Dear Scout Boats,

Here’s a photo of me and the Scout where I used to moor it on the Kona Coast off the Big Island of Hawaii on Kealakekua Bay.

My fiancee and I moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida from Maui, Hawaii where we had one of what we believe were only two Scouts in the Hawaiian Islands: a 2006 175 w 115 that he had bought at a boat show somewhere on the mainland and added a nice T Top. I went on to have the top modified so that it could fold down and I shipped her over to Maui.

What a fantastic boat. The way the hull design squishes chop is just amazing. I could run in waters that a 21 foot traditional design would be slamming and soaking and uncomfortable. At first I thought the 115 was going to be too big but as it ends up it the boat handled the weight nicely (two extra batteries we put in the center console seemed to help the balance) and we ran at a reduced rpm for the same speed than if we had had the 90HP. The fuel economy on this boat was just dazzling. I would run along side friends to various islands and bays and I would consistently use half or less the fuel. And, the fit and finish on the boat, was the envy of anyone who looked at her. With the break away trailer and foldable T top she even fit inside my garage and stayed sparkling clean.

Like so many people these past three years, I lost a lifetime’s accumulation of property, IRAs, investments and so on being an optimist in a diving economy. My last asset to go was that 175 Scout which I sold to the University of Hawaii water research department for near coastal water quality research. So after retiring from creating the largest manufacturer’s rep group in the homecare respiratory products arena I have found I needed to go back to work. We’ve moved to Fort Lauderdale, have a house with a canal half a mile from the boat show location and ten minutes to the oceans and so my first thoughts since arriving two months ago was how to get another Scout. I discovered a 2000 anniversary addition 175 with 100HP in great shape and have purchased it.

I’m so impressed that a boat could be in such like new condition after 10 years in the Florida Sun. My fiance’s name is Merri Wake. So that’s what we will name the boat, The Merri Wake.

I write all of this with such familiarity because as a manufacturer’s rep I learned long ago that the people who actually work in the plants to create beautiful things like to sometimes hear about the happiness they are spreading in the world. I think this is the year that Scout celebrates their 20th anniversary and I wanted to write and let you know that your life’s work is both appreciated and inspiring. Thank you.

Bruce Benner
Ft. Lauderdale, FL