Sold Yamaha SX230 and FXHO Waverunners, considering Scarab 165 and looking for thoughts

[thefortunes]

As the title says, we had a Yamaha SX230 and a couple FHXO Waverunners that we loved.

We sold the boat with the cabin, and decided the waverunners just weren't getting any use so we sold those too.

I miss being on the water. In most cases it will just be the wife and me, sometimes with another couple or meeting others with their boats. For the most part we're past the watersports phase (although I still like wakesurfing) it's now more about exploring and relaxing.

I'm actually thinking about the Scarab 165. We could tow it with our Tesla 3 (or S) and it would fit in the garage without an issue. The 19' Yamahas are tight in both respects.

I've done some reading about it, but am looking for firsthand thoughts about why it might or might not make sense, especially for someone coming from the bulletproof Yamahas.

 

[Crob83]

As the title says, we had a Yamaha SX230 and a couple FHXO Waverunners that we loved.

We sold the boat with the cabin, and decided the waverunners just weren't getting any use so we sold those too.

I miss being on the water. In most cases it will just be the wife and me, sometimes with another couple or meeting others with their boats. For the most part we're past the watersports phase (although I still like wakesurfing) it's now more about exploring and relaxing.

I'm actually thinking about the Scarab 165. We could tow it with our Tesla 3 (or S) and it would fit in the garage without an issue. The 19' Yamahas are tight in both respects.

I've done some reading about it, but am looking for firsthand thoughts about why it might or might not make sense, especially for someone coming from the bulletproof Yamahas.

Most 19 foot Yamahas will fit in a standard size garage easily, especially if you can find a '17 or '18 since they are around 19' 2" instead of the newer ones being 19" 5' I believe

 

[thefortunes]

Most 19 foot Yamahas will fit in a standard size garage easily, especially if you can find a '17 or '18 since they are around 19' 2" instead of the newer ones being 19" 5' I believe

I appreciate that, it's about all the other stuff in the garage (and more about the additional 800# since we sold our SUV with which we towed).

 

[Crob83]

I appreciate that, it's more about all the other stuff in the garage (and really about the additional 800#).

Ya I get it, I have a 3 car giant garage but it fits in my 3rd spare door to the side easily. But what's another 3 ft?

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

Hi. 165 owner here. 4 seasons of use, 170+ hours. I know my way around the boat very well since I also do my own maintenance. I can post responses here but if you have quite a few questions, feel free to either PM me here or PM me on Facebook: Luc Lafrenière

 

[jEt_jAk]

I have had Scarab 165 and upgraded to 195. Scarab is perfect for 2 people but any more it’s pretty tight IMO. It sure is fun to zip around though. Turns on a dime.

 

[thefortunes]

Hi. 165 owner here. 4 seasons of use, 170+ hours. I know my way around the boat very well since I also do my own maintenance. I can post responses here but if you have quite a few questions, feel free to either PM me here or PM me on Facebook: Luc Lafrenière

Yep, I've read a few of your posts.

Looking for opinions on
1) Scarab vs Yamaha as far as fit, finish, fun and reliability
2) Whether a 165 makes sense for our use (wife and I by ourselves probably 67%, another couple the other 33%)
3) Any gotchas I should be aware of with a Scarab that I might not expect coming from a Yamaha (I know about the closed loop system & no cleanout ports)
4) Anything else people might want to add

 

[thefortunes]

Ya I get it, I have a 3 car giant garage but it fits in my 3rd spare door to the side easily. But what's another 3 ft?

3+ car garage with 3 cars and a workshop already.

 

[jEt_jAk]

For you and your wife will be perfect. With another couple it’s gonna be very tight, not to mention will block your view. This is why I went to a Yamaha 195. Yamaha fit and finish is better for sure, as I did have various little things break on the Scarab, nothing major though.

I will say the rotax steering and reverse bucket is crazy how much better it is than Yamaha. Not even close. No mods needed on Scarab at all, can even spin in neutral. If you mod the Yamaha it can get close but still not there. This is based on my experience with a 2018 model though as they made improvements in later years.

Scarab was fun though, much quicker turning radius. Goes airborne on the smallest wakes you will have people point out the missing cleanout port on Scarab but I will say not once did I ever have to worry about sucking anything up.

IMO there are pros and cons to each, for my uses the Yamaha 195 is better but this is mainly because I boat with 3+ people.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

1. Can't comment on Yamaha but fit and finish is reasonable. Like any boat, lots of little weird design choices that I don't agree with. A few crappy things like screws instead of bolts. Overall pretty happy. But I can give you a list of small, easy to do upgrades to improve things.
2. I agree with the other commenter, 2 people great! 4 not so much but doable. My wife and daughter plus me is perfect. 4 adults would be uncomfortable but doable assuming you're not in large waves.
3. Closed loop is great. Lack of ports is a non issue. Super rare to have to do anything in there. It can happen, but in four years happened once for me and I was fully aware I was idling in 1ft of water. Lol stick got stuck and needed to swim with flashlight and special pliers I keep in the boat. Don't idle in debris. Otherwise, no. Power train has been bomb proof. Easy to maintain. No surprises.
4. I also can vouch for steering. It's incredible. No other type of boat does this. Overall I'm very happy. But it's not without faults. I can post a list of issues, but none of them should prevent you from buying. I'm at the cottage now so any such list will need to wait until I'm with my computer.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

Back home and on a computer!

