(late) middle aged crazy

[oldskier]

Hi all, I'm Bernie the newby, and if all goes as planned I'll pick up a '75 Hydrostream Viper with a '77 175 Merc this coming Wednesday.

My interest in performance boats began when I was growing up on the Peace river in SW Fla. back in the early '70's, and at the time was only in outboard ski boats. We mowed lawns to get gas for my best friends boat, a Glastron GT160 with an Evinrude 115, to go skiing (He still owns it BTW.)

Another friend had a GT143 (I think that was what it was called...split windshield, covered bow, 14 ft.) with a 135 Johnson, and nobody cared how fast the Checkmates with inline 6 Mercs were, as long as we could slalom and barefoot with the Glastrons.

I owned a Glastron 142 Skiflite with a Johnson 3 cyl.for many years and gave it away a few years ago and got the bug again a couple months ago. Anyway, this Hydrostream came up and I've been like a kid before Christmas ever since.

I categorized this boat as EXTREMELY overpowered and brutal, perfect for an old guy who never really had a high performance boat of his own. I expect to do some skiing and some showing off.

I have a lot of catching up to do regarding fast boats, so I'll apologize for the stupid questions ahead of time....but I hope I'll be around here a lot.

Question #1: In the old days, we shunned ski pylons due to their tendency to keep the bow too high when coming out of the hole with a slalom skier. Will the transom of the Hydrostream stand a ski bridle attached alright? I USED to slalom at a fairly high level (6 at 36, 15 off).

thats enough for now, if I actually GET this boat, I'll prolly have a million other questions....

Bernie

[Frank Molé]

welcome aboard,youll have fun here

[oldskier]

Thanks Frank....seeing your sig line, I'll revert to MODERATELY overpowered and brutal...

[Frank Molé]

if you need any help let me know,questions or whatever

[Raceman]

That boat with a V6 is gonna sky the bow regardless of what you do, but I do think a transom hookup would be better. A Viper is one of my favorite Streams, but frankly I think an overpowered/stern heavy one is a lousy choice for a ski boat, even though it can be an otherwise thrilling lake toy in experienced hands.

A word of caution................ HydroStreams are notorious for getting the core in the bottom waterlogged and rotten. An examination with a rubber mallet, listening for significant THUDS, instead of solid sounds when bumping from the outside can be a good indicator.

To say you're jumping in the deep end of the pool with your first swimming lesson by buying a V6 powered Viper is an understatement. It'll take a LOT of seat time to get it to a level that you're halfway safe in, and that's ASSUMING that the person who set it up knew what he was doing. Solid mounts, foot throttle, kill switch and GOOD race style lifejacket are absolute essentials, as is a PROPERLY ADJUSTED dual cable steering system. Anything less and you shouldn't wet it.

Good luck with the boat, and welcome to the Website.

[Ziemer]

Question #1: In the old days, we shunned ski pylons due to their tendency to keep the bow too high when coming out of the hole with a slalom skier. Will the transom of the Hydrostream stand a ski bridle attached alright? I USED to slalom at a fairly high level (6 at 36, 15 off).

We used to slalom ski off of our old Vector (virtually same boat, just 2 ft longer) when I was a kid, just make sure the transom on you new boat doesn't have any soft spots (rot).

Only issue with using the bridle on a Hydrostream is that the transom is low and the rope sometimes hangs up in the water, especially if you ever use it to knee-board.

I also had a Vector with a ski pylon, and it wasn't too bad pulling up a skier but we did have to shift our weight forward.

If the boat doesn't already have one, you'll find it very useful to get a hydraulic jackplate, so you can lower the motor down when skiing and raise it back up when "showing off".

Good luck with the new boat. You definitely found the right place to answer any questions you have along the way.

[wheeliejones]

Welcome aboard. You came to the right place!!!!

[oldskier]

thanks for the tips guys, been logged out during writing new posts twice and lost them both, whats up with that?

[Racemore]

thanks for the tips guys, been logged out during writing new posts twice and lost them both, whats up with that?

Enter your screen name,password ,mark the remember me box then enter.You will stay signed on in case you back out while posting.Welcome

[oldskier]

WHEW! just read through the thread about Rivermans recore of his Viper...all 21 pages, and STILL didn't get to hear how it runs. I replaced the floor, stringers and transom in my old Glastron and it was kids stuff compared to THAT safari.

