Vector Question

[Alan Power]

I am interested in buying a vector and would like to hear from people's experiance with them.
I have never driven a boat like this so what would be a good engine to start with? Also what should I look for when buying one? Any info is much apreciated.

Also if anyone is selling a vector could they please get in contact with me!

Thanks, Alan...

[Raceman]

There are more conflicting opinions around here on Vectors than on politics. Everybody seems to agree that by now most of em have bottom and/or transom saturation problems. It does seem that a lot of em require re coring if they haven't already been done, and it's major surgery. It's pretty easy to check the bottom for condition by rolling underneath and beatin' on it with a rubber mallet and listening for dull thuds instead of solid sounds. As far as finish, if they're not scratched up the dull ones usually respond really well to clear coating with Imron or some type of base coat/clear coat, even if the metalflake feels rough.

As far as the boat itself, they're fun go-fast boats given proper seat time to learn how to drive em. They handle well when set up properly, but can be a handful in inexperienced hands. They're faster than the Vikings and V Kings, but harder to drive and don't have as good manners in low/mid range speeds.

Any Merc V6 with solid mounts makes for a nice package on the Vectors, assuming the driver has proper ability and the boat's set up is right. To make sure it's emphasized, they're not good boats with V6 type power for somebody without a lot of high perf V bottom experience, or either a long learning curve to figure out all the quirks to be safe. Even then, they can be real borderline as speed increases.

Personally, I wouldn't buy a Vector that somebody's cut the hook off the pad, but that comment always brings disagreement.

[Raceman]

A couple of afterthoughts: Why have you decided on a Vector? If you want some recreational use also, there are better options. The Viking and V King come immediately to mind. The styling is almost identical. They're only MARGINALLY slower and ride better and are easier to drive. If you want every MPH you can get in a V bottom Stream, the Vector or Viper is probably your best bet. If you want to haul the ole' gal and dog around some with a cooler in the back and teach Jr. how to ski, you may not like it unless Mama and Fido like to bounce and the cooler's real small.

[1BadAction]

Originally posted by Raceman

Personally, I wouldn't buy a Vector that somebody's cut the hook off the pad, but that comment always brings disagreement.

i'll never buy another vector without an original bottom. my brain still hurts from the beating i took this morning- but i got it figgured ha ha ha ha ha ha

[Instigator]

Alan, I have a '77 model that I had to totally rcore the bottom on dure to rot. All (older) Streams eithre need re-cored or already have been!
As far as ride and performance charicteristics, Raceman is pretty much right on. The Vikings/V-kings are much better performance boats, easier to drive, rig, balance etc.
I have driven Vectors and the Vikings at near 100 MPH speeds and the Vikings are a piece of cake, the Vectors will make you soil your pants until you figure them out!
Mine is rigged right, balanced right and still won't run level or stable at 30 - 50 MPH.
The only way it will is with a huge "planeing aid" on the motor.
If you are going to do anything except WFO running, buy a Viking!
If you do buy a Vector, get one with the original pad!
Gary

[Michael Martin]

As most here know I modified my vectors bottom. I filled in the concave and made it flat just like a v-kings but left the hook in.
I'm not running as much HP or weight as Garys but it doesnt have any bounce and could be driven by a 3 year old. From a dead stop to WOT its rock solid. I'm running a 149 ci OMC x-flow & total weight is 1390.


I love my vector & the only reason Im selling it is I have another boat on the way.

Mike

[Instigator]

Yep, on buying a Vector with a modified pad, I should have added, "unless you've seen it run first".
It has been done succesfully as Mikes boat proves.
Problem is it depends on how/where you modify and historically about 95% of the ones modified never run right after!
Gary

[Alan Power]

This is exactly the kind of answers I was looking for. I do a bit of skiing and like to drive around. But I think when I get used to the boat and start going fast that's all I'll do in it. I am going to go to a lot of trouble to get the boat here so I don't want to end up with something I'm not happy with.

Is it an impossible boat to learn in or a 'bad' first boat, I have driven boats at 60-70mph before but none that have a pad. Is a pad much different?

Gary, If I do use a large planing foil will it make the boat a little more versatile. I don't mind if it hurts the speed a little.

My main reason for not looking for a V-king in the first place is the boat and trailer has to be less than 20' with or without engine.

Thanks to everyone for their answers, keep em coming.

