SCARAB SUCKS

[tewilx]

Bought a 2019 255 WAK3.
I have had many quality issues with this boat.
Reverse clip fell off the boat (and many more issues) and the boat was in the shop and unusable for 4 weeks out of the 1st 6 weeks after purchase. The clip falling off caused the throttle cable to kink and burnt up the reverse module. Scarab manufacture rep. was barely responsive and ultimately offered a free toilet for compensation of the lost family vacation. I declined the offer and insisted that it was worth more and I would rather inform the public of the poor quality build Scarab is providing the customer. The Local dealer I purchased my boat has dropped Scarab line for the "LACK" of QUALITY. Mine was the last Scarab they sold. I would never purchase another scarab. I will most likely trade mine for a better quality yet this year.
Other issues we have had with the boat:
1. Screws through the hull are secured with silicone not molded in the fiberglass, so if you need to take off the impeller grate guards the nuts will fall off the interior of the hull.
2. When manufactured they leave fiberglass shavings from drilling and zip ties in the hull and in the engine compartment. Fiberglass shavings falling out of the dashboard for weeks and out of the drain plug.
3. Wake surfing wedges are a cheap answer and tuning the wake for surfing is not as easy as it looks in the review videos on youtube. Still havent fully got this fine-tuned.
4. Windshield door fell inside the frame from improper installation.
5. Cooler location and access is poor and not useable as you would expect in such a high dollar purchase.
6. Trailer is rusting already.
7. Plastic covers on throttle cover is shit poor quality. Cover on the passanger side is the same crap.
8. Limited storage (glove box)
9. Floor ski storage doors need silencers.
10. I have to purchase the MAP somewhere online for the GPS to work properly??? Maps suck!!!

If you are looking for a wake boat or any boat Scarab or the other Rec Boat Holding brands (Four Winns , Glastron , and Wellcraft) is not something I would consider again.

 

[ALAN MANN SR.]

We get it, You don't like Scarab!!!!

 

[captras]

Sorry about your problems. I had a Four Winns prior to my Yamaha, and had no quality problems for 20 years, but things may have changed...and the latest Scarab jet line is relatively new. I have read posts complaining about Yamaha problems, but not to the extent you have had. My 2016 had some minor issues that were taken care of by the dealer with no push back. I did have a recurring Connext problem that took them 3 times to get resolved, but they finally did, and NEVER pushed back on it at all. Matter of fact, the second time I took mine in THEY actually found some warranty issues on their own and fixed them. I am very satisfied with my purchase! Good luck on yours....I hope you can get things worked out......

 

[Fluffy]

Sorry you feel like that and i do get it ,but some of your listed complaints are things you should have considered prior to purchase.

 

[JusFlyinBy]

Where you located and how much for me to take that terrible piece of garbage off your hands?

 

[255IDTwin300s]

Sorry you feel like that and i do get it ,but some of your listed complaints are things you should have considered prior to purchase.

Exactly.. Nailed it on the head.

