Remembrances: Hydra-Sports Past and Present

By Captain Vince Daniello

Test Captain

One of my first captain jobs was running a 62 Striker Sportfisherman, which was comfortable in any weather but slow, so we towed a 1992 25-foot Hydra-Sports “tender” wherever we went, from Massachusetts to Mexico, for quick trips offshore and to get into shallow water and tight places the Striker couldn’t. I loved that old 25 and have many fond memories aboard, so I was glad when the opportunity came up to see what Hydra-Sports is up to today.

After a day on their new Vector 2900CC, I remember why I liked the 25. The boat runs well in rough water, has lots of room, and good storage. And Hydra-Sports has recently added some great features that make their Vector series stand out, even among serious fishing machines.

Pro-Captain Influences

The first obvious improvement is all the standard-equipment fishing hardware on this new Vector series that I had to install myself on the old boat. And while some manufacturers seem to have a knack for installing things in the “wrong” place, Hydra-Sports set up the boat exactly as I might.

“We’re a hard core fish boat. You can tell the boat was developed by tournament anglers who are out there doing it every day,” explained Chris Wainscott, a spokesman for Hydra-Sports who says extensive feedback from tournament crews helped tweak their design. “It’s laid out well and functions for what it is designed to do.”

Case in point, the boat has 14 rod holders, 5 overhead on the back of the T-top for rods not in use, two on each side of the cockpit in a “traditional” fashion, one on either side of the livewell just behind the center console seats, and three rod holders across the transom – right where we always need them but seldom find them on center console boats.

Helm Controls

The helm and console also shows these pro-captains’ influences. Switches and gauges are easy to access but kept low and out of the way, providing a large clear area for electronics. The T-top has an overhead radio box and recessed halogen floodlights built-in, and Hydra-Sports thoughtfully installed reinforced fiberglass pads to mount everything from outriggers and a radar, to a spotlight and antennas, with wire chases built-in to the top to make installation a snap. Instead of plastic, the Vector 2900CC has a curved glass windshield to prevent scratches, which also allows a windshield wiper to be installed for rough days. The console conceals a surprisingly large head, which doubles as a convenient, dry place for the battery switches and stereo system, with a stereo remote at the helm.

The primary livewell just behind the helm is designed by Kodiak, with rounded corners for bait such as ballyhoo that can’t live in a rectangle, big strainers so debris won’t clog the drains, and clear acrylic lids to help keep the water in the well on sloppy days offshore. The box across the transom is built to be a second livewell, fishbox, or storage, with a sink just outboard of it. There are two huge fish boxes under the casting deck in the bow, designed for easy opening with the sun pad cushions in place. The “coffin box” just ahead of the console can be another fishbox or giant cooler, also with a seat cushion. The bilge compartment in front of the coffin box has a circular recess in the bottom to keep a bucket or cast net in place, and the large deck hatch aft opens to a giant compartment for storage, as well as access to livewell and bilge pumps, the mechanism for the toilet, and through hull fittings.

Test Day

Our test day was quite breezy, and while we had protected water to take test numbers, I ran further out to see how the 2900CC performed in the chop. The 23-degree, Kevlar reinforced deep-V hull cut through it like butter and stayed dry as I put the boat through its paces. The long racing-style trim tabs weren’t necessary for ordinary running, but put there to keep the bow down at slow speed – say running a rough inlet. (Some may question the length of the tabs, but as far as the extra length being an obstacle to fishing lines- I checked with a couple other pro-captains. We’ve all lost fish to tabs on big boats with otherwise clear transoms, but none of us have lost a fish to a tab that wouldn’t have gotten into the outboard engines anyway.) The boat performed well, 53.7 miles-per-hour at top end from twin 250 horsepower outboards, which is what Hydra-Sports was aiming for. But it wasn’t until I returned to the dock and started poking around that I realized how much Hydra-Sports has done to improve the old 25, which I considered a great boat in it’s day.

Considerations and Storage

The aft storage area is admittedly one place I might have done things differently. Items stored there will work their way aft –against unprotected through-hull fittings, hoses and pumps. Also, access to those fittings needs to be easy in an emergency, which might be difficult if the compartment is loaded with gear. I love the access for maintenance and the huge storage area, but this space might be better served with a removable fish box or storage insert and a second way to access the through-hull valves.

While the old Hydra-Sports had big compartments in the bow and below deck, the new boat has even more storage, adding half-a-dozen easy access lockers into the inside of the cockpit coaming, including a place for small plastic tackle storage boxes and a clever angled door that allows long, thin fishing rods, gaffs, brush handles, and the like to store up in the bow in what would have been wasted space.

Quality in Construction

Quality has also improved over the boat I ran years ago. Not that there was anything wrong with Hydra-Sports then, but the new boat I tested had top-shelf hardware such as stainless steel pneumatic hatch supports, and stainless “slam latches” on all lockers, and doors that automatically latch when closed, important when you’re grabbing a fighting harness or tail rope in a hurry. There were even a few surprises beyond the obvious, particularly the chrome-plated through-hull fittings in the hull side. Hydra-Sports could have used chrome-over-bronze which have looked the same for at least a year or to, but instead they opted for chrome-plated stainless steel for looks and longevity.

In fact, Hydra-Sports offers a ten year warranty on all of their hulls, plus a three year warranty on parts and equipment on their Vector series boats, which currently includes a three-engine 33 foot center console and express models, 25 foot twin-engine center console and express, and a single-engine 23 footer in addition to this 2900. I wonder if they’ll let me tow one around the Bahamas for a while…

• Top speed for the Hydra-Sports Vector 2900CC (2006-) is 53.7 MPH (86.4 KPH), burning 42.0 gallons per hour (GPH) or 158.97 liters per hour (LPH).


• Best cruise for the Hydra-Sports Vector 2900CC (2006-) is 27.9 MPH (44.9 KPH), and the boat gets 1.91 miles per gallon (MPG) or 0.81 kilometers per liter (KPL), giving the boat a cruising range of 516 miles (830.42 kilometers).


• Tested power is 2 x 250-hp Yamaha F250.

Hydra-Sports Vector 2900CC (2006-) Standard and Optional Equipment

Marine Electronics
Autopilot
Fishfinder
GPS/Chart
Radar
VHF Radio
Systems
Battery Charger/Converter
CD Stereo	Clarion AM/FM CD Player w/ Optional Sirus Satellite Serive
Head: Portable
Head: Fixed
Shore Power
Trim Tabs
Washdown: Raw Water
Exterior Features
Hardtop
Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
Swim Ladder
Swim Platform
Transom Door
Transom Shower

= Standard = Optional