KAAMA Scarab scale model
 

Hi guys. I'm a model builder and former boater. I use to watch the Benihana Grad Prix in the 70's and 80's when it was called that. Needless to say I like the classic boats. I am building a 45" model of Betty Cook's KAAMA from a Dumas hull. I believe the hull I have is an S class Scarab and that is not what her boat was. I'm trying to make the model resemble her boat as close as possible. The model will be FE and I think it will run 50+mph. I have pictures of where I am in the build now, trying to find if I can attach or upload pics on this forum.

I'm hoping I can get some advice or pictures on the cockpit area and dashboard of these boats to give me an idea what to do on the model.

Here is where I am at so far. Like I said, this is a work in progress. Cannot be much more classic than this boat. I'll look around at other threads on this forum, if anyone can provide dash or cockpit pictures, it would be much appreciated. If you have any questions, would be happy to answer them.

Have not removed the paper from the windshield yet. Working on the engine covers, drivers and a bunch other stuff.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0076.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0077.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0078.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0079.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0080.jpg

Love the FE r/c boats. Get it done then you can build me one. Looks awesome!

This is so cool build me a model of my boat! Great work!!!

Ken............Where practicly neigbors!..........You really ought to make a scale model of a 27' Mag sport:drool1:........should be a beauty when done........good luck!

Very cool.

Contact Dumas boats, they still had some interior parts in stock also handrails and small hatch for bow

Thanks for the compliments guys! Hey scippy, you are the next town over from me, not often you run into someone online that is nearby. I did have the stock Dumas cockpit Bugsy, and I still have all the other Dumas parts. Someone in Canada wanted the Dumas cockpit so I sent it to him. The Dumas version of the boat was a pleasure boat so those parts are not what I need or want. I already started on the new cockpit-hatch as can be seen in the pictures.

Just need to see some decent pictures to give me a good idea how to setup the dash console. If nobody has an dashboard shots I'll have to keep looking online, or find a local marina that has a boat I can check out.

Here's a video of this boat running in September before I started painting it. The runs from right to left are wide open.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-PdL8-nNBo

Here's what you need. Good luck, looks great but should really have a straight screen....

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Betty had two boats with that name. The first boat was a 36 foot Cigarette that used to be Dante's Inferno.

The second boat, was a Larry Smith Scarab that 38 feet long. If you contact Archer Marine out in Costa Mesa Calif, they should have the early drawings of the Scarab.

As noted by someone else, the windscreen is flat not pointed. The hatches come up to the back of the bolster almost, there was not much room behind the bolster as shown in your model.

Betty was the one on the starboard side of the boat, the right side looking forward, John Conners was in the middle and whatever navigator she was using for the specific race was on the port side.

In the photos the color looks red, but was actually international orange. When photographed, it turned out to look as you see it...red.

The walkways on the deck beyond the cockpit did not have that turnout, but ran straight all the way back to the end of the deck.

Good luck with the project. More photos of Betty on HORBA www.historicraceboats.com

I have a picture of the cockpit dash area from the 1978 Scarab.PM me your e mail & will send it.

Rich

Thanks Top Banana. Exactly what you noticed about the windshield and the walkway on the side is what is wrong with this hull from Dumas that I have. From what I found out, I think the hull I have is from an S class Scarab which is a different model boat altogether. Dumas did make a larger boat which more exactly resembles the 38 foot boat, but it's not made anymore and hard to come by. Soooo..... all I can do is make mine close. I though the photos of the day would have changed the color some. I did see the photos on HORBA. Been searching and searching for whatever photos I can come up. Was the Top Banana boat yours?

Have to get in touch with sbracing as he said he has some pics of the dashboard area.

There may be more KAAMA photos on my banana boat co website. www.bananaboatco.com. Yes, the Top Banana was my race boat. Same name for my 24 footer and my 38 footer. If you run into a dead end, I have John Conners contact info. He may have some close up photos of the dash area.

I'll have to look through my photos. I have lots of Benihana pics when the boats were running from Point Pleasant. I have about 20 scanned, I'll put them on Photobucket and post them here. I would go out in my 19 footer and watch the boats pass by off of Belmar. And check the boats out at the old Kings Grant Inn or down in Pt Pleasant.

Besides the dash, you now have me sidetracked on the red color. Hope you don't mind helping out. I started with red since that's what the old photos looked like. Here I have the red sprayed on a white base and a red sprayed on a black base. Gives different results. Everyone I ask says use the red on white base.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0101.jpg

But I have this can of Krylon safety orange. Any of these close to the color it should be?

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0102.jpg

Got some more painting done. I cannot attached pictures so Photobucket will have to do.