1. Screws through the hull are secured with silicone not molded in the fiberglass, so if you need to take off the impeller grate guards the nuts will fall off the interior of the hull. Uhhh, 99.9% of any owner of the boat will ever try to take off the grates.. Only 1 reason to take the grate off- you got a rope or something caught in the impeller - which you have to know can happen with any jet boat and/or around a prop. Yamaha's screws in their grates also have silicone around them - do you think that every boat installs recessed male inserts for every screw? If you have to have screws on the bottom of a boat - guess what - you are going to have silicon around it to ensure waterproofing.. this is a silly bitching point.
2. When manufactured they leave fiberglass shavings from drilling and zip ties in the hull and in the engine compartment. Fiberglass shavings falling out of the dashboard for weeks and out of the drain plug. Yes, you are correct, I have experienced the same thing - some shavings coming out of the drain plug and the helm a little. Lasted for one ride that I noticed, then gone. very minor thing, silly bitching point.
3. Wake surfing wedges are a cheap answer and tuning the wake for surfing is not as easy as it looks in the review videos on youtube. Still havent fully got this fine-tuned. ?? Silly bitching point..
4. Windshield door fell inside the frame from improper installation. Valid concern - I literally had the same thing happen with my windshield - screws in my windshield I can only guess were not tightened down properly and the windshield moved enough to where I noticed that my center windshield door was not sitting where it was earlier. Easy fix for the dealer ( although I know it should have to be fixed in first place but it is a simple fix)
5. Cooler location and access is poor and not useable as you would expect in such a high dollar purchase. How anyone would not notice this at time of purchase is beyond me - maybe you were hurried when you picked up your boat.. Question -- when you have people in your boat and they want to get a drink in the cooler, are you really going to have everyone get up from their seat and open a door and slide he cooler out to get their drinks every time?? No. simply take the cooler out - when you are loading it with drinks and ice anyways- and leave it in the area where the walk through is to the back of the boat . there is PLENTY of room there and if it is loaded it will NOT go anywhere and everyone can comfortable grab from it. Man, simple scenario. The main cooler is where it is for STORAGE.. It was not intended to be used there for everyone to have to pen a door etc.. Geez..
6. Trailer is rusting already. If you got the cheaper trailer - it is like any other cheaper trailer, it will rust if you are using boat in the intercoastal or ocean/bay areas that are salty or brackish.. If you got the gator coated trailer than no it should not be rusting. However- wheelcaps even on the nice trailer like mine , are still plastic chrome on the caps.. I don't care who's boat trailer you use , if you have just driven and the hubs are hot, on any trailer, any plastic chrome will pit and show rust. Any metal lines for the trailer fluid for brakes will also rust. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING along the coast will friggin rust if it is metal. Wash down the trailer the best you can, it's part of having a boat and trailer.. I'm sure you have owned 143 boats and 65 jet ski's and were driving boats when you were 3 years old, but these are basic things man.. No matter what boat you have or what trailer you have. even 100% aluminum trailers will get surface rust if in salt water ..
7. Plastic covers on throttle cover is shit poor quality. Cover on the passanger side is the same crap. Mine is perfect - yes it's plastic but not sure why yours is "crap".
8. Limited storage (glove box) -- Totally agreed and something that I and anyone else should have noticed when buying the boat. However, I find that the area next to my display is great for my phone and my wallet but yes - scarab need to in their 25 footers have a designated glove box of some sorts.. If thisis a deal breaking point for you, well, that's your opinion.
9. Floor ski storage doors need silencers. -- Agreed. They come with them, but the ones they have used are not sticking/adhering properly and they fall off. Very simple fix, I put some rubber grommets in mine, vioala! $2 and 20 mins later had it fixed to my liking.
10. I have to purchase the MAP somewhere online for the GPS to work properly??? Maps suck!!! Lol.. Drama much???????????????? Man slim, you need to relax, go rub one out. Life is beautiful my friend, look around and be thankful that the above things that are so friggin petty are the things you are dealing with instead of REAL problems. Good luck.

 

[wango tango]

Exactly.. Nailed it on the head.

