any one know anything about the hydrostream vultures

[hydrostream kid 1]

im looking to buy an early vulture xt and wanted to get some info on it thanks

[Maple Leaf]

There pretty rare, Espicously the XT Version, Any pics of it?

[mike24]

had one great boat unique not many around nice fast stable even used it for skiing and tubing runs nice throught a chop and runs nice with 4 people on board also the front seats far forward not much of deck but big cockpit when run just driver and pass in front you need more bow lift you will see difference when you run with two peolpe and put one in back seat how she airs out the xt hull is nice once she airs out you could feel boat lift right out of water fun good luck with search

[Hippie459MN]

I love my Vulture. Not an XT though. Just a standard v-pad.

Mine has the steering set back about 6" and the 2 fron seats moved back about 8"or so and that helps but yes, The reason for the short looking deck is all it is is a vking with 2 feet added behind the windshield mounting area really. I love all the room they have and someday I will pick up another one once mine is all finished. :) There a few vultures here and there. I have never personally seen an XT but they are out there but not many of them.

[hydromaniacc]

I can put all my food,beer,tent,clothing,firewood,honda generator,etc. in the boat and make one trip to a sandbar to unload. Tons of room and can take your hands off the steering wheel at 70. Someone here guided me to the Hydrostream Registry website when I got mine.Scroll down to Vulture,there is some good information. If you ever need to know anything about a "vacuum"created by the Vulture hull,let me know. I have become a self-proclaimed "expert"(term used loosely) on how to "break" the vacuum. The XT hull probably doesn't have that issue anyway. Good-luck and I absolutely love my boat!

[timk578]

Its my first hydrostream and the first one ive ever drivin....I love it now that I have a little seat time. I was under the impression the vulture was a vking with 2 ft added but Greg just said in the Minx discussion they are completely different.

[T-REX]

Have a buddy down yher that haz a reel nice one for sale...He wants to keep hiz mota tho...He mite sell tha mota to, dunno....I'll PM U hiz number if ya interested...

I kan tell ya tha bota iz in reely good shape, and he uses it az offen az he kan!!...He juss wants a smaller, lighter go fass bote!!:eek:

[Hippie459MN]

Its my first hydrostream and the first one ive ever drivin....I love it now that I have a little seat time. I was under the impression the vulture was a vking with 2 ft added but Greg just said in the Minx discussion they are completely different.

From what I am gathering by that thread is that because the vking didnt come out till 78 and the vulture came out in 77 they modeled it after the Vector actually. I was also under the impression that it was a vking with 2 feet added really.

Now I am really confused. :confused: :leaving:

[T-REX]

Well.....It lookz zakkly like a LONG V-King, or a LONGER Vector!!!...U figg'r:D

[hydromaniacc]

From what I am gathering by that thread is that because the vking didnt come out till 78 and the vulture came out in 77 they modeled it after the Vector actually. I was also under the impression that it was a vking with 2 feet added really.

Now I am really confused. :confused: :leaving:

I'm confused too,my registration card sez mine is a 1976. Somebody set us straight!

[Hippie459MN]

From what I know 77 was the first model year for the Vulture. Maybe yours was built in late 76 as a 77 model. Check your HIN maybe.

http://www.hydrostreamforums.com/decodehin

Also, Here is info on the Vulture - http://www.hydrostreamforums.com/vulture

Im just as confused as you know I think. LoL

[hydromaniacc]

From what I know 77 was the first model year for the Vulture. Maybe yours was built in late 76 as a 77 model. Check your HIN maybe.

http://www.hydrostreamforums.com/decodehin

Also, Here is info on the Vulture - http://www.hydrostreamforums.com/vulture

Im just as confused as you know I think. LoL

That sez they cut a v-king and added 2 feet. That is what I have been believing. They talk about breaking the "vacuum" I had to teach myself how to do that,otherwise it felt like I was dragging a 50 pound anchor! I don't have those metal tabs on the bottom of my boat.

[HStream1]

Its my first hydrostream and the first one ive ever drivin....I love it now that I have a little seat time. I was under the impression the vulture was a vking with 2 ft added but Greg just said in the Minx discussion they are completely different.


Don't know who or what Greg you're refering to but he is dead wrong.

