Scout 262 Abaco: outboard-powered express fishing boat

Scout Boats - 262 Abaco (2010)



Captain's Report

Fishing is made even more fun when you do it from a head-turning design specifically for pulling our finny friends out of the briny. A boat that has all the accessories you need - fishboxes, bait wells, tackle drawers, washdown - built-in as standard equipment is a given these days, but some boats are just not very pretty on the outside.

 

The Scout brand is growing in popularity and the lines of this Scout 262 Abaco helps explain why.

Raw water washdown is standard, along with cockpit coaming bolsters and pull-up transom cleats that won't snag your lines.

Mission: Fishing

Scout's Abaco series of express-style fishboats includes five models, from the 225 to the 350; all the Abacos are designed from the start for serious offshore fishing. The Express 262, at 26'2" LOA, is right in the middle of the range. With a 35-sq. ft. cockpit, gunwale rod holders, horizontal racks for 4 rods, port and starboard tackle drawers, a live well (20 gals.) and fish/ice box (192 qts.), this boat is ready to chase the finny ones.

Rod stowage, coaming bolsters, tackle drawers port and starboard - all are standard. There's stowage for three more rods in the cabin.

Unique Hull Design

For all-weather fishing in a boat this size, you can't beat a deep-V hull for riding comfort. This has been the design of choice for open-water work since Ray Hunt perfected it 50 years ago. But the deep-V has drawbacks: It requires more power to reach equal speed than a flatter-bottomed hull (which means burning more fuel), and is very rock-and-roll-y at rest.

Over the past half-century, many designers and builders have tweaked the basic deep-V to try to tune-out these negatives or at least to mitigate them to some degree, and Scout is no exception. The company's NuV3 hull - they call it "convex" - uses variable deadrise angles to reduce drag, and power demands, at high speed while adding stability at rest.

Thank heaven for the multi-function GPS/plotter/fishfinder; small boats with limited helm space can now have it all. Gauges are by Yamaha, the only engine option.

The NuV3 hull is sharper in the lower sections, along the keel, which is where the hull rides when on plane; the sharp sections cut through the waves, making the ride comfortable - or at least bearable - in rough seas. At rest, the flatter upper hull sections provide initial stability, similar to a lower-deadrise modified-V or even flat bottomed hull. Although the NuV3 hull is exclusive to Scout, the concept of variable deadrise isn't - other companies employ similar bottoms, with similar, successful, results.

The deadrise of the hull at the transom is 21-degrees, just 3-degrees off the 24-degrees that is the Ray Hunt deep-V benchmark.

Rugged Construction

Fisherman are hard on their boats, so their boats must be built tough as nails. Company president Steve Potts has more than 30 years of boatbuilding experience, which he's used to develop construction methods that make Scouts among the best boats built in class, in our opinion. First, Potts developed a reverse-shoebox hull-to-deck joint, stronger than the common deck-over-hull joint; it also prevents water from being forced through the joint in rough water. If you've ever gone below after a boisterous ride home from the fishing grounds to find the V-berth cushions soaking wet, you know what we mean.

Tired of fishing? Take a seat. The motion back aft is easiest when running in rough water, as long as the roar of the outboards doesn't bother you. Note the transom rod holders.

Scouts are built wood-free, with composite transoms and stringers. No wood means no rot, which means lots more years of trouble-free boating. (Marine plywood suppliers contend that their material will not rot and some offer a life-time warranty. But they don't say that their plywood won't soak up water, get heavy and soft.)


The two main longitudinal stringers pass through the transom and are bonded to the engine mount. This distributes the thrust of the engines over the hull proper, rather than concentrating it on the transom, reducing stresses and improving structural durability. The company calls this the "Scout Strata-Mount."

There's not much room for luxury in a boat like the 262 Abaco, but Scout does a good job with the space they have.

We like this layout because it is so unique. A Clarion AM/FM/CD player is standard, Sirius satellite radio optional. Other options include a microwave oven, air conditioning and shore power.

Accommodations

Don't expect below decks luxury in a boat like the Express 262 Abaco. The cabin is basic, with a berth forward, a quarter berth and basic galley with a butane stove, a 12v. refrigerator and cold running water. But there is an enclosed head with a proper china toilet and a shower (but remember "cold water"). Just in case you forgot the mission of this boat, there's also rack stowage for three more rods forward.

A fully enclosed head is a plus - it makes a long day of fishing easier on everybody. There's 6 gallons of fresh water, enough for a very short, cold shower. We like seeing a real marine head, not a portable.

This quarter berth will likely be the most comfortable place to sleep when under way, and maybe at dockside, too. We like the handy drink holder and ample padding.

Propulsion

Maximum horsepower is 300, and the standard Express 262 Abaco comes with twin four-stroke Yamaha 150 outboards. Nothing unusual here. We haven't tested extensively the boat, but Yamaha has: They claim top speed of 50.5 mph, most-efficient cruise of 32.3 mph, burning 13.5 gph for a mileage of 2.39 mpg. This is above average for a boat this size with twins, and will permit a cruising range of about 280 miles on 130 gals. of fuel, with a 10% reserve. That will take you plenty far offshore, let you fish all day, and get you home without backing into your slip on fumes.

Standard and Optional Equipment

Recommendation

If you're serious about fishing and are shopping for a 25-to-30 foot express outboard boat that will take you offshore, there are a number of worthy options on the market. But when you compare the build quality, amenities, performance and price we think that the Scout will be on your very short list.

The 262 Abaco's MSRP of $120,910 is very competitive for a boat in this class and of this quality. Add electronics and a few options - you'll want a hardtop or arch for the radar; we recommend the former, with full enclosure -- and you'll be into an excellent boat for somewhere in the low- to mid-$130,000 range. That ain't hay, but unless you really catch canyon fever, the 262 Abaco will be all the boat you need for many years, and costs less than many others.