Project moving slow---had to take "Action"!

[silkeysak]

Well, with working so much, I can see that the Viking won't be ready for spring. I ran across a deal near Ft. Lauderdale I couldn't refuse. A cherry red 18' Action Marine. Didn't know how I was going to have time to pick it up, but the seller just happened to be planning a trip to Savannah for Super Sunday. Well, here it is. These boats are originally from a 17' 'Stream that was modifid over the years. The 18' Action was first produced around 1981, after they had made a 17' version for a few years. I bought a new one from the factory in '83. They are larger than the Viking, but every bit as fast. H'Stream and Action have been racing rivals in S. Fla since the 70's, but they are really cousins dukeing it out. The exterior is completely redone, but I have to put in carpet, seats, and rig it. Some stuff will come from the Viking. Plan on possibly turning the Viking into a light center steer. But it's going to take time. Hope you guys don't think I'm a traitor, but the Action comes from good ole Hydrostream stock. Now I get the chance to do a realistic comparison on the two.

[transomstand]

TRAITOR!!!

[Hippie459MN]

Finish that VKing!!!!!

Really, Don't stop now. Even if its not ready first thing in the spring, Just keep going on it. You will get it done. I hate to see ya forget about it.

Oh yeah, I fixed your pictures for ya.

[77viper]

The vking is way cooler

[silkeysak]

Boy, you guys are BRUTAL! I didn't say I was forgetting about it, I just want to do a total restore inside and out. The hull work, prepping the hull for fresh glitterflake (bruiser), is going to take until the end of the summer. I picked this up for $1500, and it will do just fine til I'm done with the Viking. Would you rather me spend my whole summer looking at a partial resto? Maybe you, but not me. Besides, it's nice having something that can take some chop and keep on truckin' Meanwhile, I'll take the Action out on windy days and walk off from the 'Streamers. Will keep you posted on the resto work, just lighten up, will ya guys!

[Hippie459MN]

Were just giving ya a hard time. No harm done.

[77viper]

Just busing your chops a bit. I did the same thing when I was working on the viper and bought my vegas..... at least it was another stream

[silkeysak]

Just busing your chops a bit. I did the same thing when I was working on the viper and bought my vegas..... at least it was another stream

Glad you brought that up. Many builders take a mold from somebody and modify it. A friend of mine has a v bottom Vegas, and it looks like a Vulture hull with a different cap. Also, as you know, the Vegas is not one of Howards boats. It is a knockoff, with the Hydrostream name on it. If you are a real purist, only an original "Stream counts as one. Does Russ's Thunderstream count as a Hydrostream? I say it does, because of the original design, but the name says different. The Action may not look as "cool" as the Hydrostream, but the innovations in the hull design, such as bow and stern lift, that really makes them fly can't be argued with. The Actions achieve aerodynamic lift that a V bottom "Stream does not. I think that even though they are significantly larger, they are probably faster. Problem is, they are not well known, because for the owner, it was more of a hobby, and they weren't marketed like the Hydrostream. Action is still in business, but they will only make 3 or 4 a year, making them hard to come by. About the only place you find them is in S. Fla., where most of them were sold. Down there, they are considered one of the best Keys boats because they can handle a moderate chop fairly well. When I owned my first one in Key West, it was set up to go all out in a 1' chop. My Viking is uncomfortable in those conditions. Never the less, when you have nice, flat water, a "Stream is a joy. Can't wait to show mine off when it's done!. And Hippie, I know you don't have a mean bone in your body! Thaks for fixing the pics. I spent an hour trying to resize and download them.

[RussF]

they have this Action up here with the hull of a 20 ft Action and the deck of a 20 HST

[Hippie459MN]

Glad you brought that up. Many builders take a mold from somebody and modify it. A friend of mine has a v bottom Vegas, and it looks like a Vulture hull with a different cap. Also, as you know, the Vegas is not one of Howards boats. It is a knockoff, with the Hydrostream name on it. If you are a real purist, only an original "Stream counts as one. Does Russ's Thunderstream count as a Hydrostream? I say it does, because of the original design, but the name says different. The Action may not look as "cool" as the Hydrostream, but the innovations in the hull design, such as bow and stern lift, that really makes them fly can't be argued with. The Actions achieve aerodynamic lift that a V bottom "Stream does not. I think that even though they are significantly larger, they are probably faster. Problem is, they are not well known, because for the owner, it was more of a hobby, and they weren't marketed like the Hydrostream. Action is still in business, but they will only make 3 or 4 a year, making them hard to come by. About the only place you find them is in S. Fla., where most of them were sold. Down there, they are considered one of the best Keys boats because they can handle a moderate chop fairly well. When I owned my first one in Key West, it was set up to go all out in a 1' chop. My Viking is uncomfortable in those conditions. Never the less, when you have nice, flat water, a "Stream is a joy. Can't wait to show mine off when it's done!. And Hippie, I know you don't have a mean bone in your body! Thaks for fixing the pics. I spent an hour trying to resize and download them.

Actually you are wrong. The Vegas is one of Howards boats and it has been around since the early 80's all the way up to when Howard closed shop in 1992 I think it was and the current owner(s) of Hydrostream still make the Vegas to this day. The Vegas has always been a Hydrostream built boat. In fact Ron Baker Sr (Worked with and for Howard in the day) raced one in 1984. And yes, They were available in both a V-Bottom and the more common XT.

The Vegas V-Bottom was basically a Vulture hull but from my understanding it had the rear pad design of the vking. But it was certainly one of Howards boats. Both the V-Bottom and the XT and it was also available with an inboard as well but only in the V-Pad I think. Im not sure how many of them were actually made though.

As for the Actions, From what I understand, and I may be completely wrong here, it was originally a splash of the Hydrostream Ventura and they kept building on it from there to what they have today and the different models they have. I think the first action was the Action 16 then later added the bigger hulls. Someone else want to chime in and feel free to correct me if I am wrong but thats what I have gathered from what I have read over the years.