To add more:

- The 165 is just a blast! It's a lot of fun all around. Keep in mind they sell it with up to 300HP. I couldn't care less about speed personally so I went with the base 150HP. But if you're into speed, talk about power to weight ratio... Even with the 150HP, I reach about 42mph. My wife complains it's too fast. lol Pivots on a dime. Maneuvering it around marinas is amazing and turns heads around all the time. Obviously they look very stylish which is definitely part of the fun.
- My power train has been absolutely bomb proof after 170+ hours. Zero issues. I do my own maintenance which is super easy with basic tools. But if you prefer the dealer to do that, by all means. Just keep it in mind if you prefer to do your own maintenance. My engine purrrrrrs perfectly since the day I got it. Antifreez swap for the closed loop system every 2 years. Oil change every season. Flush with RV antifreeze to winterize. Fresh spark plugs once in a while. That's been it. My wear ring and impeller are still mint.

Overall, I'm very happy with my boat. But with any boat, you get to learn about the bad stuff too, and I won't pretend there isn't any. I'm not a Scarab fanatic, but I do like what they offer in general.

In order of severity in my mind:

1. It can porpoise on straight stretches when cruising around 30mph. That annoys me like you wouldn't believe. Some people report no porpoising. I think it all has to do with the weigh in your boat and speed you've chosen. Generally, more weight up front will stop or at least reduce it. To correct it, change weight distribution, speed or turn. I decided to try trim tabs to reduce this. I'm not 100% into them since they come with significant sacrifices. But be warned, shorter boats regardless of brand can have porpoising issues.
2. The god damn gas gauge. I don't know who designed it, but wow did I have a lot of issues with the float getting stuck inside the tank. Many other 165 owners and other models have reported this. I've been battling this since I purchased it. After years of being told every story under the sun, I now understand the problem and it CAN be fixed. Most don't have this issue so hopefully you don't have it. But if you ever have it, just don't even bother with the dealer. Talk to me. lol 99.9% of dealers don't know what the problem is and replace your entire fuel sender. All you have to do is slightly bend a rod.
3. Little things like no drain holes in cup holders, I replaced mine. Screws for the main hinges on the rear hatch, replaced them with bolts. The latching pin keeps rotating and let's your hatch pop open whenever the fiberglass flexes due to waves, towing, etc. Just put a lock washer and locktite on it and keep an eye on it over time. Takes 1 min to fix if it rotates the wrong way. The bench seat would float open when I was weightless in heavier waves and slam down hard when you hit the water. I put a magnet to hold it down. Drain holes that do drain correctly, but don't catch ALL the water. I drilled tiny holes in strategic spots to catch all the water. Relays that seem to fail a lot for a lot of people which prevents you from starting your engine. I've never had this problem but it's very common. After speaking with an electronics engineer, he believes most are failing either because they are cheap or more likely, temporary short circuits when people are connecting their batteries. Make sure you connect your battery properly, keep the master switch off until everything is connected. And carry spare relays in your boat just like fuses. Again, never had this issue.

That's all I can think about. As you can see, I'm not a Scarab fanboy. No boat is perfect regardless of brand. It just takes time to find all the faults. lol But in the end, I would buy this boat again. Pretty sad the season is over here in Ottawa, Canada.

 

[thefortunes]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Probably going to go look at one this week to get a feel for the size. May be a non-starter if 4 adults can't be comfortable.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

There just isn't a huge amount of floor space. It's a small boat obviously. You can sit 3 very comfortably in the main seats. If it's not too choppy out there, then the fourth person on the bench seat will be fine for sure. Going to have a look in person is probably the best way to gauge if it's right for you and your goals. Many of my comments will still apply to a larger Scarab of course. Some will not. Hope you find something that suits you!

 

[thefortunes]

Any differences/improvements from 2015 models to now?

There's a 2015 HO (250HP) with very low hours that I am considering.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

Biggest difference is the console in front of the driver. Complete redesign around 2017? I forget the exact year. The 2015 model (like mine) has a smooth, sloped console that is definitely more convenient to access fuses and wiring and behind the dash. The newer models have a storage tray and a glass windshield type of thing. Definitely more of a pain for access to those things.

Otherwise, no major differences in years. Just depends on the trim levels like engine HP, stainless handles or not, etc. The biggest other change is the new 300HP engine introduced just a few years ago with a maintenance free supercharger. Apparently you can also get this supercharger on the 250HP engine. But I don't think it's worth retrofitting for the cost from what I've read.

 

[thefortunes]

Went and sat in one today.

Wow are these things small! Unfortunately I can't imagine 3 adults (much less 4) spending a day on the water comfortably.

I bet they're a blast for 1-2 though.

 

[Luc Lafreniere]

Exactly what they're great for. Well, glad you got to see it in person. Now you know what it is.