When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Scout 177 Winyah 2013 and the Scout 187 Sportfish 2008 are modified vee designs with fiberglass construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
On paper these two are close siblings in the size department — Scout 177 Winyah 2013 at 17,6 ft versus Scout 187 Sportfish 2008 at 18,0 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Scout 187 Sportfish 2008 tips the scales at 151 lbs — 150 lbs less than the Scout 177 Winyah 2013 at 1 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 115 hp for the Scout 177 Winyah 2013 and 115 hp for the Scout 187 Sportfish 2008. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Scout 187 Sportfish 2008 carries 45 gallons versus 2 gallons in the Scout 177 Winyah 2013. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Scout 187 Sportfish 2008 is rated for 6 passengers, while the Scout 177 Winyah 2013 caps at 5. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Scout 187 Sportfish 2008 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Scout 177 Winyah 2013 comes in at 0 lbs per hp versus 1 lbs per hp for the Scout 187 Sportfish 2008. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
Bottom line: Choose the Scout 187 Sportfish 2008 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 6 passengers and at 18,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Scout 177 Winyah 2013 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 5 that costs less to run day-to-day.