• Hydrostream Power Tour 2017

    A Spectacular Event For HydroStream Owners

    There is perhaps no other boat that is so representative of the image of the fast, outboard-powered runabout. It has a unique look that is so distinctive, even from a great distance, there is never any mistaking it for anything else but a HydroStream. When first introduced in the early 1970s, what would become the timeless signature design of the delta-winged classic HydroStream remains as breathtaking in both appearance and performance, as it was over forty years ago.

    HydroStream owners tend to be a very cohesive group. It’s a fraternity of ownership pride that we see with classic and highly sought-after muscle cars. Howard Pipkorn’s designs achieved a mystique that continues to this day. Just watch the expressions of fascination anywhere one of these boats makes an appearance. Everything about their designs expresses speed, with an aesthetic that is as futuristic as an SR-71 Blackbird.
    The original HydroStream company has been gone since 1991, however, like any exceptional design, enthusiasm for the now-legendary beak-nosed boats will go on forever. Classic, original HydroStreams are dwindling in availability as time goes on, which serves to increase the desirability of Pipkorn’s creations. So it is only natural that HydroStream owners would unite to share experiences from the past, as well as create new ones and most of all, to keep them alive and running.
    The HydroStream Owner's Group was created by a group of HydroStream enthusiasts on Scream And Fly, and has fast become the ultimate once-a-year destination for the most diehard enthusiasts.

    The invitation-only "Power Tour" was originally created in 2008 by Mark, Janna, and Bill Knueppel, Chris Lake, and Chad Schram. It takes place in one of the 25,000-plus lakes and rivers in the Wisconsin and Minnesota areas. It has grown in size over the years, but still retains its sense of strong community. Members of the group are strongly encouraged to follow good boating etiquette in order to keep it family friendly and enjoyable for all.

    I attended the Power Tour this year, and it was a revelation to me. Like so many members on Scream And Fly, my first performance boat was a HydroStream - a Vector, and these boats represent so much more for me than just my first experiences of going fast on the water. To be surrounded by so many pristine HydroStream boats of nearly every model presents a very unique experience, and even better than the boats are the people themselves, which all share the same passion for our favorite boats. But there’s one person that attends the Power Tour that has made this event one of the most memorable for me, and that is Howard Pipkorn.

    What an absolutely incredible feeling it was to talk to the person that created these stunning designs, and yes, he also has a HydroStream - a beautiful Virage Turbo! The Virage is one of HydroStream's last designs, and it almost certainly benefits from the company's decades of hull design refinements. It is a very exotic design even today, and in the late-1980s, it was revolutionary. No other boat manufacturer had anything like it back then, and that still holds true today.

    I was extremely impressed with Howard’s razor-sharp memory of even the smallest details of the design process for every model we could ask him about. He instantly recalls specific design elements and why certain designs had to be changed. I learned more from my discussions with Howard in a day than I ever knew about HydroStream in my life up to that point. And he is a heck of a lot of fun to be around. The HydroStream Power Tour is an event that was both fascinating and thrilling, and I am very thankful to all of the people that make the Power Tour possible.

    Representing the scope of this event will be three batches of images. The second batch will be posted next week.


    Click on images to enlarge










    Comments 9 Comments
    1. FlowMaxx's Avatar
      FlowMaxx -
      Great article Greg. Thank you so much for joining us.
    1. eelrev's Avatar
      eelrev -
      Yes Greg so nice to meet you. Please come back again there are a lot more toys to show you !!!!!
    1. Laker's Avatar
      Laker -
      EPIC! Its hard to express how incredible this event was. Special thanks to Greg and Pip! Both of you are to blame for all of this!
    1. HornBoats's Avatar
      HornBoats -
      beautiful boats !!!
    1. 427Man's Avatar
      427Man -
      Very cool. God I wish I had been there...
    1. Jimboat's Avatar
      Jimboat -
      Great article, Greg!
    1. W2F a V-King's Avatar
      W2F a V-King -
      Great read Greg !! Very nice, Really appreciate the effort you put in it! Love the pictures.
      Hope to be there next year to meet some of these fine people and see the boats in person!
    1. Schramer's Avatar
      Schramer -
      Well said Greg! This group is bas azz and a honor to be a part of.....Pip is hilarious and a "Must Meet" kinda person! You won't regret talking to that man or his posse

      Schramer
    1. ripnik67@yahoo.com's Avatar
      ripnik67@yahoo.com -
      When and where will the Hydrostream owners meet up again? Want to go.
Aeromarine Research