opinions needed on this boat

scarabnewbie · 06-25-2008, 07:45 AM

Hi all, unfortunately my Scarab has been stolen. Man am I pissed. This leads me to have to look at other boats, as the cops said it's unlikely they'll find it. Crap! Anyway, give me your opinions on the boat in the link below. I put a deposit on it, and we negotiated a final price of $25.5k. They have it on their showroom for $49k, and the reserve was $37.5k, but I think the reality of stupid gas prices has really hurt the boat market. I haven't seen it yet, as it's in PA, and I'm in CA. I'm going to have the seller make me a video, and send it to me.

Check it out, and let me know what you guys think, the good and the bad. If the link doesn't work, the ebay item number is 320264626067. Thanks!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEDW:IT&ih=011

butch ryan · 06-25-2008, 10:00 AM

great boat as long as you can get parts for the kaama's

Chris Sunkin · 06-25-2008, 11:46 AM

Kaama's kill the value. The speed quote they have is probably close to 20 MPH too high. The boat should run a solid low-70's. That's one heavily built, solid boat. If you do choose to go through with it, have it professionally surveyed with special attention to the stringers & transom. If it needs $10 grand worth of rot-abatement, it's not a deal.

Overall, the boat looks clean and original. At the same time, original means either alot of years of sitting or of use- I don't know which is preferable but neither is great. Plan on spending some bucks "somewhere". I wish I could tell you where, but it could be anything.

P.S. On the Kaama's- if you have a wife & kids who will be swimming from the transom- pass on this boat. It's not worth the aggravation and the injuries. Wives & kids who hate or are afraid of your boat make boat ownership difficult at best.

ThirdBird · 06-25-2008, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Sunkin

P.S. On the Kaama's- if you have a wife & kids who will be swimming from the transom- pass on this boat. It's not worth the aggravation and the injuries. Wives & kids who hate or are afraid of your boat make boat ownership difficult at best.

Very good advice right there!! However, the package does look nice, you may have a real find for that money.

PJDiesel · 06-25-2008, 12:24 PM

I've sold a few boats on EBay here in the last two years. I know sometimes putting things on EBay is viewed as a final act of desperation (although I don't agree).

Honestly, in THIS market, I wouldn't be willing to pay much over what the bids keep hitting at auction. I know that is probably not what you want to hear, but.....

Ebay is HUGE audience, maybe not the most informed buyers, but 1200 of them did take a peek. 23 year old boat They can put it in the showroom for $149K, that wouldn't make a difference to me.

BOATMAN302 · 06-25-2008, 12:57 PM

Speed sounds like its wrong. Mine runs 89.9 on gps and the engines were dynoed at 595 and 615 with 4 lbs of boost. I think they are stretching that a bit. As far as the swimming around the props go, any and all props are unforgiving when swimming around them. Surface piercing props definately come to a point, and on the kaamas they are close to the surface so swimmers can see them. Parts are available and are much less expensive than the all mighty mercury stuff. You dont have to worry about breaking a drive with that kind of HP, if thats actually what it has in it. The exhaust looks like original kaama 3 inch exhaust which was made by hardin marine. I would think it would be a little restrictive. As far as the price goes, it is a boat and sometimes free is too much. My 2 cents. good luck!!!!!!!!!!1

Chris Sunkin · 06-25-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOATMAN302

it is a boat and sometimes free is too much.

I'm gonna' write that one down and put it in my hat.

senzaspectre · 06-25-2008, 04:08 PM

What did your Scarab look like? You never know? somemone my have seen it?

scarabnewbie · 07-01-2008, 12:04 AM

Thanks for all of the info. I'm having a survey done on the boat this week, and I'll probably pick it up. If what they are telling me is true, it's extremely clean, and extremely well done.

As far as the scarab goes, it was a 1978 30'. White with red trim, 454's, Edelbrock heads, TRS drives, and an aluminum tandem axle trailer. CF4531TZ is the registration number. The Sheriff that took the report told me that if there was no plate on the trailer (which there wasn't), they'd probably never find it. I guess if you get pulled over on the road, they only run the trailer, or truck, and never the boat. It sucks, but I guess it's how it goes. Hopefully the insurance won't give me too much grief.

Anyway, I love the Formula, and hope the deal goes well.

scarabnewbie · 07-02-2008, 08:18 PM

OK, the survey results are in on the Formula. Transom and stringers are 100% OK. all in all, the boat is visually excellent. Both engines were built by Lingenfelter, and have sequential serial #'s, BUT, BUT.......one is a Mark IV block, the other is a Mark V block. WTF? Surveyor said they seem to run excellent, good oil pressure, etc. One has some valve train noise on one bank, he feels it needs adjustment. The other issue is a noise from one tranny in reverse, surveyor feels the cable needs adjustment, but couldn't say for sure that is the problem. No noises in neutral or forward. Also, the keel has worn through the gel into the glass, from beaching it many times. Hmmmm, what to do?