33 vs. 38 vs 40+
 

I just bought a 1999 Scarab AVS33, I have a slip out in Lake Mead, NV. I have totally fallen in love with how well this thing absolutely crushes big confused waves. Lake Mead is a pretty rough lake and can, (CAN) see swells as high at 10' , on a typical windy day 2-5' is pretty common, this thing doesn't have a problem with that at all. The only complaint I have is this boat is dated, it needs interior, paint, stereo, gps, etc. before dumping a ton of money into this boat, would a 38AVS, 43 Thunder, be a better build? Is there significantly a much better ride with the bigger boats? Because honestly this boat is incredible I can't imagine a bigger boat being that much better? But this is why Im asking - because I dont know. Thanks guys.

10 foot waves in lake mead ? Lol ...

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...740cf97d32.jpg

Yea 10' swells are a thing out here. Wave might have been the wrong word.

Get a boat that does well based on how you use it. If 33ft works fine then stay there, I think 28-33 is a good length for fast lake boat. A 38-40ft boat might be a bit boring to drive and are better for ocean boating in my opinion. I enjoyed a 28ft boat on a decent size lake, big enough to still enjoy on windy days, and small enough to make your but pucker on a windy day.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...1a99984e21.jpg
These are 10ft waves. If you are out in these in anything besides a 900ft freighter you're nuts!

I’ve never seen that lighthouse on LOTO. What MM/arm is it at? :evilb:

It looks as though those are 10' at shore break, which would be insane. Lake Mead during high winds will have 10' swells in the middle of the lake... if you would like I can grab historical data from the weather stations on the lake to support this. Heres a quick google reference... https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/news/monsoon-rescues.htm

5’ dne 10’

:lolhit:

Stop busting his balls and let him talk about his new boat. Post some pictures of your new ride.

its says 8' swells not 5'

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e7be75a86.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...962865a12.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...d3cba9869.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...51798df28.jpeg

can't go wrong with. 38 scarab there good boats . And if 2-5 foot waves was common I'd opt for a larger boat . 5 feet doesn't sound like much of a difference in boat length but it is .

"around 3:45 p.m. and created 5-foot waves and reports of 8-foot swells"

Love the AVS’s.

Dude don’t pay these ass hats any mind. That’s a fine ride you got there. I say keep it and refurb what you want on it.

yeah ! cause the next one won't be perfect either and you will find things to do and upgrade on the next one too so... :)

5mm - Isla de Sol :lolhit:

10’ swells. Hahaha

Nice Boat and we should link up. My buddy Sean and I run his 292 sr1 & 22 Scarab at Mead and my 336 sr1 is up here at tahoe.

To the people doubting, Mead gets 10' swells in high winds. have been out on it in mellow winds with 3-5 footers that can suck on a small boat and on a jet ski... well they are fun if you are a rider lol. Here on Tahoe 12' in the middle is normal for no reason, with our storm sets, boats sink regularly. I have made crossings in my old 315 that were **** your pants scary at any speed. I have to chuckle at ocean guys who think lakes are no big deal.

I’m down! Ya a lot of these guys are totally
clueless As to what the lakes look like on high wind days.
One of the first days I took the AVS out there was 40/45mph gusts and wv height was 6’ waves
the AVS didn’t have any problem at all.

A 33 AVS is a great boat and will handle decent sized water very well. That being said, 5-6' swells spaced far apart and rolling the same direction are easily manageable when going the correct speed and timing them correctly. Now a 3-5' washing machine is an entirely different story. The videos below are from when a storm rolled in the end the Shootout in 2012 and I stuffed my AT twice. This past weekend at LOTO was even WORSE than these videos. Not as crowded of water but consistently bigger and from all directions. Most torn up water I have ever been on.

A 42 Fountain and 50 Scarab Meteor at LOTO and there might be some 6's in there if you count the holes between them A 41 Legend(Apache bottom) the same day A 35 ish Fountain

Griff Thanks for sharing. That last video of the 35ish Fountain looked like he was struggling pretty bad on that wake...

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5c91bb58a.jpeg
38’ fountain in real 4-5’s as recorded by the wave buoy’s No one is running a 33’ boat at speed in 4’+. An Sl 50 and Sv 52 weren’t going over 40 on this day

That looked very similar to a windy day at Mead, great video! That fountain must be underpowered or having problems or the driver was a scared bear.

My 33AVS will absolutely, without a doubt run at speed in 3-5’ (wave buoy certified). I’ve done it, multiple times. With multiple people witness. I’ve gone out on days when jet skiers were saying don’t go out it’s bad. I’ll record it next windy day. Im not bragging, I’m just saying that a 33AVS will have absolutely no problem with 3-5’ ers - this is fact.

Honestly the waves aren’t the difficult part, the wind pushing against the bow and having to counter steer into the wind Is more difficult than the waves believe it or not. I’ve been out on days that the wind sheer would blow so hard that the counter steering into the wind makes the boat ride sideways but it still goes fine jumping and cutting through the water. I’ve got no ego. I’m not making this up, for internet friends.

I’m sure the guys that don’t believe it will flame away. But this is truth. Here’s the best part, I don’t even know how to Properly work my trim tabs or my engine trim- I just put the boat in the water make sure both engines are all the way “in” and go. I don’t do the on/off throttle thing either I literally just put the boat in the water make sure both engines are “in” and tell everyone to hang on.

next windy day I’ll screen shot all data off sbbn2 Buoy and grab my GoPro 5 and head for temple bar from lake mead marina - cheers!
( https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_realtime.php?station=sbbn2 )

I'm learning that the 33 AVS is a very underrated hull.

must be...

Op, good luck. Don’t get hurt.

When you can`t see the boat from shore because the waves are higher than the boat , I consider those 4-6'. I have a problem getting on plane in those let alone be at anything more than 40 mph speed , I guess I should trade this Flat Deck in for a 33 AVS anything more more than 4-6' Im staying at port :D

THIS!

I have been in real 5-6 foot swells on Lake Michigan that were spaced a LONG way apart. We ran 40-50 mph flying off each swell with plenty of time to land, adjust and accelerate into the next one. And this was in a tiny boat.

I have also been on Lake Michigan in 2-3 footers that rattled fillings loose when it was a washing machine.

Those lake pics look like what the National weather service calls 2’ in the Gulf of Mexico.
True 3-5’s are doable but will kick your ass.

Keep them coming guys. I’m having a blast watching these videos. I can’t wait to get my boat back together and on the water.

Unlimited jd that Fountain looks like it’s in for a hard landing...

The last video of the fountain is crazy. In all my times on Lake Erie I have never experienced a cruiser wake that big, The closest would be a large ferry boat wake but, that is even a stretch.. Thats just crazy........... They must be running barely on plane...

You must have read my mind. I was thinking the same thing.

I think you should stay off of Lake Mead :D

I think the Fountain had just barely gotten on plain and then got caught in the trough between the cruiser wakes.

6-8 ish swells I'd guess

Rewatching that video of the 35ish Fountain struggling. It looks like he’s having engine trouble or way over propped for the condition. He just could not get over that wake of the cruiser. He had to have been having problems.

That fountain video... damn! thanks for sharing those Griff

Ya you prob should... or just stay on the gas. lol. then again I dont even know how to work my trim tabs. Dont listen to me.