Another thing wrong with this boat is the bow deck, I removed the hatches but left this raised section alone.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_2266.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0081.jpg

Here you can see the vinyl mask I used for the bow design. Removing the simulated hatch made it easier to apply this mask.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0092.jpg

And painted, except for the red or orange heart near the bow. Have to get that red or orange color somewhat close!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0104.jpg

And the Scarab graphic. Still have to wet sand the graphics out to clean up the edges.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0100.jpg

Here are a couple 55" Dumas Scarab's for sale

http://stlouis.craigslist.org/tag/4787780351.html

http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/for/4774094158.html (this guy wont ship, but Im sure a good brother from OSO would pick it up and ship it to you)

http://nh.craigslist.org/tag/4808647307.html

That second one is a half hour from me, jerseyhore, Long Branch. That hull is 55"" and too big for me to transport, won't fit in my car. The hull I have was given to me and is only 45", much better to handle. Thanks for looking them up.

Ken

The actual color was Orange. I had a friend who was a Formula 1 driver back in the 70's for McLaren and they had the same problem with the colors for the sponsor...Marlboro. If you look at a pack of cigarettes from Marlboro the color is obviously red, but the photographs would make the color look maroon. Their solution was to use International Orange to paint the cars. When the photos were developed the color matched the boxes of cigarettes perfectly.

That was not the case with Betty. Her colors were orange and black and white. Her uniforms, truck, bolster, logos, and artwork had orange in them. On my website there is a section on Media, look in there and scroll down. We had an article written about us by Sports Illustrated, Betty and me when we raced in Miami one year. After that race we were tied for first place in points. There is an overhead shot of her boat so you can see that the bright orange helmets and lifejackets match perfectly the bolster, hatches and deck design....all orange.

Also look in the photo section here on Offshore Only, by Lucidee. She is a big Betty fan and has a lot of photos that might be helpful to you.

On the HORBA site go to Shop Online section and open it. We used a real design from Betty when we made those shirts ...........as you can clearly see in the colors there the liberal use of orange.

I sent PM to Lucidee. That overhead shot on your website really shows the difference between the real boat and my model. I agree the colors are all the same. I can get spray enamel that is international orange. You have me going on the right path! Thank you!

Between what Rich sent me and what Lucidee has on her site I'm good with the dashboard. Just need to get this orange color correct.

Safety orange and international orange seem close.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_orange

Ken, it is so ironic that we were communicating about Betty yesterday, December 23rd.

It was the 24th anniversary of her death in 1990 at age 67. RIP. She would be 91 if she were still alive today.

There is a photo of Betty and me sitting together after the Bacardi race in Miami. It is on Lucidee's site and it very clearly shows Betty in her orange racing suit.

Anything else that I can help you with, please feel free to ask.

Once again, good luck with your project, it should be very good.

Thanks Brian. I was in touch with Mike who built that model. He's in Florida and an avid boater and modeler. He sold that model.

Ken,
Absolutely LOVE the "Old School" pictures. I sat on the deck of Night Moves 144 at the 1978 at the Benihana Grand Prix with Bill Elswick and watched the US Air Force Thunderbirds perform. I had forgotten all about that until I saw your post. Please keep them coming. Your KAAMA boat looks awesome too.
John

Nice to reminisce about old days John. Glad you enjoyed the pics.

I have this safety orange, not international orange, it's close I think. Any opinions?

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...p/DSC_0110.jpg

Ken put that color up against an orange race helmet and if it is close.... go with it.

Or better yet, find an awlgrip paint chart and match it to international orange on that and see how close you are.

WOW great project and great history of these amazing boats. Charlie is a wealth of info..listen well. If you are looking for scarab r/c molds (not cig) pm me I may be able to help...

While doing some more research on KAAMA, came across these links that were helpful to me. Just posting them here for safe keeping.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/c...ok-scarab.html

Picture, Betty & boat
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/a...034-small-.jpg

Betty Cook at Lucididee Fast Boats
http://www.lucidideefastboats.com/myidol.html

Picture, KAAMA cat
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/a...b-flapjack.jpg

[ATTACH=CONFIG]535125[/ATTACH]Ken_NJ. I would like to help if I can. This is a picture of my Dumas KV38 Scarbb popped out the mold 10/7/86 built as the Miami Vice boat. It's 55" long. If you have the 45" long S type that's a rep of a 30' . I have seen a few KV38s for sale a looked today but found none. I will keep looking if you would like this hull. I'm 55 years old an spent my time at the races from the early 80s up to today. Love your project. Artie

Dash[ATTACH=CONFIG]535126[/ATTACH]

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]535133[/ATTACH]I'm sorry it's dirty.

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If I can help let me know. Artie

Thanks Artie. There are a few of those someone else found on CL, link below. One Dumas 38KV is for sale only 30 minutes from me in Long Branch. But, I was given this S type by a friend and it fits in my car at 45". The 55" one would not. I just turned 56 and I'm leaning towards building models smaller as to big tends to be a pain in the ass now. I really wish I could have gone and built it exactly like Betty's boat, but mine will be as close as I can get it. Only people that know the differences will know it's not the same. :)

I've seen a few built like the Miami Vice boat, yours looks good. Been around a while.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/c...ml#post4239282

God Bless Brother. Let me know if I can help. Artie

The boat runs 67mph with a 15cc at 27000rpms an6.2 hp streaght drive. Love this old boat.

What Wellcraft model was Betty's KAAMA setup from?

Betty's boat was not based on a Wellcraft model It was a Larry Smith 38 race Scarab