History

The story of the Kona and Scarab Boats started in 1966 when Larry Smith, Peter Rothschild and Chuck Diagh won the US Offshore Championship. Competition that year included Dick Bertrum (Bertrum Yachts), Don Arrnow (Cigarette).

Chuck Diagh and Carol Shelby campaigned Lance Reventlows Scarab race cars to championships 1958-1962. Larry Smith went on to found Team Scarab Inc in 1975, and registered the Scarab trade mark for boats. Team Scarab won the US Production title in 1976 and the World Offshore Championship in 1977. Betty Cook racing a 38 Scarab became the first woman to win a World Championship in a motorized event. Team Scarab won numerous championships, set Kilo records and established many endurance records over the next 20 years.

In 1990 Team Scarab developed a small jet boat for Universal Studios that was featured in the Miami Vice Stunt Show in Orlando FL and Burbank CA. This boat was also used to develop the Volvo PJX water jet licensed to VOLVO Marine and later used to develop the Proluxe mid engine diesel RIB for ZODIAC. This boat was inspired by a demo ride Fabio Buzzi gave Larry on Lake Como in the late 1970's. The boat was one of Fabio's first designs, a 16' "one design race boat" called the FIMJET. It was pure fun to drive and became a successful class for the Italian Racing Federation! Based on all the history and the successful boats Kona Concepts has now created the new 17' jet boat in a Sprint version that has the best performance and is the most fun of any jet boat on the water.

In addition to the Sprint version, this new jet boat is now available as a four seat 17 Kona Sport and Scarib Sport Rib. Additionally, we have electric versions of this boat as 5 passenger Twin Electric OB powered Sport Boat and Sport Rib.