Offshoreonly.com - Scarab to build new line of "performance boat"

What has this world come to. 1st Donzi, Fountain, & Baja all under the same roof building boats that are far from thier namesake, now this too??

Rec Boat Holdings, builder of the Four Winns, Glastron and Wellcraft brands, today announced its entry into the jetboat segment, relaunching the Scarab brand as a jetboat line and adding two new jet models in the Glastron line.

The new boats from Rec Holdings are scheduled to roll out as soon as this summer. A long-term supply agreement with BRP's Marine Propulsion Systems division enables the company to power the new boats with its quality Rotax 4-TEC 1503 jet propulsion system.

“The Scarab launch and entrance into the jet segment is the next evolution for the company and is part of the overall business plan of expansion and investment in the marine segment,” Rec Boat Holdings president Roch Lambert said in a statement.

Since the acquisition by Platinum Equity three years ago, Rec Boat Holdings has invested heavily in new product development to bring the boat companies back to today's market with all-new designs from bow to stern. At its dealer meeting last August, the company introduced all-new product lines for Four Winns and Glastron, displaying more than 40 new models. The company has recently introduced new interior packages on many Wellcraft models as the brand begins the same return to the marketplace.

“The Scarab name carries a tremendous amount of brand equity," Lambert said in a statement. “A segment of the marine market that has been previously occupied by a limited number of jetboat makers will now open up with a high-profile brand from a builder with expertise in boat manufacturing and jet propulsion."

The new line of Scarab jet-powered boats will be a competitor in the fiberglass runabout category. The company plans to recruit high-performing dealers in key markets around the world that will grow the business with a new brand product in the segment.

In addition to the new line of Scarab models, the company will introduce two new jetboats for Glastron. The new Glastron models will be powered by the Rotax marine engines, as well, and are designed to fit within the all-new GT series of boats.

The company is the second boatbuilder this week to announce that it is entering the jetboat market, coming just days after Chaparral announced its decision to break into the segment.