1. Screws through the hull are secured with silicone not molded in the fiberglass, so if you need to take off the impeller grate guards the nuts will fall off the interior of the hull. Uhhh, 99.9% of any owner of the boat will ever try to take off the grates.. Only 1 reason to take the grate off- you got a rope or something caught in the impeller - which you have to know can happen with any jet boat and/or around a prop. Yamaha's screws in their grates also have silicone around them - do you think that every boat installs recessed male inserts for every screw? If you have to have screws on the bottom of a boat - guess what - you are going to have silicon around it to ensure waterproofing.. this is a silly bitching point.
2. When manufactured they leave fiberglass shavings from drilling and zip ties in the hull and in the engine compartment. Fiberglass shavings falling out of the dashboard for weeks and out of the drain plug. Yes, you are correct, I have experienced the same thing - some shavings coming out of the drain plug and the helm a little. Lasted for one ride that I noticed, then gone. very minor thing, silly bitching point.
3. Wake surfing wedges are a cheap answer and tuning the wake for surfing is not as easy as it looks in the review videos on youtube. Still havent fully got this fine-tuned. ?? Silly bitching point..
4. Windshield door fell inside the frame from improper installation. Valid concern - I literally had the same thing happen with my windshield - screws in my windshield I can only guess were not tightened down properly and the windshield moved enough to where I noticed that my center windshield door was not sitting where it was earlier. Easy fix for the dealer ( although I know it should have to be fixed in first place but it is a simple fix)
5. Cooler location and access is poor and not useable as you would expect in such a high dollar purchase. How anyone would not notice this at time of purchase is beyond me - maybe you were hurried when you picked up your boat.. Question -- when you have people in your boat and they want to get a drink in the cooler, are you really going to have everyone get up from their seat and open a door and slide he cooler out to get their drinks every time?? No. simply take the cooler out - when you are loading it with drinks and ice anyways- and leave it in the area where the walk through is to the back of the boat . there is PLENTY of room there and if it is loaded it will NOT go anywhere and everyone can comfortable grab from it. Man, simple scenario. The main cooler is where it is for STORAGE.. It was not intended to be used there for everyone to have to pen a door etc.. Geez..
6. Trailer is rusting already. If you got the cheaper trailer - it is like any other cheaper trailer, it will rust if you are using boat in the intercoastal or ocean/bay areas that are salty or brackish.. If you got the gator coated trailer than no it should not be rusting. However- wheelcaps even on the nice trailer like mine , are still plastic chrome on the caps.. I don't care who's boat trailer you use , if you have just driven and the hubs are hot, on any trailer, any plastic chrome will pit and show rust. Any metal lines for the trailer fluid for brakes will also rust. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING along the coast will friggin rust if it is metal. Wash down the trailer the best you can, it's part of having a boat and trailer.. I'm sure you have owned 143 boats and 65 jet ski's and were driving boats when you were 3 years old, but these are basic things man.. No matter what boat you have or what trailer you have. even 100% aluminum trailers will get surface rust if in salt water ..
7. Plastic covers on throttle cover is shit poor quality. Cover on the passanger side is the same crap. Mine is perfect - yes it's plastic but not sure why yours is "crap".
8. Limited storage (glove box) -- Totally agreed and something that I and anyone else should have noticed when buying the boat. However, I find that the area next to my display is great for my phone and my wallet but yes - scarab need to in their 25 footers have a designated glove box of some sorts.. If thisis a deal breaking point for you, well, that's your opinion.
9. Floor ski storage doors need silencers. -- Agreed. They come with them, but the ones they have used are not sticking/adhering properly and they fall off. Very simple fix, I put some rubber grommets in mine, vioala! $2 and 20 mins later had it fixed to my liking.
10. I have to purchase the MAP somewhere online for the GPS to work properly??? Maps suck!!! Lol.. Drama much???????????????? Man slim, you need to relax, go rub one out. Life is beautiful my friend, look around and be thankful that the above things that are so friggin petty are the things you are dealing with instead of REAL problems. Good luck.

Nice

 

[Mjolsen74]

I hear ya.. but I just purchased a 2019 Yamaha 242x and have so many similar experiences but they are on all boats. I considered it part of "boating" and the cost of doing so. While annoying that you're spending your hard earned money and want quality.. I don't think quality is there any more anywhere.

5 hours on my boat and the ski locker acuator came un-screwed(holes stripped), front anchor latch not latching (poorly aligned).. shavings in drain plug.. (still coming out after 15 hrs)...

Its part of it..

 

[props2you]

