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.
This story is from the January/February 2023 edition of Boating.
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This story is from the January/February 2023 edition of Boating.
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AFFORDABLE SATCOM
Communications devices using satellite technology are more abundant today than any time in the past. What's more, many are portable, ultra-compact, affordable relatively and designed for boating, dispelling any perceptions that you need a big, expensive dome antenna aloft to access satellite communications.
IN THE BEGINNING
REPOWERING FOUNTAIN HULL NO.1
NAVICO GROUP FATHOM 2.0
Engine charging at 48 volts could be a game-changer.
PROPS FOR INNOVATION
Sharrow MX3 propellers live up to most of the company's performance-improvement claims.
MERCURY RACING 500R
Supercharged power for a variety of boats.
FLIPPING THE SWITCH
Much reporting focuses on reasons why one might choose electric marine power. The issues of range, speed, noise levels, winterizing and ethanol challenges, lake restrictions, environmental concerns and more all must be resolved on an individual basis. Little gets said about how a boater choosing to repower with electric actually gets that accomplished. Is it DIY? And if not, how does it get done?
TOW-VEHICLE TECH
If it's been a while since you bought new tow vehicle, you might be surprised by the many built-in advancements in trailering technology. New tow tech ranges from integrated weight scales and adaptive suspensions to systems that automatically back up your truck to hitch up your trailer. Here are a few examples to look for. -Jim Hendricks
MONUMENTAL TIPS FOR BACKING A TRAILER
Three Boating greats offer advice for a perennial reader query.
STICKING POINTS - Anchoring alternatives, and why you will always need a traditional anchor.
My brother-in-law likes to fish offshore reefs, and the process once entailed navigating to a mark, dropping a float, and idling upwind or up-current to drop the anchor in hopes the set would drop us back to the float.
FOR WANT OF A CLAMP
When 100 miles from shore, home and help, this boater’s preparedness prevented potential catastrophe.
