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Carver... Good? Bad?

Thread starter Panda
Start date Jul 28, 2020
Jul 28, 2020

I'm doing some research on powerboats and the Carver Yachts brand keeps popping up. Does anyone know about build quality? I'm also looking at some Offshore Yacht boats... mostly the 54. I like the 1000 gallon of fuel -- so extended anchoring shouldn't be an issue (with 1000 gallons). Any thoughts about Carver?

TF Site Team/Forum Founder

As a previous Carver owner, I would say the boat exceeded my expectations. It was a 2001 356 with Cummins 6BTAs. Not a damn thing wrong with that boat. As always, boats are a compromise. If I had to complain about something, it was engine access. The engine space just wasn't that big...and it never will be on a 35 foot twin engine boat. I do have to ask what Carver you are looking at? I lost interest in them around 2003ish when they went full bleach bottle and mostly all Volvo. Probably my favorite "big" Carver is the 445....it was the continued evolution of the 4207 followed by the 440 followed by the 445. They only made them for two years. It is a big GIANT value in my opinion and usually powered by Cummins 6CTAs...although a few were gas and I did find one with the smaller 6BTAs...which would not be favorable if you want to gettyup and go. If you are comparing them to Offshore Yachts....there is no comparison. The only place I think the Carver beats the Offshore is value. If you're in love with the Offshore and are willing to part with that kind of cash, then go for it. They are excellent boats and are pretty too. But DAYUM they are expensive. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions about Carver.

caltexflanc

Like a lot of the big builders of popular priced boats, Carver has had various models at all points of the spectrum. So I wouldn't make a blanket assumption about the brand one way or the other. Of the ones I have occasion to take a good look at and talk with owners, I happen to think most of the Voyager series are pretty good boats. They started the Marquis brand as an up-sale from Carver and some of the early Marquis were very good boats. I agree that Offshore is a definite upgrade, and really like the 54 too. Quality wise I'd put them similar to the early Marquis; I've spent a fair amount of time crawling around both and have been at sea on a large Offshore.

I owned a 1997 Carver 440 with 6CTAs for 17years. An excellent boat with a good sea hull and as i did all the maintenance myself I know every inch. Great at 9 Kts or 20. As above not all boats by any maker are equally good.

Senior Member

The few Carvers I've had a chance to run, they got up on plane quickly and decent cruising speed. Bleach bottle was mentioned, it's the models that have a lot of cabin above the water. My pet name is Shamu, they look like a Killer Whale. Black and white and rotund. This is sail area that gives the wind carte balance to push the boat around, especially when docking and maneuvering in close quarters.

Woodland Hills

Carver: good or bad? Maybe they are just ugly?

caltexflanc said: Like a lot of the big builders of popular priced boats, Carver has had various models at all points of the spectrum. So I wouldn't make a blanket assumption about the brand one way or the other. Click to expand...

Woodland Hills said: Carver: good or bad? Maybe they are just ugly? Click to expand...

We had a Carver 3207 for a few years until we went bigger. I really liked that boat and still miss it. The systems were pretty simple but that boat still taught me a lot. Decent engine access, oddly even better than our bigger boat now in some ways. Not a high end ocean boat by any means but it was decent, and good value for the money. We did look at a newer, more current Carver last year (2019) at the Palm Beach show, a 37 Coupe. All shiny and new, excellent use of space but the build quality wasn't the best - panel seams off, cabinet doors, that kind of thing. But the new boat smell was very nice.

Moderator Emeritus

We had a Carver in the past, it was a nice boat, but they do look like Clorox bottles now. And then there are the Volvo engines. I also had them in a boat in the past, never again. That is a personal choice but Volvo can be a PITA to get support and parts from, the price of parts aside... Oh, BTW, welcome aboard.

Jul 29, 2020

caltexflanc said: Some of them are indeed ugly, the Mariner 37 being maybe the ugliest production boat of all time. But, they have made many good looking boats.The aforementioned Voyagers just to name one. Heck, even our beloved Hatteras managed to come up with some doozies, like the 52CMYs post-Hargrave, or the later 63 and 64MYs of the late 90's and early 'oughts. You could say the same thing about virtually every car manufacturer or large house builder as well. Click to expand...

