Thoughts on a 34 scarab III
 

I need more room, and the III has it, in a big way, any owners, past owners with any comments, what to look for when buying, ride , features, The boat Im looking at is an 85 with 420s and TRS, no air and the Bennet Tabs, I still think they look great, any comments?

I have a 92 and absolutely love it. If you can find and afford a 90's version they have a better ride and are faster.

Insptech (Ted) pointed me to this thread. I have the 1990 34' Scarab Excel, basically a Scarab III but without the TRS drives. Consequently, I have a lot of room in the bilge. Same identical layout as the III. The 34' was the best Scarab they ever built if you're looking for room, hence the reason I bought mine.

You'll find faster, but not the room in the 38'. My 34 holds 8 people in it for our poker runs (4 across, 2 rows). I could probably fit 2 more where the 4 foot cooler sits behind the bolsters. :D The III and the 34 Scarab Excel appear to be more spacious in the cockpit because the windshield and helm are further forward than the norm = more room where I wanted it.

The real downside is the cabin, the v-berth is useless if you have the horseshoe couch in front of it, and an anchor locker. The bilge has room for one of the smaller new generation generators and there's room in the cabin for AC if you want to add it. Plenty of storage space all around too.

Finally, the 34' rides like a caddy on the water but it's a pig with the standard power package. With 454Mags I was lucky to see 65MPH. It's a solid, sturdy and heavy boat that rides great in the rough.

Signature has link to picts. Good luck.

LIKE my two friends say... I love my Scarab-III.. Alot of room and awesome in the rough... Mine is a 83 with 96 crate 502's.. 440 H.P. TRS DRIVES.. so I think I'm close to what your looking at.. she is heavy.. and I get 63-65 mph with 23p mirage plus props..I just had YORK labb them .... haven't been out yet...Great bang for the buck.... heres some pics... DAVE :cool: :D :crazy:

ANOTHER

POWER..had her four years...no problems.... TRS parts still around

I re-did interior

Named her after my kids......LOL:D

Scarab3DMC,

Those side angle shots really show off the boat, gives a good perspective on the windshield/console located a little more forward than the new designs.

I think it was Tinker who did a cabin redesign, will have to search the board here. I have his picts, very nice work if it was him and I'm keeping those picts since the cabin is another future project I have on my list.

Thanks Kieth... you are correct , Tinker did re- do his cabin.. It came out great...I am in the process of re-doing mine... removed fridge.... never used it.. took the swivel buckets and consul from the port side ..fabricated another bench seat... re-ulpolstered everything else in vinyl... with the colors to match the cockpit... I 'm installing next ... will post before and after shots... Dave:cool: ;) :D :D

Nice, would love to see the outcome. I like what Tinker did with his, brilliant renovations and designs, just no more money left to do anything this season. I think next season I'll have to do the vinyl, it's 14 years old and just now starting to see some stitching dryrot. :( The cabin will more than likely have to wait until 2005 at this stage.

Yes I did ALL the design and fabrication and install myself. I heck of a lot of time just sitting and looking and thinking. The new breaker panel alone was $600 just for the panel and a few meters. I had a panel custom built just so it matched the design of the original. BASS products built the original and the new one. I built a complete new upper cabinet for the cabin and built one for the bathroom where their wasn't one. I rebuilt the lower cabinet in the bath also to make it larger and offer more storage space. I also made the flooring in the bathroom one piece. I wanted a larger sink in both the bath and the galley. I also installed a pressurized water system with a water heater and transom shower. I also installed a 1500 watt inverter to power the coffee maker and the microwave, OH and the hair drier when in an emergency my wife needs it if she gets wet.

MY whole goal was for someone to look at my boat and say WOW I didn't know that the factory offered that option. I didn't want anyone to look at MY work and know that I did it myself.
MY cabin and Head remodel cost over $1500 in parts and probably over 100 hrs in labor.
Was it worth it --YOU BET

Tink- Post pics!! Id love to see em

Tinker's link is still active, you can see his most excellent handy work here:

http://community.webshots.com/user/tinkerboater

Tinker, did you have a horseshoe shaped couch in front of, and blocking the V-berth? That's the piece that bothers me the most, I can't use it for anything other than storage. Can't keep crawling over the couch and fit up in there, my anchor locker cuts the headroom in half.

Basically I made a matching center cushion for couch and sleep there.

Keith-- No the berth is stock and so are the couches. I would like to redo the couches because they are uncomfortable and you will roll off them if you try to sleep on them. The bed is comfortable to me but not for my wife. I have the anchor locker but I sleep with my feet up there so it isn't a problem. I really love the boat and have had it since fall of 95. I have done remodel or renew of some part of it every year since I bought it. You should see the guys fight over one of my boats when it is time to sell them. The last boat was sold without starting the engine. And I had a guy offer me more than what I was asking because he knew someone was on the way to look at it. I said NO to him. This boat means almost as much to me (sentimental value) as my CVX-18 GLASTRON CARLSON did. ( The original TINKER TOY )

Tink- cool mods, you cant tell it didnt come that way.....
Whats the diff in the later mod cockpits? I know the cabins are different, two lounges to port vs two facing benches in the latter.
Did you have 365hp and bravos in your III?......doug

sorry, the 365 and bravo question was directed to Makdaddy.....check post time.......damn strippers!!