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Thread: The Legendary Viper!
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11-22-2017, 10:13 AM #16
After seeing this vidieo of Ronnie years ago I'm safe to say he is the guy that got me hooked to high pro streams...No viper has ever ran these #s that I know of today and I'm now glad to be able to call him a good friend. Nice post Greg Thank you.
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11-22-2017, 11:40 PM #17
Wow I miseed this thread! Very cool to see my old girl again!! Sure miss the fun years we all had running in that boat nothing has ever replaced it after all these years. It was extremly fast I worked on that boat everyday experimenting with all the things that everyone told my at wouldn't work. I ran 5 inch jack plate, modified straight keg cle, and a chopper 28. It all worked for me. At that time I had just made the first 15 offshore leg for my self Also one of my first modified powerhead my original xr6 2.5 !50 with carbs and all the original moded parts still inside of it. She ran just over 8000 rpms everyday. On pump gas too. Still have all of the parts that were in that boat. Some day I ll put them all back into service again. Gary i remmember that too was a great time in kentuky those few years. crashed it up bad almost killed me ended up cutting it up and throwing it in the dumpster at work after I was able to go back to work. that kinda sucked!!! it was still the best 15 year run for a speedboat. I spent so much money on that thing over the years I could have bought another house.
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Instigator, nitro_rat thanked for this postD.ONEAL, baja200merk, texasvector, Scream And Fly, RussF, specboatops, 89LASER, nitro_rat, sharpeye Mike liked this post
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11-22-2017, 11:41 PM #18
thanks too Brian I have more of them for you to recore
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hydrostreamvking4m liked this post
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11-23-2017, 11:00 AM #19
Man I feel old now! I put hyd steering in my boat and everyone said it won’t work gonna be undriveable. was gonna rip it out and put cable in it Ronnie said he runs hyd, run it you will be fine. That was another cvee bottom over 100mph all the professionals said wasn’t gonna work.
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Capt.Insane-o liked this post
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11-23-2017, 01:09 PM #20
is gone
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11-23-2017, 01:54 PM #21
Damn....that's a Crazy..Great Video!
Don't know you Ronnie, but that's a perfect rig, and Glad your OK.Last edited by W2F a V-King; 11-24-2017 at 08:17 PM.
James H. W2F a V-King... Want 2 Fly a V-King
Dedicated Site for Hydrostreams >> http://hydrostreamforums.com/
My Project 1979 V-King restore >> http://hydrostreamforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2761
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11-23-2017, 03:56 PM #22
I have a lot of other video of Ronnie's Viper from those days, but it's all on digital tape and I no longer have any machines that use that format. I also have the full episodes from the show we did in Georgia, which was Marine Machines. That was the most fun ever. That was back in 2005, and they sent me the full shows, but on VHS tape! I have to convert those to digital video files. I have stacks of digital tapes from those days which I need to convert and post here. There is many hours of footage from the Tanner Park stuff from around 2000-2006. Among the best memories of my life.
@RONNIE I still want a piece of the Viper!
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W2F a V-King, XstreamVking, texasvector, hydrostreamvking4m, Frank Molé, Bodhi, Slimm, Dave Strong, 89LASER liked this post
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11-24-2017, 08:19 AM #23
When Ronnie had that boat at the Rumble, the motor sounded like it had a different tuner but Ronnie said no. May have been echos off the hills of the river bank but that motor sounded evil!
I told Ronnie it sounded like it was turning 12K!
He had that thing dialed and knew how to drive it.
The park we were at was on the Ohio River but the Kentucky River merged w/it right by the park.
Much narrower bordered by taller hills.
The guys used it to test.
I heard Ronnies motor back there shrieking through the trees w/his foot on the floor and it done accelerating!
I walked over to the hill to see him smoke past when I noticed a tug boat w/a line of barges coming up the Ohio that I knew Ronnie had no way of seeing.
I watched to see if Ronnie lifted.
He of course, did not ��
He he flew out of the mouth of the Kentucky and in front of the barge!
Probably had a 100 yds of clearance but always wondered what that tug captain did/thought when saw thing come from no where and blow past in front of him ��
That was fun to watch at 10/10ths w/Ronnie sawing at the wheel.
All of the fearless drivers on this site need to look at that picture of the wreckage and read Ronnies words closely when you think your all super man.
One of the best vee bottom guys on the planet.Last edited by Instigator; 11-24-2017 at 08:22 AM.
I'd rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought.
