New member asking questions

[merkfalc]

New member seriously considering getting a scarab, but needing advice. I've always loved them but I don't know much about them. Any advice out there. The one I'm looking at is located in Arlington @ http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/boa/1612323310.html. I talked to the guy and it seemed like a decent boat. How much maintenance is involved in a boat like this? I'm not looking at doing any racing, at least not for awhile. Any thoughts opinions? thanks, David

[silverstang84]

looks like a decent boat to me. make sure to look for the obvious when you go look at it. that seems like alot of boat for 11k. If those are trs drives, i would put bravos in it. and i would also get rid of the name. every boat requires a bunch of maintenance, add 2 engines, thats even more. i love boats and you'll never see me without one, so in the end..... any scarab is a good scarab.

[Rookie]

You need to look for rot, check the stringers. At that age I am assuming there probably is moisture in it, but make sure that it is not full blown rotted out stringers and transom. The quick hammer test. If it is true that that it has fresh rebuilds and no rot it's a decent price. But remember you are still buying a ~30 year old boat.

If those are trs drives, i would put bravos in it.

why?

Put a weaker drive on a ~30 year old boat that has mild power.
And spend nearly another 8-10K on an $11000 boat.

[tcma66]

HEHE, i remember that boat. I was at that shop this summer picking up my Scarab and testing at the lake accross from the shop. When I looked in the boat it looked like it was in rough shape. I admit I did not look to closely just quick glance.

[88scarab]

pretty nice scarab jus check for rot and transom rot also ditch the name and i would keep the trs drives. just check them over and keep good lube in them

[tcma66]

I have to admit if it is the same guy(s) that worked on my boat, they(he) are straight shooters.

[Rookie]

I have to admit if it is the same guy(s) that worked on my boat, they(he) are straight shooters.

Thats a refreshing thing to hear in the boating community.

[wjb21ndtown]

I'll post some maintenance numbers and people can add to them if I've left anything out.

The TRS drive lube should be changed every 30 running hours. The drive lube is pretty expensive (about $12 - 16 per quart depending on what you use), and each TRS drive takes 4 quarts (well.. 3+ and you waste a bunch, no matter how meticulous you are!). ($120)

I change my oil at least once a year, but I'm in a cold climate in the winter. Someone else can chime in and tell you how they handle oil changes in warm climates. If I get over 25 hours or so by mid July I do a mid-season oil change as well. I use Mobile 1 full synthetic, and I change my filters once a season. I like Purolator filters much more than Frams, but that's just me (if you want to do a test blow $20, buy one of each, and cut them in 1/2... I think you'll use Purolators after that too). ($100)

I spend about 20 hours at the beginning of every season polishing the boat with a wheel and waxing the bottom of the hull every season. I go through two pads on the wheel and about 3 bottles of polish and one bottle of wax. All in all doing it myself I spend about $50. ($50)

I check my tim fluid, p/s fluid, and tab fluid, but I don't change it. I've never had a problem with tabs or trim cylinders.

You probably won't have to winterize, but if you do I find I spend around $60 a motor winterizing (anti-freeze, fogging oil, stabilize).

I spend around $300 getting my boat into the water at the beginning of the season, but after that it really is MOSTLY maintenance free. I keep my boat in rack storage so I don't get much gunk on the bottom, and what little I do get washes right off due to waxing it properly at the beginning of the season. Those TRS drives will last forever if you take care of them right. Do yourself a favor, keep tabs on how sloppy they are near the housing (grab the drive and try to move it at the housing (not at the tail) up and down and left and right. If it is sloppy replace the gimbel bearing. It's an $80 part, it's not that hard to do, it's not that expensive to pay someone to do, and TRS housings cost an arm and a leg these days. If you screw one up then your better off switching drives IMO. That said, I would leave the TRS setup on the boat until you blow a drive. If you maintain them properly they'll last forever if you're not beating the snot out of them.

It might seem like a lot of work/money, but you can't think of it that way. It's a lot like having affection towards a woman... You have to literally love it to make any sort of sense out of undertaking the task. I can't break down (well I can, but I get sick) how much money it costs me to take my boat out per outing after dock fees, gas, maintenance, etc... I just open the wallet and deal with it, because I absolutely love being out on the lake.

[boatme]

I think the name on the boat would stear me away LOL