Scarab Boats for Sale

Racers, then jets

Scarab started in the 1970s as a racing line and became part of Wellcraft. The 38 Scarab KV was the best known, helped by its role on Miami Vice. Genmar owned Wellcraft from 1984 and went bankrupt in 2009. Platinum Equity formed Rec Boat Holdings from the pieces, and in 2014 the Scarab name came back on a range of Rotax-powered jet boats. Groupe Beneteau bought Rec Boat Holdings in 2017.

On June 15, 2026, Beneteau announced it would stop production at Cadillac in the third quarter and sell the plant along with the Four Winns, Glastron and Scarab Jet brands. It said jet boats and bowriders had been shrinking for years, and that the American brands lost about €30 million combined in 2024 and 2025. Beneteau said parts and after-sales service would continue until a sale closes.

The 255 ID

This is the model you'll see most. It's 25 feet long with an 8-foot-4 beam and a 15-inch draft, weighs 3,660 pounds dry, carries 56 gallons of fuel and is rated for 13 people. BoatTEST's test boat had twin supercharged Rotax 250 hp engines. It got on plane in under 2 seconds, hit 30 mph in 4.2 seconds and topped out at 54.5 mph. Best cruise was 21.5 mph at 4.5 gph, about 4.8 mpg. Lakeland Boating listed the Wake Edition at $70,887.

The 255 Open ID is the center console version. One owner on JetBoaters.net reported 63.3 mph with the 300 hp engines, three aboard and half a tank. After 55 hours he said the engines had been flawless but the boat was thirsty, and he wished for more beam and deadrise for rough water.

What they cost

Boat Trader listed 35 Scarab 255s in late 2026. A 2021 255 ID was $49,850 at No Wake Marine in Cincinnati and $57,995 at Island Watersports in Selbyville, Delaware. A 2019 was $49,999 in Miami. A 2022 255 Open ID was $79,995 at The Boat Yard in Marrero, Louisiana, and a 2024 Wake ID was $115,000 from a private seller in Kentucky.

Buying checks for a Scarab

Plan for parts without a factory. With Cadillac closed and the brand for sale, ask a local Sea-Doo or Rotax dealer about engine and pump parts. Hull, canvas and trim parts may be harder.

Check the impellers and wear rings. Jets pick up sand and gravel. Ask when they were last inspected and look for chips.

Do the seat bolts. The JetBoaters owner found nuts on the driver's bolster pins backing off at speed. Check them and add thread locker.

Read the hour meter on both engines. Twin Rotax boats should show similar hours. A big gap means one engine was replaced or rebuilt, so ask why.