Attachments

People's opinions on any specific brand will always run the gamut from love to hate. I happen to fall into the category of "love 'em." I have toured the factory and had lengthy discussions with their customer service reps. The employees there seem to be genuinely happy and proud of their work. In fact, most teams sign the inside of the boat when they finish their work. You can't see it and likely couldn't find it if you were looking for it but the signatures are probably there. The company is also multigenerational, meaning there are fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles, sons, daughters, cousins etc that work there. One big factor is that the company is still in business. Let's say you bought a 53' Voyager and had a question about how best to access something or trace the wiring or plumbing on the boat. You can call Carver and they'll email you the owner's manual, sometimes they'll even send you the actual CAD-CAM drawings of the boat's design. They have all of the original purchase orders and can tell you exactly what was and was not on the boat when it was originally ordered, based on the HIN. One time, I even called to ask about about some details of the engine wiring on a 2001 506 owned by one of my clients. After discussing the specifics with the customer service rep, he put me on hold for a few minutes. The next voice on the line was one of the actual technicians that installed the engines on that particular boat back in 2001. He still worked for the company and was able to provide invaluable insight. That kind of service is really hard to beat. Out of the 255 slips in our marina, at least 12 of the boats are Carvers or Marquis. Carver builds a lot of attention to detail into their models and there are pretty much no unused spaces. If there was an empty space, they put a door on it so you can use it for storage. They do have some drawbacks and design quirks. The cabin space is roomy but they did that by building tall boats with high side decks so they could maximize interior space. The drawback is windage. On my client's 506, the sliding screen door could not be removed to clean the wheels without removing the entire bridge (customer service's words). But overall, great boats that you will likely enjoy for years. We would likely have a Carver right now if we hadn't lucked into a boat that was already kitted out exactly like we wanted and was owned by a friend of ours. Go for the Cummins engine models if you can find them. But don't be afraid of a well-maintained Volvo engine, either. We have Volvos in our boat and they're rock solid. Just stay on top of the maintenance... but that's the same with any engine. Let me know if you have any additional questions. John

caltexflanc said: Here is the Mariner 37 I was referring to. Still disagree? Click to expand...

4 wide steps (on both sides) from the cockpit to the bridge
3 steps down to the saloon
huge bridge area with wide walkways on both sides
very large saloon all on one level
v-drives mean easy engine access from the cockpit

Our first boats in the PacNW in 88 (28 sedan) and 89-94 (32 sedan) were Carvers. We enjoyed them a lot. Not the stiffest hull designs but good in a seaway. Agree with storage comment - great use of space. Agree with the bleach bottle analogy - Carver wasn’t the only builder to go down that rat hole. One thing that’s irritating in the newer designs (and. Are er is not alone in this) is the use of round galley sinks. Just dumb. As for the larger Carvers, on of the Ben’s on panbo.com lives aboard a 53 (?) with his family. I bet he’d gladly share his experience.

JT and Estee

Veteran member.

We have a Carver 450 Voyager Pilothouse with Cummins engines. We love, love, love our boat. Handles rougher water well, can go faster when needed but also very comfortable at "trawler" speeds. Our Carver has a full cover over the flybridge, lots of windage! However, the engines are powerful enough to overcome most wind situations we find ourselves in. We do have bow and stern thrusters, however, they are generally only used to pin us or un-pin us to a dock when we are fixing dock lines. Recently we shattered a side window (operator error). Carver service promptly provided us with part number, drawings, installation instructions, and contact information for the window manufacturer. Other than this Carver we only have experience (from many years ago) of a SeaRay 30 Sundancer so we can't compare our Carver to other brands. But we are very happy with our boat.

We’ve been bouncing back and forth between the Mainship 390/400 and the Carver 390/400/404 models. I’m in favor of the MS build quality, engine access, operating economy and ease of maintenance. My wife loves the Carver interior, deck layout and that awesome sliding glass door to the cockpit. I’m not sure that the dog can climb the stairs to the flybridge on the MS and unfortunately, that’s a factor working against me. Not many aft cabin, cockpit boats out there with access from the aft cabin to the cockpit. Fewer still with no stairs more than 4 steps.

PPandE said: I’m in favor of the MS build quality, engine access, operating economy and ease of maintenance. My wife loves the Carver interior, deck layout and that awesome sliding glass door to the cockpit. I’m not sure that the dog can climb the stairs to the flybridge on the MS and unfortunately, that’s a factor working against me. Not many aft cabin, cockpit boats out there with access from the aft cabin to the cockpit. Fewer still with no stairs more than 4 steps. Click to expand...

We had a 1989 3807. Great boat, but had gas motors. Great use of space and a ton of amenities. Great value and actually pretty good quality.

Gotta say that 355/356 is one of my favorite aft cabin (non-trawler) boats! Space is really well designed and priced around 75K. The only issue for me, is that since most have gas engines, it really wouldn't be a great boat for long distance cruising. Jim

Miz Trom said: Wow, George, I usually agree with all of your comments. But I really like the Carver Mariners from the early 80's. My favorite feature was the built-in bow seat (because our dogs love that) and next was the decent-sized cockpit (for fishing). My only complaint was that their dual-engine running gear was too exposed for cruising in unfamiliar waters; I wished they had a deeper keel. Now this thread has me wondering how their older models from the 80's are holding up. Cheers and stay safe, Mrs. Trombley Click to expand...

JLD said: Gotta say that 355/356 is one of my favorite aft cabin (non-trawler) boats! Space is really well designed and priced around 75K. The only issue for me, is that since most have gas engines, it really wouldn't be a great boat for long distance cruising. Jim Click to expand...

Baker said: Yep. Damn good boat. See my signature. And those B series Cummins were a perfect match for that hull. I burned about 16gph doing 18 knots. Not bad for a “big” planing powerboat. Click to expand...

Aug 3, 2020

Redhook98 said: We had a 1989 3807. Great boat, but had gas motors. Great use of space and a ton of amenities. Great value and actually pretty good quality. Click to expand...

