Miami Vice's Iconic Boat: Crockett's Vessel Explored

James Sonny Crockett, the fictional detective in Miami Vice, had a number of boats throughout the show's run. Crockett's boats included a 1984 Chris Craft Stinger 390x, a Wellcraft Scarab, and a sailing yacht called the St. Vitus Dance. The St. Vitus Dance was a 42-foot Endeavour sailboat that served as Crockett's home in the show, while the Wellcraft Scarab was used for high-speed pursuits and featured in several notable scenes. The boats featured in the show have since become iconic, with some being restored and sold to enthusiasts.

Crockett's boat in Miami Vice was a Wellcraft Scarab 38 KV

The show's producers wanted a boat with a racier look and feel, and while Chris Craft, the manufacturers of the Stinger, were originally set to provide the replacement, they pressured Universal to purchase the new boats instead of leasing them, as they had done for season one. The studio refused and, as a result, they moved to Wellcraft and the Scarab.

The Scarab was featured in several popular music scenes in the show, including "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)", "Eminence Front", "Yin and Yang and the Flowerpot Man", and "Running on the Rocks".

Wellcraft produced and sold a copy of the boat used on the show, the Scarab 38' KV Miami Vice Edition. Only 33 were made, although the unique colour scheme could be ordered on other boats in the company's range.

In real life, Don Johnson, who played Crockett, is a powerboat enthusiast. As a result of the significant sales increase Wellcraft enjoyed following the boat's use on Miami Vice, the company gave Johnson an exact replica of the main boat he used while filming.

Johnson also worked with Wellcraft to design the 43' Scarab Excel Don Johnson Signature Series, which was powered by twin 650-hp Lamborghini V-12 engines. He went on to race professionally for a few years in the OPT Tour (Offshore Powerboat Tour) in a 50-foot Revenge catamaran for Team USA.

The Scarab replaced a Chris-Craft Stinger from season 1

James "Sonny" Crockett, the fictional undercover detective in Miami Vice, used a blue and white 1984 Chris-Craft Stinger 390x for high-speed aquatic transportation in season one of the show. The boat was well-suited to Crockett's undercover persona as a high-rolling drug dealer and allowed him to pursue drug runners over water and impress dealers, who often organised powerboat races.

However, from season two onwards, Crockett replaced the Chris-Craft Stinger with a silver, blue and black 1986 Wellcraft Scarab 38' KV. The change in Crockett's powerboat between seasons was due to the show's producers wanting a boat with a racier look and feel. Initially, the producers considered replacing the Stinger with another boat from its manufacturer, Chris-Craft. However, Chris-Craft pressured Universal to purchase the new boats instead of leasing them, as had been done for season one. Universal refused and consequently turned to Wellcraft and the Scarab.

The Scarab became Crockett's primary means of aquatic transportation for the remainder of the series, although he occasionally used other boats when specific situations called for it. The Scarab's first appearance was in the second-season premiere, "The Prodigal Son", when Crockett and Tubbs go to see drug dealer Newton Windsor Blade. Its first major appearance was in the shootout at Stiltsville in the episode "Out Where the Buses Don't Run", two episodes later.

The actual Scarab used in the series was for sale for about $55,000 in Miami in the mid-1980s. Wellcraft capitalised on the boat's fame by producing and selling a Miami Vice edition of the Scarab 38' KV. Only 33 were made, although customers could order the unique colour scheme on other boats in the company's range.

The St. Vitus Dance was the name of Crockett's sailboat

The St. Vitus Dance served as both a home and a means of escape for Crockett, a detective who lived undercover as a drug dealer. Moored in Miami's luxurious Miamarina (now known as Bayside Marketplace), the sailboat rarely left its berth, acting more like a floating apartment. This allowed Crockett to keep his lives as an undercover detective and drug-dealing middleman separate. The lack of a fixed address also helped him stay "off the radar" and made him harder to find.

The yacht also provided a convenient escape to the relative safety of the open ocean when needed. For example, Crockett used the St. Vitus Dance to "vanish" witnesses in the episodes "Lombard" and "Line of Fire", taking them out to sea where it would be more difficult for potential hitmen to find them. In "Line of Fire", the sailboat was badly shot up by gunmen, but it was apparently repaired soon after as Crockett continued to use it as his residence for the rest of the series.

In addition to its functional purposes, the yacht also provided an unorthodox residence for Crockett to entertain his (usually female) guests. Both Gina and Theresa Lyons regularly stayed on the yacht, and associates from his undercover work, such as Jake Pierson, would often visit him there to discuss business.

The St. Vitus Dance was recently restored and is now available for charter in the Florida Keys.

Crockett's boat was portrayed by four different boats over the course of the show

However, from season 2 onwards, Crockett replaced his boat with a silver, blue and black 1986 Wellcraft Scarab 38' KV. The show's producers wanted a boat with a racier look and feel. Initially, two boats were used on the show, which were virtually identical in appearance. Starting with season 4, a third boat was introduced with more obvious differences, including a silver hull below the waterline and a pair of double searchlights fitted on top of the arch. A fourth and final boat appeared only in the episode "Miami Squeeze" and was onscreen for just 4 seconds.

The Stinger made several notable appearances in the show, including in the "Miami Vice Theme", where Tubbs tries to evade Crockett in the pilot episode, and in "Born to Be Wild", where Crockett takes part in a boat race around Miami in "The Great McCarthy". The Scarab was also featured in several popular music scenes, including "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)", where it makes its first appearance, and "Eminence Front", where it appears in a nighttime drug deal in "Killshot".

In addition to these powerboats, Crockett also lived on a sailing yacht, the St. Vitus Dance, which was portrayed by three different yachts during the show's five seasons. In the pilot episode, the yacht was a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which changed to an Endeavour 40 once the show was picked up as a series. At the start of season 2, the boat changed to a larger Endeavour 42, and by season 3, this was the only boat seen for the remainder of the series.

The Scarab had a top speed of 52 knots

James "Sonny" Crockett, the fictional undercover detective in Miami Vice, used a Wellcraft Scarab 38' KV powerboat for his high-speed aquatic activities from season 2 onwards. The Scarab had a top speed of 52 knots, or 80 mph, and was powered by twin 440hp V8 Mercruiser petrol engines. The distinctive sound of these engines was an authentic 'rolling thunder' American muscleboat noise.

The Scarab replaced Crockett's slower Chris Craft Stinger from season 1, which could only reach 60 mph. The Stinger was a good fit for Crockett's undercover persona as a wealthy, high-rolling drug dealer, and it also gave him the capability to pursue drug runners over water. However, the show's producers wanted a boat with a racier look and feel for the second season, so they approached Wellcraft, who offered them a deal they couldn't refuse.

The Scarab's first notable appearance was in the second season premiere, "The Prodigal Son", when Crockett and Tubbs go to see drug dealer Newton Windsor Blade. However, its first major appearance was in the shootout at Stiltsville in "Out Where the Buses Don't Run", two episodes later. Crockett's Scarab remained his primary means of aquatic transportation for the remainder of the series, although he occasionally used other boats when the situation called for it.

The actual Scarab used in the series was for sale for about $55,000 in Miami in the mid-1980s. Wellcraft also produced and sold a Miami Vice Edition of the boat, although only 33 were made. Don Johnson, the actor who played Crockett and a powerboat enthusiast himself, was given an exact replica of the main boat by Wellcraft after the show led to a significant increase in sales for the company.

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