Scout calls it a fish-n-ski but that evokes an image of a modified bass boat or dinky bowrider with a couple rodholders tacked on. Purge that notion from your mind and feast on what the 245 Dorado really is: A dual console with big-water chops.
With a 24’5″ LOA, the 245 Dorado is large for this style of boat, but its hull design (called NuV3) gives it a surprisingly smooth ride. Scout designed this boat with a sharp forefoot and a variable deadrise that starts at 19 degrees amidships and transitions to 20 degrees, then 21 degrees aft. Designers also added wide chines and more aggressive strakes to help give the bow more lift and keep down the spray. This is a smooth-handling, dry boat that hops quickly onto plane between the 3000 and 3500 rpm mark on its Yamaha F250, although there was a little more bowrise than I like while climbing over the hump.
Passengers riding in the bow area will feel secure thanks to the deep bowrail typically found on center consoles made to run outside the inlet. The 245 Dorado earns points for its good looks, too, particularly if you spring for the sleek all-fiberglass hard top ($6,143) with powder-coated aluminum support arch. The setup features two rocket launchers per side as well as built-in stereo speakers and spreader lights. It also has a full enclosure to turn the boat into a mini express or a quasi pilothouse when the weather gets nasty. Scout gussies up the swim platforms with Flexi Teak, a synthetic deck material also found on the cockpit sole between both consoles and captain’s chairs.
Scout appeases the fishing set with inwale rodracks (two per side), gunwale topside rodholders (six), an aerated baitwell, tackle center, and insole fishbox with a diaphragm pump. To bring big fish into the boat, flip down the “wave gate” that separates the motorwell from the cockpit, although you then must deal with the prop. For the hardcore angler, all that is missing as standard equipment is a raw-water washdown to spray away bait and blood, which you’ll want to clean up promptly to keep the 245 Dorado looking sharp for the boarders, cruisers, and partiers in the family.
MSRP: Standard power – $70,971 Test power – $73,554
Contact: 843.821.0068 www.scoutboats.com