They're just fugly...most of them look like my sneaker shoe except their Voyager line.

Had a 2002 carver voyager 57 for about 5 years. Great boat and support from factory. Had twin Cummings QSM 11 engines that ran great. Have purchased two new boats since then and wish I had kept the Carver. Resale was great, listed it and sold it within 6 weeks. A lot of windage so be sure to get bow thruster at minimum and stern thruster would be super nice.

Ruffryder said: They're just fugly...most of them look like my sneaker shoe except their Voyager line. Click to expand...

Oct 15, 2020

Looking at a carver 370 aft cabin with cat diesel engines. 1993 model. Anything I should be looking for that is common to this model. Plan on using it at trawler speeds. 8-10 knots on the icw. What should I be looking for as fuel usage. Thanks for y'all input. Coming from a 38' sailboat.

Just had a contract fall through on a Carver. Seems that the last four years or so saw little to no preventive maintenance which has morphed into ten of thousands in corrective maintenance. Not to mention little things like several of the major components were advertised as "replaced" and still wore the serial numbers installed when the boat was new. I'm learning that there are no truth in advertising laws in boating.

Mountain sailor

So many dishonest people out there these days. It's really sad. Not the way I was raised.

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2004 Carver 420 Mariner
2004 Carver 444 Cockpit Motor Yacht
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2004 Carver 506 Motor Yacht
2004 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
2004 Carver 560 Voyager Pilothouse
2004 Carver 564 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2004 Carver 570 Voyager Pilothouse
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2003 Carver 350 Mariner
2003 Carver 356 Motor Yacht
2003 Carver 360 Sport Sedan
2003 Carver 366 Motor Yacht
2003 Carver 396 Motor Yacht
2003 Carver 404 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2003 Carver 410 Sport Sedan
2003 Carver 444 Cockpit Motor Yacht
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2003 Carver 466 Motor Yacht
2003 Carver 506 Motor Yacht
2003 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
2003 Carver 564 Cockpit Motor Yacht
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2002 Carver 356 Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 374 Voyager
2002 Carver 380 Santego SE
2002 Carver 396 Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 404 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 406 Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 410 Sport Sedan
2002 Carver 444 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 450 Voyager Pilothouse
2002 Carver 466 Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 506 Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
2002 Carver 564 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2002 Carver 570 Voyager Pilothouse
2001 Carver 326 Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 350 Mariner
2001 Carver 356 Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 374 Voyager
2001 Carver 380 Santego SE
2001 Carver 396 Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 404 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 406 Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 444 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 450 Voyager Pilothouse
2001 Carver 466 Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 506 Motor Yacht
2001 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
2001 Carver 570 Voyager Pilothouse
2000 Carver 326 Aft Cabin MY
2000 Carver 350 Mariner
2000 Carver 356 Aft Cabin MY
2000 Carver 374 Voyager
2000 Carver 380 Santego SE
2000 Carver 396 Aft Cabin MY
2000 Carver 404 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2000 Carver 406 Aft Cabin MY
2000 Carver 450 Voyager Pilothouse
2000 Carver 456 Aft Cabin MY
2000 Carver 504 Cockpit Motor Yacht
2000 Carver 506 Aft Cabin MY
2000 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
1999 Carver 320 Voyager
1999 Carver 326 Aft Cabin MY
1999 Carver 350 Mariner
1999 Carver 356 Aft Cabin MY
1999 Carver 370 Voyager
1999 Carver 380 Santego SE
1999 Carver 404 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1999 Carver 406 Aft Cabin MY
1999 Carver 445 Aft Cabin MY
1999 Carver 450 Voyager Pilothouse
1999 Carver 456 Aft Cabin MY
1999 Carver 504 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1999 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
1998 Carver 260 MID Cabin Express
1998 Carver 280 MID Cabin Express SE
1998 Carver 280 Voyager
1998 Carver 310 Santego
1998 Carver 320 Voyager
1998 Carver 325 Aft Cabin MY
1998 Carver 350 Mariner
1998 Carver 355 Aft Cabin MY
1998 Carver 370 Voyager
1998 Carver 380 Santego SE
1998 Carver 400 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1998 Carver 405 Aft Cabin MY
1998 Carver 445 Aft Cabin MY
1998 Carver 455 Aft Cabin MY
1998 Carver 500 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1998 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse
1997 Carver 280 MID Cabin Express
1997 Carver 280 Sedan
1997 Carver 310 MID Cabin Express
1997 Carver 310 Santego SR
1997 Carver 320 Voyager SE
1997 Carver 325 Aft Cabin
1997 Carver 350 Mariner CR
1997 Carver 355 Aft Cabin
1997 Carver 370 Voyager SE
1997 Carver 380 Santego SR
1997 Carver 400 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1997 Carver 405 Aft Cabin
1997 Carver 430 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1997 Carver 440 Aft Cabin MY
1997 Carver 455 Aft Cabin MY
1997 Carver 500 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1996 Carver 250 Express
1996 Carver 280 MID Cabin Express
1996 Carver 280 Sedan Cruiser
1996 Carver 310 MID Cabin Express
1996 Carver 310 Santego SB
1996 Carver 320 Voyager SR
1996 Carver 325 Aft Cabin
1996 Carver 330 Mariner SE CR
1996 Carver 355 Aft Cabin
1996 Carver 370 Aft Cabin
1996 Carver 370 Voyager SR
1996 Carver 380 Santego SE SB
1996 Carver 400 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1996 Carver 430 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1996 Carver 440 Aft Cabin MY
1996 Carver 455 Aft Cabin MY
1996 Carver 500 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1995 Carver 250 MID Cabin Express CR
1995 Carver 280 MID Cabin Express CR
1995 Carver 280 Sedan
1995 Carver 310 Santego SB
1995 Carver 320 Voyager SR
1995 Carver 325 Aft Cabin
1995 Carver 330 Mariner SE
1995 Carver 355 Aft Cabin
1995 Carver 370 Aft Cabin
1995 Carver 370 Voyager SR
1995 Carver 380 Santego SB
1995 Carver 390 Aft Cabin
1995 Carver 390 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1995 Carver 430 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1995 Carver 440 Aft Cabin MY
1994 Carver 280 Express
1994 Carver 280 Sedan
1994 Carver 300 Aft Cabin
1994 Carver 310 Santego SB
1994 Carver 320 Voyager FN
1994 Carver 330 Mariner CR
1994 Carver 340 Santego SB
1994 Carver 350 Aft Cabin
1994 Carver 350 Voyager FN
1994 Carver 370 Aft Cabin MY
1994 Carver 370 Voyager FN
1994 Carver 380 Express
1994 Carver 380 Santego SB
1994 Carver 390 Aft Cabin MY
1994 Carver 390 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1994 Carver 430 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1994 Carver 440 Aft Cabin MY
1993 Carver 280 Express
1993 Carver 280 Sedan
1993 Carver 300 Aft Cabin
1993 Carver 300 Montego EC
1993 Carver 300 Santego SB
1993 Carver 300 Sedan
1993 Carver 330 Mariner CR
1993 Carver 340 Santego SB
1993 Carver 350 Aft Cabin
1993 Carver 350 Voyager FN
1993 Carver 370 Aft Cabin MY
1993 Carver 370 Voyager FN
1993 Carver 380 Express
1993 Carver 380 Santego SB
1993 Carver 390 Aft Cabin MY
1993 Carver 390 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1993 Carver 430 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1993 Carver 440 Aft Cabin MY
1992 Carver 2257 Mariner
1992 Carver 26 Command Bridge
1992 Carver 28 Aft Cabin
1992 Carver 2828 Command Bridge
1992 Carver 2898 Command Bridge
1992 Carver 32 Convertible CB
1992 Carver 3297 Mariner
1992 Carver 33 Aft Cabin
1992 Carver 36 Aft Cabin MY
1992 Carver 38 Aft Cabin
1992 Carver 42 Aft Cabin MY
1992 Carver 42 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1992 Carver 4509 Californian MY
1992 Carver 4809 Californian MY
1992 Carver 5239 Californian CM
1992 Carver 528 Montego
1992 Carver 530 Montego
1992 Carver 534 Montego
1992 Carver 538 Montego
1992 Carver 5539 Californian MY
1992 Carver 630 Santego
1992 Carver 634 Santego
1992 Carver 638 Santego
1992 Carver 640 Santego
1991 Carver 26 Command Bridge
1991 Carver 28 Aft Cabin
1991 Carver 2828 Command Bridge
1991 Carver 2898 Command Bridge
1991 Carver 32 Convertible CB
1991 Carver 3297 Mariner
1991 Carver 33 Aft Cabin
1991 Carver 36 Aft Cabin MY
1991 Carver 38 Aft Cabin
1991 Carver 42 Aft Cabin MY
1991 Carver 42 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1991 Carver 4509 Californian MY
1991 Carver 4809 Californian MY
1991 Carver 523 Montego
1991 Carver 5239 Californian CM
1991 Carver 525 Montego
1991 Carver 528 Montego
1991 Carver 530 Montego
1991 Carver 532 Montego
1991 Carver 534 Montego
1991 Carver 538 Montego
1991 Carver 5539 Californian MY
1991 Carver 630 Santego
1991 Carver 634 Santego
1991 Carver 638 Santego
1991 Carver 640 Santego
1990 Carver 2157 Montego
1990 Carver 2357 Montego
1990 Carver 2557 Montego
1990 Carver 2587 Allegra
1990 Carver 2757 Montego
1990 Carver 2767 Santego
1990 Carver 2807 Riviera
1990 Carver 2827 Voyager
1990 Carver 2897 Mariner
1990 Carver 3067 Santego
1990 Carver 3087 Allegra
1990 Carver 3157 Montego
1990 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1990 Carver 3227 Convertible
1990 Carver 3257 Montego DC
1990 Carver 3297 Mariner FE
1990 Carver 3467 Santego FC
1990 Carver 3557 Montego
1990 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1990 Carver 3608 Aft Cabin WB
1990 Carver 3807 Aft Cabin MY
1990 Carver 3867 Santego FC
1990 Carver 3897 Santego DC
1990 Carver 4207 Aft Cabin MY
1990 Carver 4229 Californian CO
1990 Carver 4509 Californian MY
1990 Carver 4809 Californian MY
1990 Carver 4829 Californian CO
1990 Carver 4839 Californian CM
1990 Carver 5539 Californian MY
1989 Carver 2157 Montego
1989 Carver 2257 Mariner
1989 Carver 2357 Montego
1989 Carver 2557 Montego
1989 Carver 2587 Allegra
1989 Carver 2757 Montego
1989 Carver 2767 Santego
1989 Carver 2807 Riviera Aft Cabin
1989 Carver 2827 Voyager
1989 Carver 2897 Mariner
1989 Carver 3067 Santego
1989 Carver 3087 Allegra
1989 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1989 Carver 3227 Convertible
1989 Carver 3257 Montego DC
1989 Carver 3297 Mariner FE
1989 Carver 3467 Santego FC
1989 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1989 Carver 3807 Aft Cabin
1989 Carver 3867 Santego FC
1989 Carver 3897 Santego DC
1989 Carver 4207 Aft Cabin MY
1989 Carver 4229 Californian CO
1989 Carver 4459 Calif Veneti EC
1989 Carver 4509 Californian MY
1989 Carver 4809 Californian MY
1989 Carver 4829 Californian CO
