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[Floyd Pink]

Good Morning from metro Detroit. Just registered here to learn what I can and will be looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack soon. Not many XS boats anywhere to be had. Having given up on the Hydrostream idea (most all are either rotten or highly modified), it's probably worth my while to pay for a nice Allison. Thanks for the inclusion. -FP

 

[gmorgan]

Welcome, Floyd. Your money will be well spent on an Allison. Most folks experience an appreciation of value when they sell if they are careful to pay market value when buying and maintain or upgrade their Allison during their ownership period.

 

[Floyd Pink]

Welcome, Floyd. Your money will be well spent on an Allison. Most folks experience an appreciation of value when they sell if they are careful to pay market value when buying and maintain or upgrade their Allison during their ownership period.

I believe you're correct. I've had several cool boats over the years but none for a while now. It's time to get back into things I think but as I mentioned, some are just too beat up for what I want. The key for me will be to find a decent boat without over-the-top mods.

 

[Lotus 50]

I almost live in Metro Detroit. Windsor. My SS2000 is at the cottage north of Toronto

 

[Floyd Pink]

I almost live in Metro Detroit. Windsor. My SS2000 is at the cottage north of Toronto

Isn't Windsor where the weird "orange glow" is coming from? It's grow operations as I understand it. Anyway, as I've read through various posts, there's a ton of valuable info on what to look for in a boat. A motor is the least of my worries... a good boat (and trailer) are musts for me. And I've passed on several Hydrostreams due to distance mostly so that may be an issue too. I can't drive 1000 miles each way on an unknown.

 

[SlowHayden]

I vote skip the Hydrostream and find the Allison you want, it’s well worth the search/wait! I decided to get a Hydrostream instead of forking over for an allison and I ended up selling it less than a year later and looking for an Allison anyways. Good luck on your search!

 

[Floyd Pink]

Well... I understand your point, however the Hydrostream has a couple of possible advantages. Both the 18' Valero/Vasserette and the 20' Voyager have bowrider configurations. That's a huge plus for taking more than two other people out, which we might indeed do fairly often. And a Voyager with a 250 is a nice combination.

 

[SlowHayden]

Well... I understand your point, however the Hydrostream has a couple of possible advantages. Both the 18' Valero/Vasserette and the 20' Voyager have bowrider configurations. That's a huge plus for taking more than two other people out, which we might indeed do fairly often. And a Voyager with a 250 is a nice combination.

You can run 5 deep in a GrandSport depending on the people and 4 people can ride comfortably, any more than that and the bowriders might be your best option.

 

[Floyd Pink]

You can run 5 deep in a GrandSport depending on the people and 4 people can ride comfortably, any more than that and the bowriders might be your best option.

Yes, I agree with you. If we want to take the grandkids and their parents to blast around or go tubing, the Allison isn't functional for that, unfortunately.

 

[Lotus 50]

A Grandsport or the 4 pass bass boats would work fine as tow vehicles. We used to tow toys with my SS2000 but have a ski boat for that now. It was OK except for the tight cockpit. If you found a restored Hydrostream it could be OK, but otherwise you are looking at a 30 year old mass produced boat that will need work

 

[Lotus 50]

The grow ops are greenhouses in Leamington, a few miles from Windsor

 

[Floyd Pink]

A Grandsport or the 4 pass bass boats would work fine as tow vehicles. We used to tow toys with my SS2000 but have a ski boat for that now. It was OK except for the tight cockpit. If you found a restored Hydrostream it could be OK, but otherwise you are looking at a 30 year old mass produced boat that will need work

LOTS of work in most cases. Many have been restored but usually with no record of who did the work or how it was done.

 

[Floyd Pink]

FP--"The lunatic is in my head." Way back, Allison had an open bow GrandSport on the drafting board. It never got made. I had a sketch of it and always thought that would sell pretty well. Yes, I have a Voyager w/ pole and ladder for ski outings. Very, very difficult to find a decent Stream. Even if rebuilt--by who? The Allisons just hold together, including stringers and transoms. But still be careful. Even Allisons up north can fail if poorly stored with water in them and then frozen at -15 degrees.

DSOTM... the single greatest rock album ever made IMO. The beauty of boats from "up north" is the short season and small water. Originally from northern Illinois, up north to me means northern Wisconsin (now Michigan) and ice-out wasn't until May. I found a Voyager up in MN over the summer that seemed very appealing but there was just something about the video I asked him to make that I didn't like. As I mentioned earlier, it's just not worth taking 3-4 days to make a 2000 mile round trip for something that isn't as represented. If you've got a good Voyager that you're thinking of selling, and the horsepower of the motor starts with a "2", let me know. -FP

 

[Floyd Pink]

IMO, Dark Side of the Moon was the greatest album ever made--better than Sargent Peppers, better than Pet Sounds. My older sister gave it to me--talk about a long lasting gift.

I have an extensive vinyl collection and a "vinyl room" in my house to chill in. 45 year old Infinity's and "matching" tuner and turntable. I have at least two unopened DSOTM albums. One is open and the pyramid poster is framed on the one wall. -FP

 

[Floyd Pink]

Had many friends in the Rockford area and used to run out there all the time to see Cheap Trick before they hit it big. Know the areas they're all from very well actually. I'm originally from Glenview.

 

[Floyd Pink]

I have to tell this story. My son last summer was looking for a Stream. He drove 90 miles one way to look at a Stream with a 'new floor'. Uh-oh.
Sure enough, the guy had put in a new floor...with lag screws that went all the way thru the hull. About 15 nicely spaced lags hanging out the bottom. He didn't buy it. You won't see that with an Allison--non wood floors, stringers, transoms.

Sounds like the guy was quite the professional. LOL. Not too hard here in Michigan to find people who can properly restore a hull as necessary, but I don't see the logic in buying a boat for a premium price and then having to get it rebuilt. Motors are easy. Good used motors exist everywhere and a close friend is a Merc guru in Illinois if I need help. Frankly, Merc, Yamaha, or Evinrude would all be fine with me. I'm not trying to break speed records... just take the wife and go out on the boat for grins.

 

[Floyd Pink]

IMO, Dark Side of the Moon was the greatest album ever made--better than Sargent Peppers, better than Pet Sounds. My older sister gave it to me--talk about a long lasting gift.

My parents were both from Dekalb county Illinois (northern). Sister in Rockford. Brother in Rochelle. Sister in Galesburg.

The daddy (not for sale). 150 w/ 225 heads, tuner, carbs---barn find.View attachment 15216

Ok... that Voyager is a beautiful boat!!! THAT'S what a good HS should look (and sit) like!! Perfect.