[Hippie459MN]

Don't know who or what Greg you're refering to but he is dead wrong.

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1849411&postcount=34 The one and only. :thumbsup:

[hydromaniacc]

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1849411&postcount=34 The one and only. :thumbsup:

I knew I read that somewhere! I thought it was this thread and got deleted.He is either thinking of a different boat or knows something we don't. I can't believe the old vulture is finally getting some attention:thumbsup:good old bird

[HStream1]

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1849411&postcount=34 The one and only. :thumbsup:

I communicate with Greg often and that issue has never come up between him and I. I really believe he confused the Vking with another hull. I usually stay clear of piss=-* contests. But The Vulture is nothing but a Viking (Vking) with two feet added. Are they the same boat as far as handling, speed, cockpit area? NO.

Because Pipkorn did not add two feet to the deck is the very reason for the Vulture requiring alot of set back and the angle pads in the pocket to get them to break loose and fly.

The one I owned (now Timk578's) saw 92+ many times with some weight removed. I have owned both the Vking and the Vulture. IMO the Vulture is by far the boat of choice for general boating and speed to boot.

I personally clocked Tim last summer at a solid 82+ COMPLETELY LOADED. Thats respectable for any boat IMO. He'll see higher numbers if he'll get that prop I have :D and once he sees that powerhead I told him about that is now built :eek:.

If I can find another Vulture that I don't have to completely recore I'll be all over it. I can't think of a boat I personally enjoyed more in that style and size range.

[timk578]

Bud I cant wait till the summer this no boating is killing me!!.....ill have to come over and take a look at that motor....

[HStream1]

Bud I cant wait till the summer this no boating is killing me!!.....ill have to come over and take a look at that motor....

Yea I know what you mean. Be prepared. You might get sick when you see that powerhead :D. BTW Doug's got that piston you were looking for.

[timk578]

oh perfect he seemed super busy i didnt want to bother him

[HStream1]

He had a unexpected rush with several blown motors all at once. He's settled down now. Get with him before the end of next week. He shuts down untill Jan 4.

[timk578]

yeah i will thanks

[timk578]

Hydromaniacc give me some advice on how you "break" the vaccum I sometimes have trouble getting mine to break loose. Some times it breaks loose right away and some times I cant get it to break loose and the only way I can make it work is to try to drive threw it or come off plane. I only have one summer of seat time so I am def still learning. Bud chime in here to ive talked about this before with you.

[hydromaniacc]

Hydromaniacc give me some advice on how you "break" the vaccum I sometimes have trouble getting mine to break loose. Some times it breaks loose right away and some times I cant get it to break loose and the only way I can make it work is to try to drive threw it or come off plane. I only have one summer of seat time so I am def still learning. Bud chime in here to ive talked about this before with you.

I'm still learning too but I will tell you what I have learned. I have only had the boat on the water 7-8 times. One time I had a buddy drive while I hung over the back and watched the water shoot straight up between the jack plate and transom. Shifting gas tanks battery etc. didn't make much difference. I also do not have the tabs on the boat that I have read about nor do I even know what they look like or where they go!
What I do,after I get on plane and I can feel that vibration is give it some gas and turn hard left and right real quick(wiggle the a$$ of the boat) and bam! it releases.I think trim position makes a little difference but not much. I have been using a cleaver prop that was in the boat when I got it so I don't know how much of an effect this has on anything.Next summer I hope to try a chopper on it if I can find one to try. There is not very many performance boats in this town to collaberate with! I think weight in the boat might have some effect on breaking it too. Mine has very little weight but I noticed with a load of camping gear it didn't want to release as easy.One other thing,in 3-4 inches of chop it breaks a lot easier than flat water.I need more seat time to figure it all out but the first 2 times out I didn't know WTF was happening! I thought the core fell out of the frickin thing! The first time it broke out it was like getting shot out of a cannon! I would also like any input on this that I can get. I still want to know why the Vulture is a completely different boat than the Vking! I'm so confused. Hope this helps:thumbsup:Brent

[Capt.Insane-o]

Sounds like a cleaver holeshot.

[hydromaniacc]

Sounds like a cleaver holeshot.

