You mean MV editions..I´d say 50 and then the Real TV boats which was I think 4..some say 6 but 4 is verified.
I´ve heard of a plan of a limited run of 100 examples which apparently got halved...Considering still as almost identical boats 50 is quite a lot for a 4 year timespan (1986-1989).

Ok guys…keep in mind this is an observation based on detail and some personal experience.

How many show boats or Vice Ltds…hang on, this might get a little long.
That answer can get kind of sketchy depending on who you talk to. Back in the day, Mike J worked for Wellcraft and was a boat handler for Vice and Bay Watch. A few years ago he told me that there were 5 or 6 used for the show. That number has always made sense as far as the differences you can pick out in detail on the boats in the show footage. The first glimpse of the Kv in "Prodigal Son" the arch has vertical stripes instead of the three color fade. This is also the version you see in some of the Wellcraft ads along with a narrow Black stripe around the gun whale, down the deck rail and wood cabin doors. The ad boat has the stripe on the side that drops off mid hull like the show boat. In the episode “Payback” there was actually three different boats used in the scenes with Frank Zappa…Jim’s camera boat was used for rear facing cockpit scenes. Jim’s boat has a one piece engine hatch that tips back (hinges at back of hatch) with no rails between the intakes. (They only had rails if the hatches were two pieces and opened butterfly style). If the one piece was manual it had a small chrome handle front center for lifting the hatch…no handle if it was an electric lift. Jim’s also has the Orchid stripe around the gun whale and down the deck rail. In other scenes from “Payback” the boat has rails between the intakes and piano hinges on both sides of the hatches (butterfly style) with Orchid gun whale / deck stripes. In another scene it still has butterfly hatches, but with Black gun whale / deck stripes. In another episode the boat has a one piece engine hatch like Jim’s camera boat, but with Black cock pit and deck stripes. (possibly the ad boat with the arch repainted…or maybe Jim’s was the ad boat with the arch and gun whale / deck stripes repainted) All the above boats can be seen with Kiekhaefer manual trim indicators in the dash above the drive and trim buttons…but later in the season one quick cockpit view exposes a boat with no indicators in the dash. That brings the total to six possible boats (or five if either of the tilt back hatch boats did double duty) for the first season of the Kv …season two for the show. In the later years when they went to the slight color change and lights on the arch there were at least three different boats. One with race hatches, one with a padded hatch and arch and one with padded hatch and no arch.
As for the Limited Edition boats, they didn’t just pop’m out with a set number like they do cars. These were built on demand based off orders…you had to special order the Miami Vice paint treatment. When we received a copy of the build sheet on our boat it stated the order for a Scarab Kv optioned with Miami Vice paint treatment, radar arch and race hatches. Build date February 86, released for delivery March 86.
When we purchased our boat in 99 we were told there had been 42 Ltd boats built. All though this was second hand information, I believe this is pretty accurate. Due to the high profile public exposure the previous owners were going to endure with the boat, Gordon Houser and Wellcraft were directly involved with the renovations and updates the boat received and the person who was in charge of the project told me the number built…ok…you in the back row…WAKE UP!!

Awesome info!

Hey Randy...got writers cramp for the effort :o

But you still get an "A"
 

good job, thanks!

Jim

To those that have the info,

Can we compile a list of episoides that have the boat as a main part/feature? I mean there are 5 seasons (KV wasnt in the first season though), and many episoides to sit through. I was thinking this might be a good idea for those who watch the show for the boating action, as Im sure there are people out there who do that.

COOL!! but now I've got contortionist cramp. Spent most of the day upside down, side ways and balled up in my engine compartment.
Wayne

You get a gimpse of it in Prodigal Son Pretty good action in Payback and Out where the buses don't run and some more in Yankee Dollar ...it's a start
Wayne

To add.....(I watched most of these on my laptop in a dark 767 cockpit over the Atlantic in the middle of the night)

KILLSHOT (the opening is KICK ASS)
GODS WORK
MISSING HOURS
LIKE A HURRICANE
EL VELIJO (spelling?)
BASEBALLS OF DEATH

Hey Randy...glad you verified it was Vice shows you were watch'n in a dark cockpit:cool: