I like them. Good freeboard for a 29ft boat, roomy cabin. There is a built in swim platform so its more like a 27 er 28ft. I think twin 350's is the perfect setup for a 28-30ft boat. It makes for a VERY reliable package and cheap to maintain. For $40K I think there are better boats, but each to his own.

If I'm not mistaken the 29 scarab is narrower than most 28 ft boats. I wanna say 7' 10", but I may be wrong. Most others - pantera, apache, fountain all have 8'6". A narower boat does two things - first it makes the cockpit smaller, second it gives it a better ride in the rough. This is one of the reasons why so many 24/7 boats were so successful and still are IMO.

There is a pretty good helo video in the video section of a 29 scarab running during a poker run.

Not that the rest of your post wasn't helpful, it was...

I'd like to hear what other similar boats I should check out?

I have a 26 Wellcraft Nova with twin small blocks and Alpha's. This is my first boat with twins and its been an excellant boat to learn with. I also boat on Lake Michigan and the boat takes just about everything the lake throws at it. I really like the reliability of the engine and drive package as mine has over 600 hours on original motors and drives with very few problems. The best my boat runs is 58-60, I'm not sure but I think my hull is probably heavier than the 29 Scarab. Overall I think it would be a great first boat but I do agree with above post that 40k might be a little high in this market. Good luck with your purchase.

a boat is worth what you are willing to pay for it.If its what you want and you have to have it your going to buy it.

The beam on a 29 scarab is 7' 6" They are a great rough water boat I have the twin engine set up with bravos the boat year is a 2000 model I have seen 67 on avg and 70 every once in a while I like the twin engine model better thats just my .02 cents

Did a lot of water tests on this boat back in mid 1999 before I bought a 29 single HP500 Fountain. I really liked the 29 Scarab. very narrow beam though so the cockpit is tight but th eboat slices the chop very well. The boat is built well with nice thick stringers. It has 27' true hull length 7'6" beam.

make sure you buy a Bravo 1 boat and not a Alpha or Blackhak drive boat. Get a boat that will do these speeds mid 60's to upper 60's with full hydraulic steering. Have the engines checked real good because the exhaust header design on those engines 350/454/502 Mag were known to revert water and leak at the flanges.

Most important get a hull survey from a reputable marine survey person that you pick out and not the seller.

How does a 29' Scarab handle in the rough stuff? Say, three foot breakers? Or mabey 6 ft swells?

I was in the exact same market and for $40K my short list was

28 Pantera
28 Saber
28 AT
28 Apache

The first two being my top choices. But in the end its the boat that is priced the best on the short list.........I ended up with a great apache. There was a P29 scarab I almost bought, thus the research; then I found out it sank. I like the blackhawks, pretty much the only 29 V hull to see 80 with twin 350's.

Thankyou for the correction TRC2

Run em hard - my 24/7 boat ate up the 3's.........on a lake, but I know that 3's in the ocean are different. I would suspect the 29 scarab would have no problem with 3's.

3 foot breakers and close spaced chop it will goo pretty good. 6ft swells I stay home in my 38 foot boat. In a 29 Scarab or any boat this size has no place in 6 foot seas.

You will here guys beer and liquor racing talking smack about how they boat in 6-10 footers but real true N.O.A. 6 footers....no way!

i owned a a 1999 29 scarab with twin 350 mpi's and bravo's. boat ran a solid 70 with an occasional 72 mph burst. used primarily in the barnegat bay and the Atlantic Ocean...awesome handling, great ride, easy on fuel, trailerable etc...