The 330 LXF from Scout Boats, a sporty and purposeful fishing machine also offering appointments that ramp up comfort to a luxurious level, epitomizes the evolution of today’s center-consoles and Scout’s perennial quest for the ideal blend of fishability and convenience.
Amenities like twin high-back helm seats, posh forward loungers, a retractable bow dining table, a lounger on the forward console, and an optional, motorized cockpit shade can spoil anglers accustomed to more spartan accommodations.
According to Josh Slayton, Scout product specialist, the 330 LXF is one of the S-class models, built with double-stepped hulls for greater efficiency and performance. The sweeping sheerline, Carolina-style bow flare, and classic tumblehome of the stern quarters lend a yachtlike air. The 10-foot-4-inch beam results in ample deck room and greater stability, both at rest and also while trolling.
Propelled by twin Yamaha 425 XTO outboards bolted to the integral motor bracket/swim platform, the 330 LXF planed in 5 seconds, and reached 30 mph in 8.2 seconds. Top speed was 66.4 mph at 6,100 rpm, where the twin Yamahas drank 76.6 gph for 0.87 mpg. The sweet spot for fuel economy was 3,500 rpm and 32 mph as the outboards burned 22.2 gph for 1.5 mpg.
While waters off Key Largo, Florida, were calm during our test, we created our own rough seas by carving a series of high-speed turns and crossing back over our wake. The 330 LXF felt solid, with nary a creak or rattle, thanks to Scout’s 100 percent hand-laid construction and advanced epoxy infusion. And it handled with confidence-inspiring precision, riding silky-smooth through our self-generated 3-foot waves.
The test boat came equipped with Zipwake interceptor trim tabs, but we did not find it necessary to use them. The double-stepped hull lifted nicely with little bow rise, easily maintaining a near-level trim angle.
The hardtop of the 330 LXF integrates seamlessly with the full-height, tempered-glass windshield and side windows, as well as the center console itself. On the dash, a Yamaha CL7 display monitors the twin outboards and interfaces with the Yamaha Helm Master system that includes a joystick among other features. A standard Fusion stereo delivers audio to 10 JL 7.7-inch speakers, and for finding fish and navigating, our test boat came with optional Garmin 8616 multifunction displays set flush in the wide helm panel, networked with Garmin chirp sonar, xHD2 radar and GHP 40 autopilot. The optional 12-volt -air-conditioning system cooling the helm deck was a welcome addition.
A workstation abaft the helm seating features a sink and freshwater faucet for rigging baits or prepping food. The station also can be equipped with either a grill or a mini fridge. It includes raw and freshwater washdown spigots, as well as three tackle drawers on the port side, and a handy trash bin in a cabinet to starboard. A Yeti Tundra 65 slides out from underneath
Six rod holders along the transom provide handy stowage with quick access. Racks under the covering boards and shelves on the gunwales provide stowage for more rods and small items, such as sunscreen. A 21-gallon covered livewell is nestled in the the port quarter, and to ice down the catch, twin 132-quarter in-sole fish lockers bracket the aft deck. A flip-out transom bench offers a great place to take a load off, but quickly folds away when it’s time to fish.
The anchor deploys from an in-stem chute/roller, and an electric windlass concealed under the anchor-locker hatch makes retrieval a breeze. Abundant dry stowage hides under the lounger and forward seat. An optional, retractable rocket launcher holds five rods on the aft edge of the hardtop. It’s designed to tilt down electrically, allowing deployment of the motorized shade from the hardtop to provide relief from the sun to the aft cockpit.
Accessed via a port-side companionway, the step-down center-console interior boasts 6 feet, 3 inches of headroom, a 6-foot-long berth that accommodates two adults, and an electric marine toilet.
Coaming pads encircle the interior of the 330 LXF to cushion your legs while fishing, and recessed grab rails extend from midship to bow for added safety. A transom gate in the starboard quarter offers access to the swim platform, in case you need to work fish around the outboards, and a beefy inward-opening door is built into the cockpit’s port side, granting easy boarding from floating docks, and enabling the crew to pull in a big wahoo, tuna or swordfish.
Ultimately, the Scout 330 LXF is like an apex predator. It’s sleek, and has the speed, agility and all the tools to successfully capture prey. Its abundance of creature comforts make it more enjoyable for the crew to go out on the hunt.
Specifications
Length: 32′9″ | Beam: 10′4″ | Draft: 27″ | Deadrise: 24 degrees | Fuel: 265 gal. | Weight: 9,545 lb. | Max HP: 900 | Price: $414,602 w/ twin Yamaha 425 XTOs and Helm Master | Scout Boats: scoutboats.com
Test Conditions
Weather: Sunny | Location: Key Largo, Florida | Wind: Calm | Sea State: 1-foot waves | Test Load: Two adults, 100 gallons of fuel
