Hydro Steppa boat brand?

Been awhile since I posted. So my wife’s little brother, 15 years old wanted a project (haha!) and found this little gem of a hull. I have never seen this before, quick google search didn’t come up with any hits. Found in South Louisiana. Anybody know anything about this brand.

 

Looks like an oldie, possibly 60's, certainly unusual, I wonder at what speed steps start paying their way, I'd chance a guess that it would be a speed beyond that where the ride would be bearable in a chop, in that boat.

 

Certainly curious for that area (South Louisiana) as the fishing is either shallow bayous or the choppy gulf waters. Perhaps they were trying to get a cross between shallow water bay boat that planes quickly and some sharp entry forward to handle a chop. Probably not very successful.

 

The idea of steps is a reduction in wetted area,. with much the same lift, so more speed, but you need to be travelling pretty quickly to get full value, and going quickly in a small boat often entails uncomfortable motions, still, this looks like a very interesting thing to be restoring, if just to see what it is like in practice. Good luck with it.