Given the model’s history in Key West, the 43 Scarab is a worthy feature as this month’s Blast From the Past, and one of the first purpose-built 43-foot Scarab Poker Run models was the famous Smokin’ Joe. Dubbed the Scarab 43 SCS (Super Competition Series), the boat had stand-up bolsters for six people and was powered by triple Mercury Hi-Performance 1000 SC supercharged engines with No. 6 drives. When we tested the boat at Powerboat magazine, I rode shotgun, taking down performance numbers while test driver Bob Teague piloted the boat. To this day, I remember thinking how smoothly it rode at 100 mph as I wrote down the speeds.
