The long-awaited Scout 670 reimagines what a center console can be.
When reports first began to trickle in that South Carolina’s Scout Boats was planning on building the world’s largest center console, it was perhaps not the most surprising thing. After all, center consoles have been expanding for more than a decade. The meteoric growth of LOAs in this sector of the industry was powered—both literally and figuratively—by the commensurate growth of outboard engines. Not so long ago, a 300-hp power plant was considered burly. These days, the 600-hp Mercury Verado V12s have changed that conversation dramatically. And that’s exactly what is bolted onto the transom of the Scout 670 which made her debut at the Palm Beach International Boat Show in March. Of course, there were five of them, culminating in a total of 3,000 horsepower. Did I mention that this luxury center console is big?
To see the 670 from the docks is to have a nearly surreal experience. It looks like the 35-, 45-, and 55-foot center consoles we are all used to seeing. But it just. Keeps. Going. The shearline is beautifully cambered from the top of the bow back just past the console, where a knuckle breaks into a flat line above the cockpit creating a look that is masculine but also sleek. A shard of a hullside window forward heightens the look and gives the boat the sexy vibe of a big-time chase boat, a purpose for which I imagine she will be quite popular.
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Get Going
Stepping onto the truncated swim platform, it’s impossible not to notice the massive outboards towering next to you like the starting five at Duke. Those burly power plants get this boat up to the magic 60-mph mark, a number that to me has always signified the entrée into the world of go-fasts. It’s important to note that even the fastest convertibles—a market segment against which this model will undoubtedly compete—don’t crest 50 mph. So whether you’re headed over to Albany for a tee time or out to troll a weedline for some mahi, the Scout will get you there faster than any sportfish, and by a considerable margin. This 670 cruises at a very athletic 40 mph. At that speed, she has a range of 500 nautical miles. That means she can get you from Charleston, South Carolina, to Palm Beach, Florida, in just one full day’s worth of hard charging.
This 670 has been so popular with buyers that wheel time for journalists has been a bit limited. But Southern Boating editor-in-chief Steve Davis was impressed with his sea trial. “First of all, I just can’t get over how big it is,” he says with a sense of bewilderment. “But she behaves just like any other center console—fast and agile. She also gave me a sense of real confidence through S turns. The hull felt grippy. The boat also got up on plane quickly and easily, which was something I was wondering if she’d do or not. I think the quintuple outboards are the right power package for this Scout, and it was pretty clear to me that they had the props dialed in at the right pitch. My only concern was that I thought the line of forward sight at the helm was a little constricted because of windshield height, but it isn’t an overbearing issue and not one that I think affects this boat’s safety.”
To Fish or Not
The Scout 670’s cockpit, like much of this model, is a tour de force. Perhaps the most impressive thing about it is the fold-down terraces to port and starboard that create one huge entertainment space. Built into the terraces is a step that folds inward making for easy boarding. There are eight rodholders in the transom for fishing. While this is not really a tournament boat, it makes a heck of a gentleman’s angler. To that end, there are twin livewells to either side of some transom seating, two 60-gallon in-sole fish boxes, and nine rocket launchers bolted onto the hardtop. An aft-facing bench makes for a great place to look for a bend in a rod and has both a grill and a sink flanking it to either side, as well as extra stowage. An electrically actuated sunshade extends aft from the console to throw shade over the whole shebang—welcome respite from the sun for those with a little red in their beard (like yours truly).
A seating area forward of the cockpit has twin lacquered-teak tables and a bar with three stools. A hidden joystick docking station to starboard helps the captain slide this boat into its slip with ease. One cool detail in this area and the rest of the boat is that the air-conditioning vents are the same as seen on a Mercedes G Wagon. Scout sources them from a Mercedes plant nearby the shipyard.
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From the Inside Out
The interior portion of the console functions as a de facto salon. It is reached via a glass door to port. Notably, an electrically actuated glass window to starboard slides down, joining the alfresco bar with the interior. (As an aside, I find it really hard sometimes to classify this boat as a center console because the console can be fully enclosed. Frankly, I think it’s more of a walkaround.) The interior has a sizable galley to port with a two-burner cooktop, an oven, and a stainless steel sink. A breakfast nook opposite with U-shaped seating and a folding teak table has nice views out of the window and of the drop-down television to port.
At the helm, the captain has four screens split across the centerline of the boat, and there are four seats as well. Electrically actuated windows to either side of the helm really open the space nicely, while a large sunroof overhead complements the breezy feel. So while the boat is technically enclosed, you have plenty of options if you want the wind in your hair.
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Below on the accommodations level is where the true size of this model shines through. It’s a three-stateroom boat, which is as unbelievable to me as I type this as it was when I saw it. Aft is a VIP with a queen-size berth to port and a guest stateroom with twin bunks to starboard. Amidships, there is a lounge with a sofa and another television, as well as a dayhead. There is a master in the forepeak with another queen-size berth and private access to the head. Stowage here is hidden everywhere, meaning that this boat could be used for long weekends aboard or perhaps even longer stays if the owner so desired.
The final part of the 670 that needs to be discussed is a really impressive bow lounge. If I am not running the boat, this is likely where you’ll find me on calm and warm days. I simply love a good bow lounge, and this one sings to me. Sunpads with flip-up seating and loads of cupholders cascade down into even more seating farther up the bow. A technical space forward of that aids with docking and will likely be much appreciated by the captain or his mate.
Thinking back on the Scout 670 as I write this, I am still a bit gobstopped. While many people have read about this model or perhaps seen video of it, I think it’s such a distinctive boat that it needs to be seen in person to really understand the magnitude of the project—both in its sheer size and the scope of the vision to even attempt such a thing. Scout built this boat under the name Project Everest harking not only to the world’s tallest mountain but also to the challenges of scaling it. I think that was a fitting name for the builder to work under, as what they have accomplished is nothing short of breathtaking.
-By Kevin Koenig
SCOUT 670 SPECIFICATIONS
LOA: 66′ 9″
Beam: 16′ 2″
Draft: 3′ 5″
Power: 5x Mercury Verado V12 @ 600-hp
Top/Cruise Speed: 60/40 mph
Fuel/Water: 1,500/118 U.S. gals.
Contact: Scout
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