I refuse to allow common sense to interfere w/my boat buying decisions.
Checkmate 16' 140 Johnson
Hydrostream 17' Vector FrankenRude I
Laser 480 (?) 21' w/GT 200
Glastron Carlson Conquest w/XP 2.6
Glastron Carlson CVX 20 w/XP 2.6
24' Sonic w/twin 250 Johnsons
24' Sonic w/twin 250 HO Johnsons
19' STV River Rocket w/FrankenRude II
Allison XR 2002 w/Frankenrude II
Hydrostream 18' V-King w/Frankenrude II
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hydrostreamvking4m, Dave Strong, W2F a V-King, NJSBOAT, specboatops, 89LASER, Groucho, nitro_rat liked this post
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11-25-2017, 07:50 AM #245000 RPM
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Yeah, I really don't like looking at that pic. It scares the hell out of me.
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Instigator liked this post
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11-25-2017, 08:39 AM #25James H. W2F a V-King... Want 2 Fly a V-King
Dedicated Site for Hydrostreams >> http://hydrostreamforums.com/
My Project 1979 V-King restore >> http://hydrostreamforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2761
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11-25-2017, 08:47 AM #26
It should.
An accident at that speed is one of the most violent things you can imagine.
Heres a good one on safety for y'all.
Yrs ago a friend was playing w/his STV in the Keys.
Like Ronnie, a very accomplished wheel man.
His vest of choice was one of the inflatable versions the fisherman wear.
I told him it was worthless.
Anybow, showing off as we all do in that type boat, caught a wave/gust wrong, skied the boat, came back down and stuffed. The boat stopped, his body didn't.
He went through the front deck, his body cutting it in half, stripped all his clothes off, including that stupid vest, knocked him out and his unconscious body sank to the bottom.
God must have been watching though and luck helped too.
Two things saved his life.
One, a friend here on S/F was there watching and went in after him.
Two, being in the Keys, the water was gin clear so his rescuer was able to see his motionless body laying on the bottom and saved his life!
Change either of above and he dies.Last edited by Instigator; 11-25-2017 at 08:50 AM.
I'd rather be competitive w/junk I built in my garage than win w/stuff I bought.
I refuse to allow common sense to interfere w/my boat buying decisions.
Checkmate 16' 140 Johnson
Hydrostream 17' Vector FrankenRude I
Laser 480 (?) 21' w/GT 200
Glastron Carlson Conquest w/XP 2.6
Glastron Carlson CVX 20 w/XP 2.6
24' Sonic w/twin 250 Johnsons
24' Sonic w/twin 250 HO Johnsons
19' STV River Rocket w/FrankenRude II
Allison XR 2002 w/Frankenrude II
Hydrostream 18' V-King w/Frankenrude II
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11-25-2017, 09:40 AM #27
Chilling story. It all happens so fast.
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11-25-2017, 10:04 AM #28
A friend and I were running here north of the zilwaukee bridge. I never ran more than a 26 but it's a long haul down river so I put a 28 on. I made two or three mile long passes. I drove that boat with a hard shell seat bolted to the stringers,no seat cover or cushion. The last pass I remember the most, there was no feeling from the boat. He shot some videos from his phone and were looking at them over beers in the garage. The next morning the boat was derigged and I gave it to his son with a 140 inline. No good was going to come out of me owning it any further.
I got away with a lot for 13 years.Last edited by Capt.Insane-o; 11-25-2017 at 10:06 AM.
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W2F a V-King, Groucho liked this post
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11-26-2017, 01:29 AM #29
The pic of that viper pains me to look at, but it's also reminding me of the what-ifs when playing with these machines. Ronnie I'm glad your around to share the tale after that and also can't wait to see what you get into next.
1977 Hydrostream Vector 2.5 Promax
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11-28-2017, 04:20 PM #30
That is a remarkable video. It does give credence to what that Viper was and is capable of and what it can do in the hands of a REAL driver. I think all of us that now drive Allisons, Mirages, Quartershots, STVs, Triads, etc...all cut our " teeth" driving a " Stream". Let's face it...If you can balance a Hydrostream on it's pad at high speed then you can drive any of the above.But...Having been part of the Viper's Heyday when Pipkorn was racing and having crashed my share of my own " streams...Valero YT and Viper"...I pray that boat will now be a " Trailer Queen" from here on out. Nothing left to prove... Waay cool..But living past the edge...
" Nothing's too good for me...That's why I get so much of it."
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