Bought a 2019 255 WAK3.
I have had many quality issues with this boat.
Reverse clip fell off the boat (and many more issues) and the boat was in the shop and unusable for 4 weeks out of the 1st 6 weeks after purchase. The clip falling off caused the throttle cable to kink and burnt up the reverse module. Scarab manufacture rep. was barely responsive and ultimately offered a free toilet for compensation of the lost family vacation. I declined the offer and insisted that it was worth more and I would rather inform the public of the poor quality build Scarab is providing the customer. The Local dealer I purchased my boat has dropped Scarab line for the "LACK" of QUALITY. Mine was the last Scarab they sold. I would never purchase another scarab. I will most likely trade mine for a better quality yet this year.
Other issues we have had with the boat:
1. Screws through the hull are secured with silicone not molded in the fiberglass, so if you need to take off the impeller grate guards the nuts will fall off the interior of the hull.
2. When manufactured they leave fiberglass shavings from drilling and zip ties in the hull and in the engine compartment. Fiberglass shavings falling out of the dashboard for weeks and out of the drain plug.
3. Wake surfing wedges are a cheap answer and tuning the wake for surfing is not as easy as it looks in the review videos on youtube. Still havent fully got this fine-tuned.
4. Windshield door fell inside the frame from improper installation.
5. Cooler location and access is poor and not useable as you would expect in such a high dollar purchase.
6. Trailer is rusting already.
7. Plastic covers on throttle cover is shit poor quality. Cover on the passanger side is the same crap.
8. Limited storage (glove box)
9. Floor ski storage doors need silencers.
10. I have to purchase the MAP somewhere online for the GPS to work properly??? Maps suck!!!

If you are looking for a wake boat or any boat Scarab or the other Rec Boat Holding brands (Four Winns , Glastron , and Wellcraft) is not something I would consider again.

Did you even walk through this boat before you bought it? Was it purchased sight unseen? I don't think there is any debate on the quality of some manufacturers, but bruh... You need to take some of the responsibility on this for lack of research or inspection. Can't buy a Fiat with Lincoln expectations. (nothing against either brand or any boat brand) Just need to be accountable for your own actions and decisions.

As @Mjolsen74 said, Welcome To Boating!

Good Luck!

 

[wango tango]

I felt better after a new tire cover LOL

 

[Julian]

Exactly.. Nailed it on the head.

1. Screws through the hull are secured with silicone not molded in the fiberglass, so if you need to take off the impeller grate guards the nuts will fall off the interior of the hull. Uhhh, 99.9% of any owner of the boat will ever try to take off the grates.. Only 1 reason to take the grate off- you got a rope or something caught in the impeller - which you have to know can happen with any jet boat and/or around a prop. Yamaha's screws in their grates also have silicone around them - do you think that every boat installs recessed male inserts for every screw? If you have to have screws on the bottom of a boat - guess what - you are going to have silicon around it to ensure waterproofing.. this is a silly bitching point.
2. When manufactured they leave fiberglass shavings from drilling and zip ties in the hull and in the engine compartment. Fiberglass shavings falling out of the dashboard for weeks and out of the drain plug. Yes, you are correct, I have experienced the same thing - some shavings coming out of the drain plug and the helm a little. Lasted for one ride that I noticed, then gone. very minor thing, silly bitching point.
3. Wake surfing wedges are a cheap answer and tuning the wake for surfing is not as easy as it looks in the review videos on youtube. Still havent fully got this fine-tuned. ?? Silly bitching point..
4. Windshield door fell inside the frame from improper installation. Valid concern - I literally had the same thing happen with my windshield - screws in my windshield I can only guess were not tightened down properly and the windshield moved enough to where I noticed that my center windshield door was not sitting where it was earlier. Easy fix for the dealer ( although I know it should have to be fixed in first place but it is a simple fix)
5. Cooler location and access is poor and not useable as you would expect in such a high dollar purchase. How anyone would not notice this at time of purchase is beyond me - maybe you were hurried when you picked up your boat.. Question -- when you have people in your boat and they want to get a drink in the cooler, are you really going to have everyone get up from their seat and open a door and slide he cooler out to get their drinks every time?? No. simply take the cooler out - when you are loading it with drinks and ice anyways- and leave it in the area where the walk through is to the back of the boat . there is PLENTY of room there and if it is loaded it will NOT go anywhere and everyone can comfortable grab from it. Man, simple scenario. The main cooler is where it is for STORAGE.. It was not intended to be used there for everyone to have to pen a door etc.. Geez..
6. Trailer is rusting already. If you got the cheaper trailer - it is like any other cheaper trailer, it will rust if you are using boat in the intercoastal or ocean/bay areas that are salty or brackish.. If you got the gator coated trailer than no it should not be rusting. However- wheelcaps even on the nice trailer like mine , are still plastic chrome on the caps.. I don't care who's boat trailer you use , if you have just driven and the hubs are hot, on any trailer, any plastic chrome will pit and show rust. Any metal lines for the trailer fluid for brakes will also rust. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING along the coast will friggin rust if it is metal. Wash down the trailer the best you can, it's part of having a boat and trailer.. I'm sure you have owned 143 boats and 65 jet ski's and were driving boats when you were 3 years old, but these are basic things man.. No matter what boat you have or what trailer you have. even 100% aluminum trailers will get surface rust if in salt water ..
7. Plastic covers on throttle cover is shit poor quality. Cover on the passanger side is the same crap. Mine is perfect - yes it's plastic but not sure why yours is "crap".
8. Limited storage (glove box) -- Totally agreed and something that I and anyone else should have noticed when buying the boat. However, I find that the area next to my display is great for my phone and my wallet but yes - scarab need to in their 25 footers have a designated glove box of some sorts.. If thisis a deal breaking point for you, well, that's your opinion.
9. Floor ski storage doors need silencers. -- Agreed. They come with them, but the ones they have used are not sticking/adhering properly and they fall off. Very simple fix, I put some rubber grommets in mine, vioala! $2 and 20 mins later had it fixed to my liking.
10. I have to purchase the MAP somewhere online for the GPS to work properly??? Maps suck!!! Lol.. Drama much???????????????? Man slim, you need to relax, go rub one out. Life is beautiful my friend, look around and be thankful that the above things that are so friggin petty are the things you are dealing with instead of REAL problems. Good luck.

