ONE word " PAD " bottom.
I have raced and beat a few bigger fountains in big water that had more HP than me - boats that walked away from me in flat to 2 footers.
They couldn't keep the props in the water where I could. The SCARAB hull worked well in the rough. I have been out in 5 to 7 footers a few times AT SPEED.
And I have driven a few Fountains.

Thanks for your input, will definitely keep that in mind

They didn't know how to drive.

Also I'm gonna go ahead and add none of these boats are running at speed in7ft. I run realmboats for a living. 7 ft is brutal on my 180ft steel hull

I agree. And especially not in a Scarab 3. I've been on my buddys many, many times, out on lake michigan in some big water. The boat has had more chit break and fall apart due to rough water running, cracks all over the hull. Dash panels falling apart, entire bolt on helm station came loose from the hull, interior panels falling apart...

In 5-7's, nobodys racing. You're trying not to break your boat. I've been out in that with other offshore boats over the years, and even guys in the Apache's are going easy and trying not to stuff it, or hurt someone on board, and running 35-50mph. I didn't buy a go fast boat, to run around in 5-7's going 45mph. Give me some 2-3's, and then lets go run em at 80+.

They call these seas 6-8 here. A 41 Apache can't keep its drives in the water, and they are prob doing what, 45mph here? I don't see a 34 scarab keeping its props in the water in 7ft'ers lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAeUqU5L6bo

I bought my single 29 in November of 2015 and it's been great on our local lakes. It tows easily,stores easily and I love all the room in the engine bay.I do most of the service and repair work myself so it's a great boat for that very reason. I pulled it home with a f 150 but have since bought a 3/4 ton diesel truck to pull it with.The two hour trip home on the Interstate convinced me I need more truck to stop it with. Idiots swerving into my lane and then slowing down had me standing on the brakes. It's my first sport boat and so far I think I made a great choice. Don't think you will be disappointed either.

Good info. Speaking on the truck another famous fountain misconception is weight. Many folks think they are light. I disagree and so does a cat scale. My boat which is a 95 35 lightning. (Ex now) was 11,800 on the trailer. Trailer is a tandem axle aluminum Ibeam Myco with the 7000 pound axles. Myco sent me a letter the trailer is 2000 pounds. So 95-9800 for the boat alone.

5 footers on lake michigan can be run under the right conditions. The waves are not as spread out as on the ocean. They also tend to come from more than one direction. There is no way you are going to keep a pad bottom in the water the same as on flat to 2 footers. And a deep V will be able to handle the rough better than a pad bottom. Same boat, same HP and same driver the V will be faster. I used to own one and have driven many.

Yeah I figure my boat with a full tank of fuel on that heavy steel Myco has to weigh around 8000 lbs. I also replaced my hitch with a class IV hitch.The class III hitch from the factory wasn't up to the job. Now I think I'm good up to 10,000 lbs. Wow If your aluminum myco is 2000 lbs my steel one is probably heavier than I thought.

What about less power, and still keeping up with the NON pad bottom deep VEE apaches in rough water? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaYbNXMq7c8