Scout 357 LXF | Salt Water Sportsman

Scout Boats not too long ago ­changed its fashionable 355 LXF with the brand new 357 LXF S-Class—a part of a nine-boat lineup of luxe cruisers aimed squarely on the higher-end slice of the outboard offshore fishing market, interesting to consumers who need an ultra-finished strategy to enrich their ardour for offshore fishing. 

The 357 is a magnum amongst quick hulls, cranking off a 72.2 mph top-end velocity. Its triple Mercury Verado V-10s clawed to six,400 rpm, swinging 27-pitch stainless four-blade Mercury Revolution X SS propellers. Acceleration was fast, particularly contemplating the 14,000-pound rigged weight. With the 319-gallon gas tank a bit of greater than half-full, we zipped from a useless idle to 30 mph in simply ­below 7.4 seconds. 

It’s environment friendly too. Our greatest cruise was at 4,000 rpm, the place the twin-stepped working floor achieved 1.15 mpg. That’s over 390 miles of vary leaving 10 % in reserve. An extended weekend of cruising, fishing and island hopping with out refilling is that this boat’s jam.

In lots of instances, a quick boat that accelerates shortly usually offers up journey high quality for the velocity and punch. Not so for the 357 LXF. The deep-V fiberglass and epoxy-infused hull contains a pad backside with 22-degree deadrise, a number of lifting strakes and a setback transom. This ends in a remarkably clean and secure journey, even in heavy seas, channels filled with wakes and windblown chop. Turning is simply as uneventful. It takes a little bit of planning to decelerate this large beast, however when the time is true, the hull cuts and banks because it arcs round in tight hard-over turns, providing a clear and assured flip radius. 

Every 357 is constructed alongside Scout’s different fashions starting from 17 to 53 toes, with its latest flagship 67-footer set to debut this season. Scout’s Summerville, South Carolina, plant is most spectacular, using over 400 and commanding an enormous presence as a heavyweight manufacturing enterprise within the Palmetto State. Every Scout is designed, prototyped, examined and constructed proper there within the plant; even {the electrical} harnesses, plumbing and fixtures are constructed in-house. We spent a while there observing the processes within the prototype stage, the electrical-assembly clear room, the gelcoat and lay-up phases, and the ultimate ­meeting line. 

Except the computer-aided prototyping and calculations, it’s all completed by hand. The epoxy-infused lay-up is as environment friendly because it will get, tossing apart the age-old adage that an offshore boat have to be laid up heavy to final and supply a clean journey. 

The cockpit structure gives a center-mounted helm and triple heated helm seating with flip-up bolsters behind a completely built-in pilot’s console surrounded by a customized Scout-designed and -built T-top with a full safety-glass enclosure. Helm controls characteristic a Fusion Bluetooth-amplified eight-speaker sound system, a Garmin 8612 multifunction show, digital switching, a compass, USB ports and courtesy lighting. A stern-facing aft cooler/bench seating resides abaft the helm seating module. 

An non-obligatory electrical telescoping sunshade is a techy contact that makes sun-scorched days simpler on the pores and skin. Add non-obligatory air-con for final consolation. A Seakeeper 3 DC-powered gyrostabilizer possibility retains issues regular in all sea circumstances. It consists of photo voltaic panels on the hardtop, an extra 50-amp charger and two extra batteries.

Down under, the internal console double berth features a marine head with an electrical pump, Corian surfaces, a sink, a fridge, port and starboard home windows, a 19-inch built-in flat display, a detachable teak desk and ample storage.   

Within the bow, an electrically actuated bow desk/solar lounge rises from an Esthec deck to make impromptu gatherings straightforward and comfy. An anchor digicam is normal, making mooring simpler from the cockpit, and an aft-­going through bench seat converts right into a raised prep desk. Grigio bow-cushion upholstery is on the market, together with different ­shade choices. 

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Anglers will admire the 60-gallon transom fish/storage field, port and starboard 43-gallon in-floor fish containers, and a 47-gallon cockpit baitwell—all normal, as are 10 gunwale-mounted stainless-steel rod holders. Choices embody retractable hardtop rocket launchers, electrical reel plugs, underwater lights and hardtop-mounted outriggers. Abaft, anglers and water fanatics will benefit from the full-width, walkable swim/engine platform with a starboard side-boarding door. 

Scout has honed the LXF S sequence lineup for over a decade, so it must be no shock that this newest 357 LXF falls proper in place as a premier 35-foot sport-fisher with basic Scout styling, cutting-edge expertise, considerable energy and luxury galore.   

Specs

Scout Boats – Summerville, South Carolina; scoutboats.com