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Boat Review - Seavee 290B

Boat Review - Seavee 290B
The SeaVee 290B shares similar attributes of her larger cousins in a more manageable sized trailer friendly package.



Trying to build a scaled down offshore super console with all of the features found on the full sized edition jammed into an easy to trailer 29-foot package is a balancing act. You'll need the ride of a bigger boat which might be the simplest obstacle to overcome. You'll also need to add features like baitwell and insulated fish box capacity along with plenty of room for your crew to work around each other. Working with limited square footage of deck space, this is where things get tricky. Careful consideration of how much room should be devoted to each only comes from years of experience and from dealing with experienced offshore anglers on a personal level. After spending a day putting the SeaVee 290B Open through her paces offshore I can say with confidence that SeaVee has landed on their feet with this model.

For the ride, SeaVee boats are well known for being awesome performers on not so awesome days offshore and the 290B was no exception. This boat took everything we threw at her with a smile in seas approaching 6-feet at times and never a hiccup. The 25-degree deadrise impressed all of our crew with her soft landings and in a moment of disbelief our camera boat filmed us leave the water completely without making a sound upon re-entry. Big boat ride, check.

Next they'd need to add sufficient insulated storage and live bait capacity. Beneath the forward deck is located a 440-quart insulated box which should be more than enough to satisfy any offshore pelagic hunter's needs. Should you require more, an additional 240-quart hold in the cockpit deck can be used as either a fish box or live well. A pair of 180-quart non-insulated wing boxes forward store rods and gear nicely. A 60-gallon live well in the transom along with an additional 15-gallon adjacent pitch well are both standard equipment.

The 290B is offered with a full sized hard top or Key West style top with or without a low profile second station. The Key West style top proved to be a perfect fit for maximizing the use of fishing space available. This option offered more than enough shade to the helm area while freeing up some elbow room for anglers working forward of the console.

As a base model the 290B has all you need to get started in the world of serious offshore fishing. If you like a fully tricked out rig, optional luxury equipment available includes any accessory you'd find on the full sized version of this style of boat. For the offshore warrior who needs a boat that follows you home on a trailer to the larger sportfish or yacht in search of the perfect tender, as far as having big boat qualities in a manageable package goes, this sub-thirty footer gets the job done.

SeaVee 290B Open specifications

Length: 29 feet 6 inches

Beam: 9 feet

Draft: 20 inches

Deadrise: 25 degrees

Weight: 5900 pounds (dry)

Fresh water: 34 gallons

Holding tank: 16 gallons

Fuel: 251 gallons

Maximum horsepower: 800 (2-engines)

Base price: $148,000.00 with 2-250 HP



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