But there was a 19 pitch power prop on it originally and it did the same thing...

[Capt.Insane-o]

Take a piece of sheet aluminum and cover the hole in the jack plate.

[hydromaniacc]

Take a piece of sheet aluminum and cover the hole in the jack plate.

:thumbsup:Yep that is on my winter list of things to do as soon as finish hooking up the new chimney in the shop. Do you think I should angle the trailing edge down a few degrees?

[BUZZIN' DOZEN]

I know I've posted this before but I loved my 'ole Vulture:thumbsup:http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c165/O-SIZE/scan0009.jpg

[Capt.Insane-o]

Whatever works.

[timk578]

Mine does it with every prop Ive tried...mostly choppers never a cleaver. I will have to try the quick turn method this summer. I agree its easier when there is a little chop ...I only find my self in this delema on dead flat water. I do have the little metal tabs on my boat. Hope someone with seat time jumps in here.....Hstream1 demonstrated breaking the vaccum in my boat so Im sure he will chime back in.

[HStream1]

Below is a post from another thread going on about the V-King/Vulture. It's educated me some and probably the best explanation I've read. I still have some reservations though because it also conflicts with other printed information on the V-King/Vulture. I have two e-mails out to some of my contacts (Hydrostream Guru's). Hope they are still around and get back to me. There is also a real nice picture of the aluminum angle strips on the same thread.

As far as breaking the Vulture loose I've found that no two hulls react the same. The one Tim has I was always able to break it loose with trim. But that hull was worked when I re-did the boat. And yes you can actually feel it lunge forward like something kicked it in the azz. The Vulture likes a stern lift prop also. As far as slick water other than a air entrapment hull most v bottoms, padded V hulls etc don't like slick water. A slight ripple/chop is prefered. Broke loose or not they will run a little faster in a light ripple/chop. Another thing that helps is to scuff the bottom area in the length wise direction with 500/600 grit wet sand about 3 ft forward from the extreme rear. Ever had a sweaty glass (Beer Mug :cheers:) stick to a counter/table top? You can slide it around but can't lift it straight up. Two slick surfaces will vacuum/hydraulic to each other.

I'm sure there will be more to follow on this Vulture/V-King matter. And others may have varied openions on the above mentioned subject. Like I,ve stated before. If I could find another Vulture that didn't require a recore I'd be all over it. I actually started looking yesterday :D.

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=203802&page=2

While the Vulture used some of the deck and hull of the Vector, it is not the same--not even close. The pad, strakes and setback ("shoebox" area under the transom) are all radically different. For example, the Vector pad was originally designed and manufactured with a concave center section (like a tunnel concave slalom ski) and a slight wedge (some call this a hook which is not technically correct).The pad on a Vulture is flat (no concave and no hook) and very deeply set (depth and width) apart from the V-hull and strakes compared to the Vector (and even to the Viking). The setback is more pronounced. The coamings do not extend to the floor as they do on the Viking/V-King.
The mold that produced Vulture hulls contained a "lip" around the setback area and at the back of the pad that should be sanded flat to reduce the problem of "releasing" that some have mentioned here. In addition, HydroStream used to sell small aluminum angles (90-degree "L" brackets) that were bolted lengthwise, through the sides of the pad, about 1" forward of the rear and 3" up from the the bottom. These were supposed to aid in "releasing" the pad when accelerating. Somewhere, I still have the service bulletin on both sanding the lip and installing the angles.

The guy who would likely know the most about the Vulture is Ron Baker (Sam Baker's Dad) who was there at Pipkorn working with Howard when that boat was designed and built in 1976 for the 1977 model year. The Vector had been around for 3 or 4 years by then (I think 73 was the first year) but the Viking wouldn't come along until the summer/fall of 1977, a full year after the Vulture was already in "production". I remember Ron telling me that they sectioned a Vector and used parts of the deck and hull to make the Vulture, but the boats are most definitely only "similar"--not the same.

It's too bad we didn't have engines with more power back in the 1970s. The Vulture is a great boat with good speed and a very nice ride in rough water, due mainly to that long keel. It would be nice to see one rigged with today's power. I'm sure it would run right with "today's" comparable hulls (Triad V21, Allison GS, etc.).

John

JT

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