Alan

[Instigator]

Mine will run level at 30 MPH with the big plate on the motor. Biggest problem with this is finding one strong enough! The one I'm using is made for drag racing in calm water and not strong enough to run in rough water.
Weight of motor will make a big difference in how it runs/rides.
When i bought mine it had a little 2.0 liter 150 Merc that was about 50 lbs lighter than the current motor.
With that motor and all stock rigging it would run 73 GPS like it was on rails. It took most of a tank of gas to figure out though.
Until that point though, it would "Cheine walk" so bad that i kicked my girlfriend out beofre the boat spit her out:D
My problem was that I was over correcting the wheel trying to keep it on the pad. Once I figured this out the boat was cake to drive!
By the end of the day it would run WFO through slop and wind changes w/o any steering corrections!
Yes you can learn to drive it. Is it a begginers boat??
Probably not. That being said, probably the biggect factor to your succes or failure will be on getting a straight and solid hull to start with and then not over powering it.
That hull would be an awesome rig with a strong V-4 OMC, an in-line Merc or one of the smaller/lighter V-6 Mercs or even a cross flow OMC.
With a boat that small and light you soon hit a point with power and the additional weight of the bigger motor making it a WFO ride only! In other words with the smaller/lighter motors it is a much more "user freindly" rig.
If you have driven boats in the 60 - 70 range you can do it it's just a different experience/ability when the hull lifts onto the pad and you have to "fondle" the wheel to keep it there.
But when done right, it is sex on water!!
Gary

[Jay R.]

I find it best to answer questions like this as if the person doesn't understand. this leads to over simplifing buut i havn't been bitched at for assuming someone is stupid yet. just know im not assuming your stupid. just not assuming what you do or don't know.

every one else has mentioned this in depth, but not detail so here it is.
when these bad boys get out on the pad you physically have to balence the boat or it will fall of the pad. meaning once up on the pad the boat will start to fall one way or the other, naturally, either by prop torque, weight distribution, water ripples. something will set it off once it gets flying. you need to couter steer this very carefully. boat leans left you give teeny tiny bit of steering to the right and vice versa. the best way i've heard it described is your trying to keep the boat guessing and not let the boat make you guess. if you let the boat get into a rythem, then you can drive it but the boat is in control. once i finally got the hang of mine it never got into a rythem and you spen more time going straight than correcting.
does this explain the pad driving a little better.

i think the best way for you to start would be with a smaller engine like instagator said. but you can learn on an overpowere vector, just respect it. and keep the boat setup where you can get off the gas and the boat will settle down (ie: keep the gearcase in the water till you learn to drive on a pad. )

[Alan Power]

Jay R; Stupid eh! Well I've been called worse :rolleyes: . No, seriously thanks, no offence taken. I have read it being described that way before (the balancing trick) but I think its probably something you cant fully understand until you try it. I think I could find a nice V4 to learn with no problem. Keeping the gearcase low makes sense, if something goes pair-shaped I can step off the gas and the boat will slow down quicker- right?

Thanks for the info,

Alan...

[Jay R.]

yep, people tried to explain it to me but I didn't get it till i drove one, and even then a took a few times till it finally clicked. then it was amazing i could feel the boat and predict what it was doing.
and the low gearcase is exactly right. you get off the gas and the thing comes right back down to the water. some say this is dangerous. but i learned that way. it tries to kick a little to the left when you drop the gas pedle that fast but its safer than letting it get away from you. and it will get away from you. you just have to keep calm and get off the gas!

[baja200merk]

if you get ""blown off the padd""" on a vector could you flip will u ?
wut is the worst that will happen

[Jay R.]

they start chine walking. i think that if you let it happin it would get side to side so bad that you would roll. so yes, i thinkl you could flip a vector if you let it go and didn't know what you were doing. but you could get off the gas before that happins!

[Wild Bill]

Vectors are awsome, I streightened the hull filled the tunnel on mine. Getting through the transion to flying on the pad was trickey but once aired out it was on rails. Would love to put another together and put my drag on it for some passes. Go for it

[2 De River]

I have a good Vector for sale see it on Hulls under 20 ft, it is a 1979, white with dark blue striping (all painted no decals) been restored, nothing changed on the bottom the boat ran 86 mph on gps with a stock 200 merc, it has all gauges (gaffrig) and Bob's jackplate, all it needs is a motor, trim pump and battery and a new home, the trailer is a matching drive on, with 3 new tires and wheels, asking $2500.00 . Reason for selling I bought a Mirage Tunnel boat. I you are interested please call me at 334-691-2922, or e-mail me at jwin03@graceba.net Good luck in your search. Jimmy