Many years ago, Wellcraft Scarabs battled
it out on the offshore racing circuit with Cigarettes, Magnums and Formulas. Then,
over 25 years ago, Wellcraft was the first to marry that offshore high-performance
Scarab hull with a center console open deck to create a fast, comfortable, roomy
outboard-powered fishboat. Believe it or not, at first the conservative fishing
crowd was slow to embrace the concept, but once it did, it changed how people fished
offshore. It was a “game changer” but nobody realized it at the time. Then companies
such as Intrepid, Contender, Fountain, Jupiter and many others all followed in
Scarab’s wake. Today's Wellcraft 30’ Scarab center console is not
the same one manufactured 25 years ago, but she is a refined, and updated descendent
of that trail-blazing boat. Come aboard with us and see if she’s the right boat
for you.
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The Wellcraft Scarab was the first center console based on an offshore racing
hull over 25 years ago. Wellcraft’s newest model has a 288 gallon fuel capacity,
which gives incredible range. |
Get a second
opinion from Captain John...
See
video of the 30 Tournament test...
See performance
numbers...
Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gunfight…
One of the worst things a fisherman can do is go into battle with sub-standard equipment.
The Scarab 30 Tournament will have you armed and dangerous for fighting whatever
you desire to haul out of Davy Jones' locker. There are 8 rocket launchers at the
aft end of the T-top, and another 9 distributed around the boat. Couple that with
the two Taco Grand Slam 15’ outriggers and you are ready for action. Her standards
list accommodates even the pickiest captain, but there’s always room for more, no
matter who you are, and thankfully, Wellcraft can accommodate just about anybody’s
desires. For now, we’ll stick with the standard items.
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You have to love the room for 2 12” electronic screens. All the switches are
grouped together in a logical format, as they should be, with the horn button standing
out from all the others. Note how the mounting system for the T-top doesn’t hamper
visibility. By leaning the frame forward, it makes a convenient grab rail for high
speed operations. The bait station is optional and features a gasketed glass lid
over the livewell to allow for pressurization to keep your bait fresh, even while
the boat is pounding through the seas. The windshield is heavy duty glass, not plastic,
but we’d like to see it go all the way up to the overhead. |
The Standard Armament…
Starting at the stern, there is an 84 qt. lighted livewell. Right next door is a
rigging station with sink, freshwater washdown and trash bin, or chum pail depending
on the type of trash you generate! On the port and starboard sides aft, are two
macerated fishboxes. At the bow are two more fishboxes under the seats, and they’re
equipped with overboard drains. The boat comes with five drawers and two trays of
tackle storage. To keep you from getting hungry or thirsty, there’s a 50 qt. cooler
under the forward seat in front of the console, and a 94 qt. cooler under the helm
leaning post.
Customize It Your Way…
Knowing that fisherman can be a picky lot, Wellcraft assembled a list of options
that allow you to have your boat customized right at the factory – which is the
best place to have it done. Start with the bait station with a 40 gallon Kodiak
baitwell, pullout drawers, and tackle storage. If you don’t opt for the bait station,
you can go for the double dropout aft facing bolster seat. I know… tough choice.
There’s a bow table option that’s worth considering. It lowers to form either the
base for the sunpad filler cushion or more importantly, since this is a fishing
boat and not the love boat, a casting platform with non-skid surface. And of course
we already mentioned the Taco Grand Slam outriggers.
Getting There Is Half the Fun…
The helm seats have separate flip-up bolsters, the underside of which have wraparound
padding for sustained high-speed operation. We’d like to see a mechanical fore and
aft adjustment added to this package. We’d also prefer that the throttle/gear levers
be more horizontal, and not so vertical.
The console is laid out in an orderly fashion and there’s little searching for the
right switch as they are all grouped together logically. It accommodates two 12”
electronic displays and the multi-function pads are to the lower left. Overhead
is an electronics box for the VHF radio and stereo. Moving down, there is a hatch
that holds the battery switches and additional breakers. Further down, there’s more
storage under the footrest.
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Note how the switches are grouped together by their function… pumps, lights,
electronics…etc. The display for the optional trim tabs is right at eye level. The
tilt wheel has the convenient steering knob, and the system is hydraulic. The throttle
placement could be improved. |
The Power to Please…
Why walk when you can run? The 30 Tournament comes to you pre-rigged for your choice
of twin engine setups, whether your preference is black, white or grey (Mercury,
Evinrude or Yamaha) with 225-275 horses. With her performance hull
and a minimum of 450-hp hanging off the stern, she ought to handle quite nicely
thank you very much.
To find out what a Scarab 30 costs these days we called Marshall Corona at the Boat
Center in Madison, CT. The MSRP with twin 225-hp Yamaha outboards is $136k, and
it is $140K with twin 250-hp Yamahas. If you have been pricing 30' CC's then you
know that these prices are quite competitive.
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