1989 Carver 4839 Californian CM
1989 Carver 5539 Californian MY
1988 Carver 2157 Montego
1988 Carver 2357 Montego
1988 Carver 2557 Montego
1988 Carver 2757 Montego
1988 Carver 2767 Santego
1988 Carver 28 Aft Cabin
1988 Carver 2827 Voyager
1988 Carver 3067 Santego
1988 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1988 Carver 3227 Convertible
1988 Carver 3257 Montego DC
1988 Carver 3297 Mariner FE
1988 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1988 Carver 3697 Mariner FE
1988 Carver 3807 Aft Cabin
1988 Carver 3867 Santego FC
1988 Carver 42 Californian CO
1988 Carver 4207 Aft Cabin
1988 Carver 4227 Cockpit
1988 Carver 44 Californian Veneti EC
1988 Carver 45 Californian MY
1988 Carver 48 Californian CM
1988 Carver 48 Californian CO
1988 Carver 48 Californian MY
1988 Carver 55 Californian MY
1987 Carver 2657 Montego
1987 Carver 2667 Santa Cruz
1987 Carver 2757 Montego
1987 Carver 2767 Santego
1987 Carver 2807 Riviera Aft Cabin
1987 Carver 2827 Voyager
1987 Carver 2897 Mariner
1987 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1987 Carver 3227 Convertible
1987 Carver 3257 Montego DC
1987 Carver 3297 Mariner FE
1987 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1987 Carver 3697 Mariner FE
1987 Carver 3807 Aft Cabin DM
1987 Carver 4207 Aft Cabin DM
1987 Carver 4227 Cockpit Motor Yacht
1986 Carver 2657 Montego
1986 Carver 2667 Santa Cruz
1986 Carver 2757 Montego
1986 Carver 2807 Riviera Aft Cabin
1986 Carver 2827 Voyager
1986 Carver 2897 Mariner
1986 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1986 Carver 3227 Convertible
1986 Carver 3297 Mariner FE
1986 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1986 Carver 3697 Mariner FE
1986 Carver 4207 Motor Yacht
1985 Carver 2657 Montego
1985 Carver 2667 Santa Cruz
1985 Carver 2807 Riviera Aft Cabin
1985 Carver 2827 Voyager
1985 Carver 2897 Mariner
1985 Carver 2987 Monterey
1985 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1985 Carver 3227 Convertible
1985 Carver 3297 Mariner FE
1985 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1985 Carver 3697 Mariner FE
1985 Carver 4207 Motor Yacht
1984 Carver 2667 Santa Cruz
1984 Carver 2687 Monterey
1984 Carver 2807 Riviera Aft Cabin
1984 Carver 2897 Mariner
1984 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1984 Carver 3227 Convertible
1984 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1984 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1984 Carver 3697 Mariner FE
1983 Carver 2357 Monterey
1983 Carver 2667 Santa Cruz
1983 Carver 2687 Monterey
1983 Carver 2807 Riviera Aft Cabin
1983 Carver 2897 Mariner Plan A
1983 Carver 2897 Mariner Plan B
1983 Carver 3207 Aft Cabin
1983 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1983 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1982 Carver 2357 Montego
1982 Carver 2667 Santa Cruz
1982 Carver 2687 Monterey Hardtop
1982 Carver 2687 Monterey Open
1982 Carver 2866 Santa Cruz
1982 Carver 2896 Mariner
1982 Carver 3007 Aft Cabin
1982 Carver 3027 Sedan Flybridge
1982 Carver 3027 Sedan Hardtop
1982 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1982 Carver 3607 Aft Cabin
1981 Carver 2347 Offshore
1981 Carver 2357 Montego
1981 Carver 2667 Santa Cruz
1981 Carver 2687 Monterey
1981 Carver 2866 Santa Cruz
1981 Carver 2896 Mariner
1981 Carver 3007 Aft Cabin
1981 Carver 3326 Voyager FE
1981 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1980 Carver 2347 Offshore
1980 Carver 2357 Montego
1980 Carver 26 Monterey
1980 Carver 26 Santa Cruz
1980 Carver 28 Mariner
1980 Carver 28 Santa Cruz
1980 Carver 28 Voyager
1980 Carver 3326 Voyager FE
1980 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1979 Carver 23 Montego
1979 Carver 23 Offshore
1979 Carver 25 Monterey
1979 Carver 25 Santa Cruz
1979 Carver 28 Mariner
1979 Carver 28 Santa Cruz
1979 Carver 28 Voyager
1979 Carver 3326 Voyager FE
1979 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1978 Carver 25 Camper
1978 Carver 25 Ranger
1978 Carver 25 Santa Cruz
1978 Carver 28 Mariner
1978 Carver 28 Santa Cruz
1978 Carver 28 Voyager
1978 Carver 3326 Voyager FE
1978 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1977 Carver 22 Camper
1977 Carver 25 Camper
1977 Carver 25 Ranger
1977 Carver 25 Santa Cruz
1977 Carver 28 Mariner
1977 Carver 28 Santa Cruz
1977 Carver 3326 Voyager FE
1977 Carver 3396 Mariner FE
1976 Carver 22 Camper
1976 Carver 25 Monterey
1976 Carver 25 Santa Cruz
1976 Carver 28 Mariner
1976 Carver 28 Santa Cruz
1976 Carver 3385 Monterey FC
1976 Carver 3395 Mariner FC
1975 Carver 2565 Santa Cruz
1975 Carver 2585 Monterey
1975 Carver 28 Mariner
1975 Carver 28 Monterey
1975 Carver 28 Santa Cruz
1975 Carver 3385 Monterey FC
1975 Carver 3395 Mariner FC
1974 Carver 2275 Camper
1974 Carver 2565 Santa Cruz
1974 Carver 2585 Monterey
1974 Carver 28 Mariner
1974 Carver 3385 Monterey FC
1973 Carver 2275 Camper
1973 Carver 2565 Santa Cruz
1973 Carver 2585 Montery
1973 Carver 3120 Voyager FE
1973 Carver 3180 Monterey EC
1973 Carver Monterey 3180 EC
1973 Carver Voyager 3120 FE
1972 Carver 22 Camper
1972 Carver 25 Santa Cruz
1972 Carver 3180 Monterey EC
1972 Carver Monterey 3180 EC
1971 Carver 2170 Holiday
1971 Carver 2180 Montery
1971 Carver 2550 Camper
1971 Carver 2560 Santa Cruz
1971 Carver 2570 Holiday
1971 Carver 2580 Montery
1971 Carver 3180 Monterey EC
1971 Carver Camper 2550
1971 Carver Holiday 2570
1971 Carver Monterey 3180 EC
1971 Carver Montery 2580
1971 Carver Santa Cruz 2560
1970 Carver 3180 Monterey EC
1970 Carver Monterey 3180 EC

2024 Pursuit OS 445: An Overview

Dock your boat smoothly this summer with these tips, the billionaire’s playground: where to spot superyachts around the world, summertime snack ideas for your boating adventure, de-winterize your boat the right way with these professional tips, what type of wood is used for pier pilings, what is the difference between a dock and a floating pier, what is the proper technique for pulling a beginner wakeboarder, what does ‘no wake’ mean on a lake, what is the difference between wash and wake, 10 essential tips for fishing near private property, the benefits of using a drift sock: guidance for anglers, lure fishing: secrets for imitating live bait and attracting fish, explore the untapped depths of america’s best bass fishing spots, tackle your catch-and-release adventures with these 6 tips, outboard motor maintenance: tips for keeping your engine in top shape, the essential boat tool kit: tools every boater needs, diy boat building: 8 tips and tricks for building your own vessel, the art of miniature maritime craftsmanship: ship in a bottle, antifouling paints: a guide to keeping your boat shipshape, beginner’s guide to standup paddle boarding: tips and techniques, boating for fitness: how to stay active on the water, kayak safety: how to stay safe on the water, anchoring in a kayak or canoe: how to secure your small boat, 2024 aquila 47 molokai review, 2024 sea-doo switch 13 sport review, 2024 aspen c120 review, 2024 yamaha 222xd review, 2024 sailfish 316 dc review, 2023 seavee 340z review, 2023 centurion fi23 review, gear reviews, megabass oneten max lbo jerkbait review, fortress anchors fx-7 anchoring system review, fortress anchors fx-11 anchoring system review, fortress anchors commando anchor kit review, fortress anchors aluminum anchors review, stay in touch.

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Tracking Today’s Fast-Paced Yacht Boating Market

SAMPLE PAGES

"The stability of the hull underway was due in part to the low profile design of this pilothouse style cruiser and the hull design by Carver engineers... This elegant and well-designed cruising yacht offers comfort and style without giving up luxury. "

–BoatTest.com

"Surprisingly, for a boat of this size, all-round visibility from the pilothouse is excellent, even looking aft through the main saloon, thanks to the clever layout of the windows. There’s no black spots on this boat, which gives the skipper control of the vessel at all times."

