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here is a couple pics from a couple years ago (only ones I can find right now)

got the old girl when I was 14 from my uncle who had it since about 1980 or so. she was a little rough went through with my dad and totally restored everything, ran the force 85hp on it for a few years until it decided to die. then the ole tower of power was installed. been a great boat for years now going on 13 years.

Good looking boat, have you replaced the core yet?

Hey Jeff, another twin to your boat. Including yours, this is the 3rd apricot Viper I have seen now.

Looks good. What Transomstand said, did you replace the core yet?

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Is there a difference between Apricot and Autumn?

Danbap,
Where are you in S.E. WI? I'm in Pleasant Prairie WI. It doesn't get any more S.E. WI then that. Welcome to the site. Bill

Bill bill bill... What do we have there? More pictures and more info! V-King?

That looks darker than Apricot.

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Yup - 77 Viking. Gelcoat is in great shape. Floor had been replaced and the boat seemed solid, but I knew better. Talked him down to 2500 with 77 Merc 200. When I got home, I cut a spot out of the floor and the core was exactly what I thought. Gone. I'll get some better pictures up soon. He threw in 2 covers and 3 stainless props + trailer. Wife thinks I'm nuts I have the Ventura II almost cleaned out and plan to glass them both this summer. The boys and I will be traveling with them soon hopefully. this one should be a lot quicker than the Vulture. Wish I could get it done before Three Lakes. We will see. Work might get in the way of me going to Three Lakes at all this year.

Danbap,
Sorry didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'll start my own and document the rebuild.

transomstand wrote:Good looking boat, have you replaced the core yet?

thanks guys. when you say core do you mean the floor?

VultureNo2 wrote:Danbap,
Where are you in S.E. WI? I'm in Pleasant Prairie WI. It doesn't get any more S.E. WI then that. Welcome to the site. Bill

thanks, Genoa city, what lakes do you normally go out on?

Danbap,
The core is the structural layer that is below the floor. It is a sandwich made from fiberglass cloth, balsa wood 1/2 inch thick, or another composite material, and another layer of glass. It is designed to be rigid and keeps the bottom of the boat from de-laminating while driving it. I can almost guarantee that it need to be replaced on a boat the age of yours, even if it was stored inside it's entire time, due to how Hydrostream layed them up originally, plus anything that got screwed into since then. The balsa gets wet, and turns to mush. Without that support, you are boating on borrowed time. I will be posting pictures when I get a chance of what the core layer looks like, and what it takes to replace it, but I suggest you search on some of the re-core threads on the site and pay close attention to how to replace it. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to assist. If you want to get some practice, I'll be doing a couple this summer hopefully. Feel free come over and get a first hand look at what I'm doing. I'm guessing your name is Dan?
Bill