Laura & Cary Ambler...1978 Vulture with Evinrude 235.

My boat is a 1978 Vulture with a 1984 235 HP Evinrude that I bought from a friend 4 years ago. The boat had extensive records which included not only maintenance but also a log book which described the trips made by the first owner. I am the third owner. When I bought the boat it had been painted white down to the water line and the original gel coat with the Coco brown metalflake was visible from the waterline down. It also had a dark brown interior which was not original and in need of repair and replacement.

After several seasons of use without any problems my wife and I decided to take the boat out for a cruise down the river to have dinner. Several miles from the house the engine lost power and the paddle home was less than enjoyable.

That's when the decision to overhaul the motor, paint the boat, and replace the interior was made.

My wife (unlike me) has great taste and the ability to envision how a project will look at completion. She picked out the color for the hull (a 2000 Peterbuilt Red) and a light tan for the interior and the carpet.

I had the easy part. I contacted the local Evinrude dealer to have a new powerhead installed and a thorough checkout of the rest of the motor which included a new water pump. They removed the motor and phase two began.

Next I called an old friend of mine, J.K. Rider, who used to work at a local boat yard and now manages an automotive body and paint shop. We discussed what he thought it would take to do the job and I left the boat in his hands. While at the paint shop J.K. called to say that the bunks on the trailer needed repair so he made sure that the trailer was in good shape.

While the boat was in paint I called Tom Dodge who operates a local upholstery shop ( Upholstery Unlimited ) that specializes in boat and aircraft interiors. My wife looked at samples that Tom had and a decision on which materials to be used was made. The seats had been removed so Tom could begin on the upholstery.

Once out of paint ( which turned out great ) the boat was taken to Tom so he could install the carpet when he noticed a soft spot in the floor. Back to J.K. to have the old floor removed and a new one replaced.

Finally with new paint and a new interior the motor was ready to be mounted.

I completed a few fine details which included some wiring and a new running light. I also had the HydroStream emblems re-chromed.

There are still a few more projects planned including a jackplate and a new prop, but the HydroStream really flies and is an eye catcher.


Cary Ambler
Scream Stream