I was seriously considering the scarab also, the price was fair and they had a few locally with the colour scheme that I liked. I also really liked the BRP dash, and some of the electronic features... all around I thought the scarab looked like a beautiful boat!
Here were my stopping points, and why I chose the Yamaha in the end:
- Colours/design/vinyl/interior - Compared to the AR190 I chose, the scarabs I was looking at (the better appointed versions) looked beautiful, but as mentioned the build quality and thoughtful design didn't seem to be there... I thought it looks far nicer, but it just didn't feel like it was going to hold up as well
- Engine - This was my #1 reason for going Yamaha. I liked the heigher horsepower, fancier gauge cluster, and closed loop cooling of the Rotax, but in the end I was able to counter each of these with some careful consideration:
- Horsepower - horsepower came from the supercharged and intercooled rotate engine, though they are maintainable, I wanted an easy to maintain and run boat with the best reliability in the market. Yamaha won this round, I went with the AR190, but if I wanted to get closer in HP I could have gone with the AR195 and maintained reliability which I felt the Rotax couldn't provide. (My opinion)
- Closed loop cooling - I live at the beach and loved the idea of avoiding engine flushes and being able to use the boat into the late fall after night time freezes, upon further research I found that though the engine is closed loop cooled, the rest of the exhaust is still raw water cooled, so I would still have to flush, and still have to ensure I blew all the water out if it may freeze so in the end, there was no significant benefit, yet, still the added complexity of closed loop cooling. I understand that this is a debateable comment, however this was just the conclusion I came to.
- Gauge Cluster/Controls - I count these as engine related because they are specific to BRP, not Scarab. I think the BRP cluster is really nice, but in the end, I need access to key information, and both the BRP cluster and dual gauge Yamaha setup provide this. I also liked the push button start, but again, it's fancy and all, but a key does the same job. I do though, much prefer the Yamaha throttle/directional control all in one, it is very intuitive, and I feel easier to use in situations where I am changing from forward to reverse multiple times (picking up downed riders, maneuvering marina, docking, busy channels/locks) as I do not need to move my hand between two control sticks. I also really appreciate the no wake mode and detents on the Yamaha set up, I think that these are key to my success with the boat.
- Build Quality and Thoughtful Design - first off, as mentioned in my first point, I again stress, I was looking at the loaded Scarabs (similar price range to my AR190 due to being earlier models purchased when the Canadian dollar was more favourable) and they were absolutely stunning, when comparing to an AR195, the differences are less significant, however, I digress. As I was saying, they look amazing, however as I further explored the scarabs vs the Yamaha, I found that I liked the layout and features of the Yamaha, the solid and well thought out back deck were fantastic and very significant factors in my decision, the clean out ports are absolutely KEY (used once already) and if boating once the water gets colder could be a lifesaver, and the difference between going out or being to afraid to go out. Tidy thoughtfulness went into every piece of the design, I find where they could have gone fancy, they instead went simple and durable. I believe that this boat will hold its value better and stay in better condition longer due to quality material and construction.
- Dealer Support and Proximity to Dealer - I know and respect my local Yamaha dealer, thought the boat was on par in price to the Scarab, the local Yamaha dealer is fantastic and I trust them to support me and ensure I am having a great time on the water. I only worked with one salesman at the Scarab dealer and he was very nice and helpful, however this dealer was 2 hours away (in the opposite direction I usually travel) whereas the Yamaha dealer is only 30 minutes away in the nearest city I visit at least once a week. This is a big deal, though I don't expect to have any issues, to have local service is key, even if it is just for basic maintainable, or a post season warranty inspection, having them local is great. This dealer is also well established and I know they will be around to support me into the future, should I need repairs... or a bigger boat haha
All in all, it was a tough decision, my heart loved the look of the Scarab, but my head convinced me to go with the Yamaha as I perceived it to be the "Smarter" choice. Amy I happy with my decision, absolutely, this has been the best summer on the water, and we love our boat! Would we have been happy with the scarab also, I don't know, I still think once in a while that some of it's features would have been nice to have (very nice stereo, fancier fancyness) but most of those desires would have been met had I gone with the AR195 instead. Even with that though, they are nice to haves, not need to haves, I have the power to do what we want, the great fuel efficiency of the 190, and the reliability I needed. (Check out this thread for some discussion on that topic
https://jetboaters.net/threads/potential-2017-2018-ar190-owner-advice-needed.14494/#post-250527 )
I truest think that either boat will provide many hours of fun, and I loaboured for months over which was the right fit for me, but in the end I selected the AR190 Yamaha and and still very happy with my decision.
Good luck and don't hesitate to ask if you need any clarification on any of my thoughts!
Whisky