I agree....many of the points he made were things he should have known BEFORE he bought the boat. Complaining after you buy about the cooler location or lack of a glove compartment! WTF?

I think he was just annoyed with the windshield issue and decided to put every little nit pick into his first (duplicated 6 times) post (yes, we deleted 3 of his duplicate posts that had no replies, and per policy started a conversation with him about our rules of conduct.)

 

[Scottintexas]

Out of all that I'd be most angry about the dealer and he went right over that one,

The dealer drops the line because of quality issues, You expect me to believe the sales person didn't know about quality issues on previous boats and didn't mention it to the buyer (hey you can buy this boat but we've had multiple reports of ....)

I'd never go back to that dealer again more than Scarab,

Six posts with the same content, not hard to read this,
joined on Saturday at 0631 and hasn't been seen since 0830 that morning,

 

[Julian]

Six posts with the same content, not hard to read this,
joined on Saturday at 0631 and hasn't been seen since 0830 that morning,

Yup.....he came here with a purpose.

 

[255IDTwin300s]

I agree....many of the points he made were things he should have known BEFORE he bought the boat. Complaining after you buy about the cooler location or lack of a glove compartment! WTF?

I think he was just annoyed with the windshield issue and decided to put every little nit pick into his first (duplicated 6 times) post (yes, we deleted 3 of his duplicate posts that had no replies, and per policy started a conversation with him about our rules of conduct.)

oh wow, didn't realize the guy posted that multiple times

Out of all that I'd be most angry about the dealer and he went right over that one,

The dealer drops the line because of quality issues, You expect me to believe the sales person didn't know about quality issues on previous boats and didn't mention it to the buyer (hey you can buy this boat but we've had multiple reports of ....)

I'd never go back to that dealer again more than Scarab,

Six posts with the same content, not hard to read this,
joined on Saturday at 0631 and hasn't been seen since 0830 that morning,

*********

Ya know - I have to say how awesome it is to see many Yami Jet boat owners being very cool in the way that they respond with Scarab owners and Chap owners. especially when there could be a fresh open wound that is easy to chuck some salt into it. It is refreshing to see people ( especially on a forum) simply trying to help and be a community WITHOUT taking jabs or playing politics with the different brands. Kudos big time to Julian, Scottintexas, wango tango, props2you, mjolsen, etc etc.. We all have our opinions on what we feel is best etc, and as long as they are based in actual experiences and without a ton of bias, I think it's cool to share them.