–yachtandboat.com

"Long before we started the big Volvo Pentas, the Carver 570 Voyager impressed me with her thoughtful arrangement plan, standard equipment, materials and workmanship. The company's goal is to build comfortable, luxurious cruising yachts at a reasonable price, and this boat fits the profile nicely."

–Yachting Magazine

"Throughout a variety of maneuvers, including hard turns and offshore speed runs, the 570 gave us a stable, solid ride. It handled responsively, and had a tight turning radius for its size."

–Boating World Magazine

Owner and editor of the PowerBoat Guide, Ed is a contributing writer for Denison Yacht Sales.

Carver has been building motor yachts longer than many of today’s yacht brokers have been out of grade school. Beginning with a succession of popular aft cabin models in the 1980s, by the early 2000s the Carver fleet had grown to include several cruising yachts in the 50-foot range. These were good years for the yachting industry and Carver rode a wave of sales success with several midsize motor yachts and cruisers. Among them were four notable models over 50 feet in length that became market leaders in their category. Profiled below, Carver sold so many of these yachts that they are now easily found on every big-boat brokerage market in the country.

It all came to a halt with the Great Recession in 2007, but even though parent company Genmar went bankrupt in 2009 Carver never stopped building boats. The company was restructured, new owners took over and today Carver has resumed its place as one of America’s truly iconic builders.

A versatile layout and affordable price made the 570 a huge sales success for Carver.

2001 Model (CT) .................................... $449,000

2002 Model (FL) ..................................... $325,000

2002 Model (FL) ..................................... $499,000

2003 Model (MI) ..................................... $395,000

2003 Model (TN) .................................... $399,000

2004 Model (NY) .................................... $425,000

2004 Model (FL) ..................................... $475,000

"Solid construction, access for easy upgrades, a desirable layout, and long-life diesel engines combine for a sought-after cruiser on the brokerage market, and Carver’s Voyager 560 checks off all the boxes."

–Power& Motoryacht Magazine

"Luxury and comfort await in three very accommodating staterooms. Newly designed vertical hull portholes bathe the full beam master stateroom in warm, natural light. Add to this a generously appointed interior that’s as beautiful as it is practical, and the 560 Voyager is an irresistible retreat ready-made for family and friends."

–topspeed.com

"From her three sumptuous cabins to the spacious salon to the well-appointed flying bridge, this motor yacht is loaded with big features and small details. Add the comfort and versatility of the contemporary dual-station layout and you’ve got a winner. The Voyager is truly the total package- style, luxury, engineering, and value."

The 560 Voyager’s sleek appearance and superior accommodations struck the right note with buyers.

Typical MLS Listings*

2004 Model (FL) .................................... $475,000

2005 Model (FL) ..................................... $515,000

2004 Model (TN) .................................... $459,000

2006 Model (AL) .................................... $539,000

2007 Model (KS) .................................... $539,000

*Compiled in June, 2019

"Carver pays meticulous attention to the craftmanship and technology of its yachts. .. If your taste runs toward a big comfortable cruising yacht with the kind of style that satisfies both the mind and eye, Carver’s 530 Voyager Pilothouse just might be your starship."

–Boattest.com

"The essence of the change at Carver is most evident in the Voyager's pilothouse where the skipper sits in solitary splendor. Among the more pleasant aspects of the boat was the conversation-level silent running and the livability below while underway."

–Boating Magazine

The 530’s classic pilothouse lines will probably always be in style, and the spacious cherry wood interior ranked with the most comfortable cruising yachts of her day.

–PowerBoat Guide

1998 Model (CA) .................................... $299,000

1998 Model (VA) .................................... $220,000

1999 Model (MS) ................................... $289,000

1999 Model (FL) .................................... $210,000

2000 Model (MA) ................................... $230,000

2000 Model (ME) ................................... $280,000

2001 Model (FL) .................................... $289,000

2001 Model (FL) .................................... $325,000

No other midsize motoryacht of her day surpassed the sales popularity of the 530 Voyager.

The vast interior spaces of the Carver 506 are perfect for entertaining family and friends.

"...the 506 is an impressive design with an appealing modern approach to styling. Her 51-foot, 7-inch LOA and 15-foot, 4-inch beam are common for a yacht of her type, but within those dimensions Carver delivers a layout one might find on a 60-footer."

"Carver makes great use of the 15'4" beam in the 506 by pushing out the salon nearly to the hullsides. But how can that be? What happened to the sidedecks? They're still there, but they have been raised well above the hull's sheerline."

"The 506 is an aft-cabin motoryacht that combines the aft deck and pilothouse into a single, wide-open space under a hardtop. This design, combined with accommodations for six, makes her ideal for long-range cruising in any weather."

