SCARAB 165 ID

Drop 300 hp into a 15-foot runabout and you've got a whole lot of fun on your hands.

- Charles Plueddeman

The mission of the Scarab 165 ID can be described in one word: fun. This 15-foot-9-inch runabout can be ordered with up to 300 jet-drive horsepower. With a full tank of gas, it weighs only about 1,700 pounds. That's an exciting power-to-weight ratio-one that will rip from zero to 30 mph in a tick over 4 seconds and top 57 mph in a flash with a crew of two grinning boaters aboard. The steering is quick, and the hull is agile. The Scarab 165 ID is simply a blast.

This boat does have a practical side. On its trailer, the Scarab 165 ID is just 18 feet, 4 inches long and weighs a little more than 2,300 pounds, an easy tow with even a modest vehicle. The Scarab 165 ID will take up the same garage space as a couple of trailered personal watercraft. In fact, a couple of PWC may be the only alternative to the Scarab 165 ID if you are considering a small boat with the advantages of jet propulsion. A full-size PWC, such as the Yamaha WaveRunner FX HO ($15,400 without a trailer) can match the speed and agility of the Scarab and carry three adults, but not with the comfort of the Scarab, which also offers more room for gear. A pair of full-size PWC on a trailer will weigh about the same as the Scarab, tow as easily and take up the same space.