 

[tewilx]

WOW, yes I did walk through the boat and it looked good. I couldn't have noticed the clip or foreseen the damaged it caused. The windshield door opening fell inside the frame under normal driving conditions. Yes I did notice the cooler was not easily accessible on the initial walkthroughs but it was worth mentioning on the fact of poor design. A lot of these issues would have never been so overwhelming if the manufacturer delivered a quality product and the major issue of a recall (reverse clip) that had not been taken care of.
This list was just a beginning and I apologize for expecting a quality build for $90,000 dollars. WOW, I Will just shut up and go away(NOT). I feel attacked for trying to share buyer beware for future customers.
Impeller grates should be removable without pulling the engines to get the nut back on the backside.
I don't think its to much to ask for anywhere on the boat to NOT look like a dumpster.
Thank you so much for the long-winded review of my review.
SO nice to be personally attacked for trying to help others. So brave of you to attack someone online.
JUST ADD WATER BOATS in Indianapolis did an amazing job and they tried to make everything right and eventually did. I will buy every boat from them if i buy a brand they carry. My next will be a Nautique if I can not find a quality jet boat.

 

[tewilx]

I hear ya.. but I just purchased a 2019 Yamaha 242x and have so many similar experiences but they are on all boats. I considered it part of "boating" and the cost of doing so. While annoying that you're spending your hard earned money and want quality.. I don't think quality is there any more anywhere.

5 hours on my boat and the ski locker acuator came un-screwed(holes stripped), front anchor latch not latching (poorly aligned).. shavings in drain plug.. (still coming out after 15 hrs)...

Its part of it..

This was exactly my point. I agree.

 

[tewilx]

Out of all that I'd be most angry about the dealer and he went right over that one,

The dealer drops the line because of quality issues, You expect me to believe the sales person didn't know about quality issues on previous boats and didn't mention it to the buyer (hey you can buy this boat but we've had multiple reports of ....)

I'd never go back to that dealer again more than Scarab,

Six posts with the same content, not hard to read this,
joined on Saturday at 0631 and hasn't been seen since 0830 that morning,

They did give me a good deal on the boat, but I don't hold it against them that they sold me the last one they were going to carry hoping it would not have the quality issues they have experienced without mentioning them to me. They did an amazing job at providing repairs and dropping everything else to get me back on the water. They manufacturer customer support is exactly the same as the quality of their build, NOT GOOD!.
The Yamaha top 24 foot I looked at was 75K and Scarab best 25 foot was 90K. I choose the Scarab because of the 300 horse twin Rotax. The 600 horses was not one of the disappointing issues! The point is, that for the money spent I do not expect a Rolls Royce but I did expect the high-end Camaro!! Seems to me there is a whole lot more engineering in a car than a boat and we are paying a lot of money for less quality then we should expect.

 

[tewilx]

Where are the Me Too'er of boating that don't blame the victim?

 

[tewilx]

oh wow, didn't realize the guy posted that multiple times


*********

Ya know - I have to say how awesome it is to see many Yami Jet boat owners being very cool in the way that they respond with Scarab owners and Chap owners. especially when there could be a fresh open wound that is easy to chuck some salt into it. It is refreshing to see people ( especially on a forum) simply trying to help and be a community WITHOUT taking jabs or playing politics with the different brands. Kudos big time to Julian, Scottintexas, wango tango, props2you, mjolsen, etc etc.. We all have our opinions on what we feel is best etc, and as long as they are based in actual experiences and without a ton of bias, I think it's cool to share them.

Maybe you work for the manufacture or you are just assholes. I was just trying to share my experience with Scarab. Thank you soooo much for the support!!!!!

 

[Scottintexas]

Where are the Me Too'er of boating that don't blame the victim?

probably trying to decide if you're trying to decide if you're the "Christine Blasey Ford" of JBN,

seriously,
Your dealer gave you a good deal, knew they were pushing boats with low quality, "hoped" you might get a good one, gambled your $90k over it and your still happy with them,

What makes you think the next boat you purchase from them won't be another lemon? I'd never go back,