New Owner - 38ft Scarab - Help me out guys
 

I need to know all about a Scarab I bought 2 months ago. I was told this is a Scarab III Excel - WELP666G091 - (38S). Bravo 1 drives - 502 magnum EFI's - Hours: Stbd 740 Port 593 by meter - raw water cooling - Gil stainless risers. I intend to launch this boat in salt water only and have read about the split cooling systems that are suggested. This is my first Scarab and I have been gleaning all the info I can from on-line. If any of you guys can throw in warnings and critical areas I need to focus on I would really appreciate it. I bought this boat in Marina Del Rey, Cali and have transported to my home in Houston. I am refreshing the power and want to make it ready for shipment to Southeast Asia in a few months. I had my mechanics pull the 2 engines and rebuild them due to one being trashed with broken rods and pieces all inside the block - the second was bcoz I figured if I build one the other needs it as well. The machinist is almost finished with the engines and it will take my mechanic a bit more time to reassemble them. I WILL LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OTHER WORK I NEED TO DO WHILE THE ENGINES ARE OUT - WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE ENGINES OUT - OR IF THEY NEED TO BE IN - ETC.... The area I am shipping to does not have the level of experienced mechanics and parts availability as we do in the USA. I will like to glean any and all info you guys can throw at me - I have many areas to focus on. One area I need info for is good boat mechanics in the Houston and surrounding areas. The other is having the drives checked and not getting everyone to tell me rebuild - rebuild - rebuild. I have worked in the marine industry quite a few years - having performed mechanical work and have worked on ship engines - cooling systems - large steering gear systems - so i have marine experience enough to know a little about a few areas and terminology. Thanks to any of you guys that can throw some topics my way.

no such thing as a 38' Scarab III. I think you have an 38' Scarab Excel

Leave the boat in the U.S. and do not take it where you are going ..... Taking a boat like that over there is like throwing a bucket of chum to the sharks!!!!! unless you have your own personal army and three or four rabid dogs to guard it ,the boat will be gone in a week or less.....


Jim

Is your uncle some kind of Warlord over there where your brave enough to take it ??????

Scarab III were 34' long

Good group of Texan boaters.
 

Sawatdee khrap.
Jimi, I would suggest that You send a personal message to Jeff; http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/m...ff1000man.html
I don't know him personallly, but read quite a few of his and his Texan boating friends threads and they seem to be a very active and knowledgable group of guys. Unfortunately You are not in California 'cause here I have a very good idea of who to get good advice or services from. Glad to hear that You are taking the step and sending a larger high performance boat back to Thailand Jimi. Would look forward to get some feedback once You got the boat over there as far as the powerboat community in Phuket etc. My recent wife is Thai, so within a year or two I'll be following Your example and send a boat over there.

Regards, Lars.

Thanks Lars
 

Thanks Lars

No customs fees - only 7% VAT - this is due to no boating industry in Thailand. I could make 100% profit if I sell it there - the value will be 2 times what I will have into it with boat costs and shipping combined. Until I get another boat shipped into Thailand I will keep this one. I do intend tio buy more and ship there the next couple of years. Nice to have free toys and its not a bad investment to have some time with the boat and then sell it at a large profit. Keep in touch - I will be glad to hook up with you when you are visiting - I will be launching the boat in both the Andaman sea side in Phuket and the gulf side as well. I currently live in Pattaya. I will be diving from this boat - not the best to dive from but it will make short time of the runs to and from the islands.

Thanks 3DMC
 

Thanks for that info 3DMC - yes it is a 38 Excel - like I said - this is my first Scarab - I hope to find more - I really like the boats I have seen while looking for this one. The man I bought it from was playing the middle man between me and what I believe may have been a bereaved widow with this boat.

He did not have a lot of info and I think he quoted a few things he must have taken from other sources. The marine surveyor I hired did say it was an Excel and it had one bad engine. I am trying to get the work done during the engine removal for anything while the engines are out.

The idea to have fresh power due to the one bad engine was my motivation to buy this Scarab at what I think was very good savings comparing others I looked at.

Any info you can throw at me for repairs I can do while the engines are out and allowing for easy access issues would be appreciated. I am learning something new about this boat daily - this was a large undertaking for me without prior knowledge of these boats.

Gotta play where I stay Cigboat
 

Thanks for the advice Cigboat - I got to play where I stay is my theme for some time to come - and I intend to have a lotta fun cruising the islands with this boat - its going to be locked up with guard dogs and live in security unless I am offshore in it.

No warlords in my family - but I have a met a few since traveling around SE Asia - lol

Thanks boatme
 

Thanks for that boatme - I was wondering about all the diff models that have been made - not a lot of info about these boats floating on the net.

I have only seen 1 larger - a 43 footer.

I bought this one bcoz of the indoor head - all the others smaller did not have one - just a porta-potty.

Made a 50 Meteor as well