The Viper I'm going to try to get is owned by an old outboard racer (not mentioning his name, you guys prolly know him and may go get the boat before I can get there...) He says the transom and floor are good. He's known the owners of the boat before he bought it for 15 years, and he keeps it garaged. Don't think he'd buy a waterlogged hull, but we'll see...

Thanks Raceman for the tips, 'specially how to check the core. I knew they could be a problem but not how to check it. Not really my 1st swimming lesson, I grew up in boats from age 7, ran my best friends GT160 with a 150 Suzuki after the 115 'Rude died and got my 1st taste of chine walk, also skied for years with a good friend here in Tn. with a 16 foot Dixie Devil (beautiful hull IME) with a 150 Merc.

I know the 'Stream is a different animal, but I'll learn slow and have no desire to see how fast I can make it go with tuning and rigging, just want a nice hot rod I can ski behind. Thanks for the welcome, I can see I've come to the right place for info about this boat!

Bernie

[RIVERRUMMER 70]

Hi all, I'm Bernie the newby, and if all goes as planned I'll pick up a '75 Hydrostream Viper with a '77 175 Merc this coming Wednesday.

My interest in performance boats began when I was growing up on the Peace river in SW Fla. back in the early '70's, and at the time was only in outboard ski boats. We mowed lawns to get gas for my best friends boat, a Glastron GT160 with an Evinrude 115, to go skiing (He still owns it BTW.)

Another friend had a GT143 (I think that was what it was called...split windshield, covered bow, 14 ft.) with a 135 Johnson, and nobody cared how fast the Checkmates with inline 6 Mercs were, as long as we could slalom and barefoot with the Glastrons.

I owned a Glastron 142 Skiflite with a Johnson 3 cyl.for many years and gave it away a few years ago and got the bug again a couple months ago. Anyway, this Hydrostream came up and I've been like a kid before Christmas ever since.

I categorized this boat as EXTREMELY overpowered and brutal, perfect for an old guy who never really had a high performance boat of his own. I expect to do some skiing and some showing off.

I have a lot of catching up to do regarding fast boats, so I'll apologize for the stupid questions ahead of time....but I hope I'll be around here a lot.

Question #1: In the old days, we shunned ski pylons due to their tendency to keep the bow too high when coming out of the hole with a slalom skier. Will the transom of the Hydrostream stand a ski bridle attached alright? I USED to slalom at a fairly high level (6 at 36, 15 off).

thats enough for now, if I actually GET this boat, I'll prolly have a million other questions....

Bernie

HI BERNIE, HAVE HAD A VIPER SINCE 91 AND WE TRIED SKIING WITH IT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AND LIGHTER " ABOUT 180# " AT YOUR LEVEL OF SLALOM SKIING THE BOAT WILL BE PULLED ALL OVER THE PLACE, NEVER GET A STRAIGHT RUN AND WILL ONLY FRUSTRATE YOU.
THE BOW RISE ISN'T THE BIG DEAL WITH 2 PEOPLE IN FRONT SEATS, I TOOK OUT THE BACK TO BACK SEATS AND PUT BUCKETS, MADE THE PASS SIDE ON A SWIVEL FOR THE OBSERVER, AND WITH 115 SUZUKI 17" STOCK OMC STAINLESS IT PULLED ME UP NO PROB, JUST WOULDN'T GO STRAIGHT NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE DRIVER WAS, I WAS GETTIN 6 @ 28 0FF EVERYDAY BEHIND TOURNAMENT BOATS, AND SOMETIMES 4 @ 32 OFF. ON THE OTHER HAND IT WAS AWESOME FOR B-FOOT, I SPENT ALOT OF TIME ON MY FEET BEHIND THAT BOAT @ 50 MPH!! KNEEBOARD, WAS BORING , NO WAKE TO JUMP, SAME WITH WAKEBOARDS , NEVER PULLED A TUBE.
BUT SHOE SKIS @ 25-30 MPH WAS A GAS, NICE AND FLAT NO PROP WASH IN THE MIDDLE, TRICK SKIS, ETC WAS FUN!!
I WOULD CONSIDER SELLING THE V-6 AND GET A OMC 2.0 L V-4.
THAT IS MY CURRENT SETUP AND IS THE BEST MOTOR I EVER HAD ON THIS BOAT, I HAVE THE EARLY COMMERCIAL MODEL WITH V-6 MID AND LOWER, THIS GIVES ME THE ABILITY TO RUN V-6 SIZE PROPS AND THE BIGGER GEARCASE HOLDS THE BOAT BETTER, I HAVE RUN A 27" SRX 6200 RPM FOR THE BIG END AND A 22" RAKER FOR FUN.
MY VIPER CURRENTLY IS BEING CUT UP, FLOOR AND CORE, STRINGERS IF THATS WHAT YOU CALL TWO LITTLE 3/8 PIECES OF PLYWOOD.
SO LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID CK THE FLOOR AND CORE FOR WATER, TRANSOM,ETC.... WE HAD A GLASSTRON GT 16O??? W/135 OMC BACK THEN THAT WAS A MUCH BETTER SLALOM BOAT THAN THE VIPER.
GOOD LUCK AND HOPE I HELPED SOME!!! RR70.

[oldskier]

Riverrummer, Thanks for the info, I suspected the v-pad wouldn't hold a line like a true v bottom boat but my slalom course days are long gone. I'll be lucky to do a deep water start without bustin a blood vessel...been off the water for 10 years, 30 pounds heavier. If I can throw a little spray around the lake I'll be happy. Just got to get back in the water.

I was always an OMC guy and would love to trade for a 135 V-4, but we'll see. Maybe I'm just in love with the IDEA of owning a 'Stream. I hope to find out next week.

I saw a thread where a guy shredded a section of the bottom off his Hydrostream and most were advising to junk it. I'm the kind of guy who would fix it or die trying...a possibility I presume, but fiberglass is a very maleable material. I think it could be done. Why would replacing a section of bottom be much different than straightening a hook?

My passion in life is taking old junk and making it usable (even desireable).
I have been playing with old British motorcycles and cars since I got out of boating 10+ years ago. Resto is my REAL hobby. 100 MPH is a rush on a 40 year old motorcycle too. I've had my '72 Triumph at 97...it had the other 3 MPH in it...I didn't. Thats how I expect I'll be with the Viper too.

I'll shut up now until I have the boat. Then I'll make a REAL pest out of myself.

Thanks, Bernie

[Riverman]

WHEW! just read through the thread about Rivermans recore of his Viper...all 21 pages, and STILL didn't get to hear how it runs.

Sorry Bernie, here is where I'm at so far.

[Frank Molé]

Riverrummer, Thanks for the info, I suspected the v-pad wouldn't hold a line like a true v bottom boat but my slalom course days are long gone. I'll be lucky to do a deep water start without bustin a blood vessel...been off the water for 10 years, 30 pounds heavier. If I can throw a little spray around the lake I'll be happy. Just got to get back in the water.

I was always an OMC guy and would love to trade for a 135 V-4, but we'll see. Maybe I'm just in love with the IDEA of owning a 'Stream. I hope to find out next week.

I saw a thread where a guy shredded a section of the bottom off his Hydrostream and most were advising to junk it. I'm the kind of guy who would fix it or die trying...a possibility I presume, but fiberglass is a very maleable material. I think it could be done. Why would replacing a section of bottom be much different than straightening a hook?

My passion in life is taking old junk and making it usable (even desireable).
I have been playing with old British motorcycles and cars since I got out of boating 10+ years ago. Resto is my REAL hobby. 100 MPH is a rush on a 40 year old motorcycle too. I've had my '72 Triumph at 97...it had the other 3 MPH in it...I didn't. Thats how I expect I'll be with the Viper too.

I'll shut up now until I have the boat. Then I'll make a REAL pest out of myself.

Thanks, Bernie

like it so far

[Hydrophobic guy]

Welcome fellow V6 Viper owner,
Hang someone off that and you both need to hold on tight. Had mine out today for its usual weekend adventure and I couldn't imagine dragging someone behind it. With the V6 even trimmed down they moon shoot then come down quik and Chit and get.