try to remember and let you know. You buy it by the foot. I think I got a 50ft roll. Here is a pic of mine. You have to remove the original rub rail before you put this one on.

[RBT]

johns style allows you to leave the old on.

[AlaskaStreamin]

I got my rail from John Spaeth and put it over the aluminum rail.
Here it is being put on:
http://www.hydrostream.org/ArticleArchives/Rubrail3.jpg

Here the step by step article with photos:
http://www.hydrostream.org/ArticleArchives/Rubrail.htm

[Trikki1010]

I got my rail from John Spaeth and put it over the aluminum rail.

John Spaeth is THE MAN :D :D :cool:

[jmg944t]

Ron,
Thank you very much. I called and John isn.t around so I will call tomorrow.