jafo

I am looking at 30' Scarab Sports (probably a little bit older one) with twin 200's or better for using at our new property up in the North Channel area of Lake Huron as a recreational/performance and fishing boat. This area can get extremely rough at times, with little or no warning.
Anyone have any experience with these boats; good or bad, and how they would handle Great Lakes water?
Any other suggestions? There are a host of them on boattrader for 35K or less, which is about what I want to spend (less being better, of course!)
Jim

LEOPAJM

Jim ... They work real well for what they are. It's not the toughest, fastest or best riding boat in it's class but it does all the things you need it to do. We have a '98 with 250's and have had it on Erie for a couple seasons. Rides nice and steady in the typical slop Erie will throw at you. Make's a pretty good family play boat . It's in Fort Myers now ........ They lack that new style stand up head everyone's got now but other than that you'll love it !!!!

JM

Tague

I got a scarab 302 1990 with twin 1996 250efi merc. arch. cover,
the boat is mint
give me a call
my name is Tague
954-524-7500

florida gator

A good friend has one. It fishes great. His is 26'. Runs excellent in a chop. Rocks alot when sitting though.

Chris288

Hotboat has an 89 I think, 28 scarab, and that thing cuts throught the waves like a knife. I was very impressed.

buckknekkid

I fished mine way out in the gulfstream in all sorts of seas. Filled it full of water and fish. washed it down and went out again. Not too speedy with twin 225's but good all around boat. Incidently the head is over the side.

RM2

I've got a 31' Scorpion open fish, similar in design I think w/ CR 200's. Handles Mid-Atlantic coastal seas OK.

chuckbeecher

Try looking at a Scarab Super Sport...it was 34ft. some had ib/ob..but most had outboards...neat boat and large and workable ...built late 80's thru early 90's.

DEVIL MAN

Had a brand new 86...kept it for three years...put 1400 hours on it running in the Pacific. Beat the living crap out of it!!!! It was at idle or full throttle, no in between! 225 Evinrudes!!! Loved the boat!!! Ran nice and took a mighty fine beating!!!

DMan...

jafo

Thanks for all the great responses! Sounds like this is/was a pretty popular performance/utility boat amongst the go-fast crowd. We just can't see ourselves buying some 'regular' kind of fish boat for our new place in Canada- needs to have some kind of pizzazz to it, right?
The prices seem to be in the ballpark of what we want to spend as well. I think we will limit our search to the 30' version- even if the cuddy weren't to be used, it's a great place to stow stuff, and I won't have to build an enormous barn to store it.
What about T-tops vs. Arches vs. Biminis? Which is the most functional, and why?

Keep the comments coming!
Jim