Sonny Crockett's Boat: What's In A Name?

James Sonny Crockett, the character played by Don Johnson in the 1980s crime drama Miami Vice, had a boat called the St. Vitus Dance. The name is a reference to St. Vitus, the patron saint of epileptics, dancers, comedians, and actors. The sailboat was Crockett's home, rarely leaving its berth in Miami's luxurious Miamarina. It served as a floating apartment, helping Crockett maintain his cover as a wealthy, drug-dealing undercover detective.

Sonny Crockett's boat in 'Miami Vice' was called the St. Vitus Dance

Sonny Crockett, played by Don Johnson, lived on a sailing yacht called the St. Vitus Dance in the 1980s crime drama Miami Vice. The name is a reference to St. Vitus, the patron saint of epileptics, dancers, comedians, and actors, and also an archaic name for the rare neurological disease Sydenham's chorea.

The St. Vitus Dance was moored in Miami's luxurious Miamarina (now known as Bayside Marketplace) and rarely left its berth, serving more as a floating apartment than a means of transportation or recreation. This extravagant lifestyle suited Crockett's wealthy, drug-dealing undercover persona, and the yacht also offered a convenient escape to the open ocean if needed. Living on the yacht helped Crockett maintain his double life as an undercover detective and drug-dealing middleman Sonny Burnett, and the lack of a fixed address kept him "off the radar". The yacht also provided a unique setting for entertaining guests and associates from his undercover work.

The St. Vitus Dance was portrayed by three different yachts during the show's five seasons. In the pilot episode, Crockett lived on a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which was replaced by an Endeavour 40 when the show was picked up as a series. At the start of season 2, the boat was upgraded to a larger Endeavour 42, although some footage of the Endeavour 40 was still used in certain episodes. By season 3, the Endeavour 42 became the only boat featured, remaining so for the rest of the series.

While the St. Vitus Dance served as Crockett's residence, it also played a more active role in certain assignments. On some occasions, he used the yacht to "vanish" witnesses, taking them out to sea where it would be harder for potential hitmen to locate and reach them. In one such operation, the sailboat was shot up by gunmen but was apparently repaired soon after, as it continued to appear in the series.

In addition to the yacht, Crockett also used a silver, blue, and black 1986 Wellcraft SCARAB 38' KV for water-based activities and pursuits throughout most of the show's run. This powerboat replaced his Chris Craft Stinger from season 1, as the producers sought a racier look and feel.

The St. Vitus Dance was a sailing yacht

The yacht was moored in Miami's luxurious marina, providing a floating apartment for Crockett and reinforcing his wealthy, drug-dealing undercover persona. It served as a functional space for Crockett's undercover dealings, allowing him to host associates and keep his activities discreet. The yacht's mobility also provided a convenient means of escape to the open ocean if necessary.

During the show's five seasons, three different yachts were used to portray the St. Vitus Dance. In the pilot episode, Crockett lived on a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which was replaced by an Endeavour 40 when the show was picked up as a series. At the start of season 2, the boat was upgraded to a larger Endeavour 42, with some footage of the Endeavour 40 still used in certain episodes. By season 3, the Endeavour 42 became the primary vessel for the remainder of the series.

The Endeavour 42 version of the St. Vitus Dance featured two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was purchased by Albert Tropea and Ronda Rinald, owners of the Key West Sailing Adventure charter company, and underwent extensive repairs and restoration. The yacht is now part of their charter business and is available for private charters, offering a unique experience for fans of "Miami Vice" and sailing enthusiasts alike.

Crockett's boat was portrayed by three different yachts during the show's five seasons

Crockett's boat on Miami Vice was called the St. Vitus Dance. It was portrayed by three different yachts over the course of the show's five seasons.

In the pilot episode, Crockett lived on a Cabo Rico 38 sailboat. When the show was picked up, the boat changed to an Endeavour 40. At the start of season 2, the boat became a larger Endeavour 42, although some footage of the Endeavour 40 was still used in some episodes. By season 3, the Endeavour 42 was the only boat seen and remained so for the rest of the series.

The use of both the 40 and 42 during season 2 suggests that these were supposed to be the same yacht, but it was never stated on the show if this was the case or if they were different vessels all christened the St. Vitus Dance.

The Endeavour 42 had a top speed of 80mph and featured a salon with a full galley and a two-cabin layout. The teak table in the salon folded down for dining and was latched while sailing. The yacht had two bedrooms and two bathrooms and could sleep up to six people.

The Wellcraft Scarab was another boat used by Crockett in 'Miami Vice'

The Wellcraft Scarab was another boat used by Crockett in Miami Vice. It was a silver, blue and black 1986 Wellcraft Scarab 38 KV, which replaced his Chris Craft Stinger from season 1. The Scarab was used for any water-based activities Crockett's job required, usually pursuing criminals on Miami's waterways. The show's producers chose the boat for its racier look and feel.

The Scarab's first appearance was brief and came 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 two episodes later, in the shootout at Stiltsville in "Out Where the Buses Don't Run". From then on, the Scarab remained Crockett's primary means of aquatic transportation for the rest of the series, although he occasionally used other boats when a specific situation called for it.

Several different Scarabs were used to portray Crockett's boat. Initially, two boats were used, which were virtually identical in appearance. Starting with season 4, a third boat was introduced that had several more obvious differences when compared to the first two, including a silver hull below the waterline and a pair of double searchlights. A fourth and final boat appeared only in the episode "Miami Squeeze" and was onscreen for just four seconds.

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. As a result of the significant sales increase Wellcraft enjoyed following the boat's appearance on Miami Vice, the company gave Don Johnson, an avid powerboat enthusiast, an exact replica of the main boat used during filming.

The Scarabsection=Scarab boats were silver, blue and black

In the hit TV show *Miami Vice*, James "Sonny" Crockett's boat was a silver, blue and black 1986 Wellcraft Scarab 38' KV. The Scarab replaced Crockett's Chris Craft Stinger from season 1. The sleek powerboat was used for any water-based activities his job required, usually pursuing criminals on Miami's waterways. The show's producers wanted a boat with a racier look and feel, and so they moved from the Stinger to the Scarab.

The Scarab's first notable appearance in *Miami Vice* was in the second season's premiere episode, "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 the episode "Out Where the Buses Don't Run", two episodes later. While the Scarab was Crockett's primary means of aquatic transportation for the remainder of the series, other boats were occasionally used when the situation called for it.

Several different Scarabs were used to portray Crockett's offshore boat. Initially, two boats were used, 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 on top of the arch. A fourth and final boat appeared only in the episode "Miami Squeeze" and was on-screen for just 4 seconds.

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. Due to the significant sales increase Wellcraft enjoyed following the boat's appearance on *Miami Vice*, the company gave Don Johnson, who played Crockett, an exact replica of the main boat used for filming. Johnson was a powerboat enthusiast and often arrived on set driving the boat. He 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. Johnson went on to race professionally in the OPT Tour (Offshore Powerboat Tour) in a 50-foot Revenge catamaran for Team USA.

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