cyrus77

iTrader: (4)

Can you compare 2000 353 Formula vs 33 Scarab AVS both with 575 SCi. please

Overall handling space etc....

dereknkathy

find one each near you even if out of your price range and check them both out. no replacement for first hand impressions-feel.

MINK

Scarab AVS will be faster, less cockpit room, comparable cabin, handle better.


A 33 AVS with 575s would be a SWEET package!

articfriends

iTrader: (1)

I bought 33 scarab avs, seating sucked so redid seats, gained seating space in cockpit. Cabin seemed adequate when i bought it, after overnighting on it twice canin isnt much better than my 272 baja except couches are longer. As far as speed and handling, boat is a fast hull and drives like a arrow. Never been on 353, i imagine canin is bigger though. Depends what your criteria is. Mine w roght props has ran 85 w stock 500efis

VoodooRob

Very rare pkg in the 353. There are threads on here about what to look for in the older 353s, some hull to deck bonding issues and engine bay liner issues are popping up as the fleet gets older. We had an 05 353 with 525s, ITS, & XRs. The extension boxes really make the boat come alive. We were able to compare on the water 353 boats with same engines, drives, almost the same year and speed difference was over 5MPH. 353s Handle good, I noticed a feeling of sitting on top of the boat versus in the boat if that makes sense. Seating space is done right and the electric footrests really do well in getting the right position. Cabin worked for 2 of us overnighting a few times, had A/C and shore power. What is your ultimate goal? Run it as it is stock, build a fast boat, weekends on the water?

Thunderous

When I went boat shopping earlier this year I had narrowed it down to either a 33 AVS, a 32-35 Fountain or a 353 Formula. Every Fountain I looked at in and around Texas and Oklahoma was ragged out so I just dropped that off the contender list. Among the Scarabs and 353's, my impression from looking at a dozen boats was that the Scarabs just didn't age as well as the Formulas but again, just my impression. Looked at 4 but only rode in one 33 and it handled good, but rattled quite a bit. And it had been stored outside some of its life so it had lots of cosmetic deterioration. When I started looking north (way north) I started finding boats with far fewer hours and in much better shape because of the shorter boating season. I wound up buying a low hour '98 Formula 353 with 525SCs in Wisconsin that has so far been an amazing boat. Its fast, the ride quality is great, its tight, no rattles or vibrations, the fit and finish for a 20 year old boat is amazing. It looks almost new with the exception of some vinyl I am replacing. We have a portable AC unit and cockpit cover so camping is easy and roomy. The cabin seems a bit nicer than the Scarabs I looked at.

I don't get the feeling of being on the boat versus in the boat as just mentioned. I am 6' tall and at floor level still feel I am inside the boat, though looking over the windshield. However, with the nifty Formula motorized step boxes and hefty bolsters I can lower myself down below the floor level and lean back into the bolsters, which are then up around my middle back. Then I am looking through the windshield, steering wheel is at race car level and my feet are probably near waterline. I like the ease of working on and troubleshooting a carb'd engine but if you could find a 353 with 575SCis that would be a bada$$ boat to have IMO.

JRider

iTrader: (1)

The better question might be how many hours on the motors? and what has been done to them? The headgaskets are junk, if they have 250 hours on them they are ready for new ones and the supercharger most likely needs a rebuild.

RGPIII

Fit and finish goes to the formula hands down. speed will go to the scarab.

articfriends

iTrader: (1)

I will also agree my 33 scarab rattles in rough water, my previous boat did not but i couldnt run it as hard, boat had 180 hrs on it when i bought it too, fwiw, smitty

BUP

iTrader: (9)

IMO interior quality on the Scarabs is weak. Seems thin and the foam over time is not comfortable Also IMO the cabin is small - for a 33 boat. Hell a 29 outlaw seemed twice the size for the cabin. But in all fairness I am 6 3 - 235 so a lot seem small.

Also I am not a fan of Genmar products. But I do like the AVS 33 and 38. I do like the Donzi ZR series better than either package here.