2005 Scout 180 Bay

The 180 Bay Scout is best described as a hybrid sports fisher blending the best of a flats or deck boat — things like fore and aft casting platforms, for example — with a smart center console. A lot of thought has gone into keeping the decks snag-free for saltwater fly fishing or light tackle work. And, while it’s a low profile boat, there’s a high degree of buoyancy for trolling the washes around headlands and running to near-shore reefs in fair weather.
The integrity of this boat begins with the impressive hull, a so-called Air-Assisted number with a moderate 16 degrees of deadrise aft, a planing plank, and wide chines designed for static buoyancy and lift when underway. Scout touts fuel efficiency as one of its manufacturing strengths, but another is surely the construction.
The handlaid hull and deck are joined with a reverse shoebox joint and bonded. There is not a splinter of timber in the boat. It has composite stringers and closed-cell foam filling instead. All Scout boats, including this Bay model, have level and upright buoyancy and this 180 is self draining, with waterproof hatches and overboard discharge. Thus, there’s no stinky bilge full of fish slime.
The Bay Scout boasts an upmarket fitout. There’s high-density foam and top-quality vinyl for all the seats, two-part moulded hatches with gelcoat on both sides, stainless steel rub rails, drinkholders and rodholders – with drains, no less – and all through-hull fittings, which are bronze with double hose clips, have glassed-in reinforcing. The attention to detail is great.