–Boattest.com

2000 Model (MD) ................................... $209,000

2000 Model (MO) ................................... $289,000

2000 Model (MN) ................................... $229,000

2001 Model (NY) .................................... $275,000

2001 Model (IL) ...................................... $225,000

2002 Model (IL) ...................................... $329,000

2002 Model (FL) ..................................... $394,000

2001 Model (FL) ..................................... $234,000

Ed is the editor and publisher of the PowerBoat Guide.

4 Top Selling Carver Motor Yachts That Are Always in Demand

Carver 570 Voyager, 2001–05

Carver 560 Voyager, 2004–09

Carver 530 Voyager, 1998–2005

Carver 506 Motor Yacht, 2000–03

David Pascoe
All Articles (over 180)
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Read Online

Full Chapter One

by David Pascoe

When we first decided to do boat reviews, we pretty much decided that there were certain boat builders that we wouldn't consider. These would mainly be the entry-level class builders, or builders whose products had established such a well known reputation for poor quality and defective products that we needn't state the obvious.

There are always those folks who can't resist a bargain, or whose philosophy is to always shop and buy based on the lowest price. Sure, we harp on quality a lot, mainly because boats are so very expensive, and to spend $100,000 on the lowest priced boat of its class is just plain nuts. But we've come to realize that there are some people -- many of them, in fact -- who will never realize the error in this. So there's no point in our attempting to dissuade them.

We also pointed out in our Introduction to Boat Reviews , which many of our readers don't read, and therefore miss the whole point of these reviews being here, that the quality amongst any builder's product line can be highly variable, not only from model to model, but from year to year, or even month to month. We cautioned against simply reading a review of one boat, and then applying the information in that review more or less globally. We cautioned that boats are not cranked out of a machine, but are hand made products. By human hands, that is. So you may want to reflect on the old Russian adage that you never want to buy a refrigerator that is made on a Monday or a Friday. Or anything else, for that matter.

Carver is one of those builders whom we didn't see much point in mentioning, for the caliber of their products are well known, and a buyer would have to have been asleep for the past twenty years, or simply too lazy to do any research at all, not to know what kind of boats they build. Surveyors have long considered them to be little more than floating campers, and are often heard to make jokes such as "they forgot to put the wheels on this one."

Then, very early in the decade, we started hearing talk that Carver was trying to reinvent itself by entering the mid-sized boat market, and was turning out a higher quality product. Well, "better quality" is a phrase that always gets our attention, so we started paying more attention to Carver. Sure, we've surveyed plenty of their small boats, but didn't see much point in commenting on them. If you do your shopping at a discount store, you know what kind of quality you're getting. By the mid 1990's we were hearing a lot of talk about Carver, mainly by the broker/dealer types, favorably comparing this new line of boats to some of the higher end boats like Hatteras or Viking. Surveyors, of course, don't get to survey new boats very often. Typically, we don't survey a boat until its 3 years or older. What we were seeing in the boat shows and at the dealer's docks certainly looked good. But, then, all new boats look good. It takes a while for the shine to wear off and the boat has some miles under its bilge before we begin to see whether they're really made of the right stuff.

Now, when a builder enters the larger boat market, particularly with boats priced well over 1/4 million, that attracts our interest. Not because we're interested in the higher rollers, but to see what a builder can get away with in this price range. (Sort of like wondering if you could sell a Rolls Royce with plastic bumpers.) And also when the literature is peppered with words like quality and craftsmanship.

Our first good look came in 1995 with Hurricane Opal in the Florida panhandle when we got to see a couple of damaged 43's. There's nothing like examining a boat that's been broken apart (or not broken apart) by a storm to really get a good look at how they're made. For this is where all the cost and corner cutting begins to stick out like a sore thumb. And what we were seeing wasn't looking too good. Our first example was a one year old 43 footer that broke its moorings and was driven up onto a sandy shore in the courtyard of a condominium. This boat really caught a lot of attention because it had part of a helm chair imbedded in the side of the hull. Yep, the base of a helm chair was sticking right out

On close examination, it was pretty easy to see how that had happened. The hull sides were balsa cored and the exterior fiberglass skin was somewhere around 1/8" to maybe 3/16" thick. The glass was so thin that you could swing a small hammer at it with only moderate force and it would go right through. We know because we tried that. The other boat had small holes punctured in the sides all around the hull, but what really caught our attention was the fact that it also had creases in the hull sides where it had scraped against the gunwales of other boats. That's creases like you'd get in your car door if you brushed up against the bumper of another car. This one also had only 1/8" glass on the sides. Fiberglass is strong stuff, but not that strong.

Dent's and creases in a fiberglass hull? Now that's something we've never seen before. But the glass on this boat was also so thin that creasing it was made possible. Then we starting thinking and comparing these two Carvers with the 46 Bertram just down the road that broke loose, wiped out half a marina, took out part of a restaurant built on 12' telephone pole pilings and ended up in a heap against a concrete retaining wall with a pile of other boats. It didn't have a single hole in the side, even though the hull side of that boat was only around 3/8" thick. You can see pictures of it in the 46 Bertram review.

Hole cut here is for a test coupon in way of area where outer laminate started peeling off. The hull is about 1/4" thick in this area and is delaminated. Bottom flexing was so bad here that even the paint flaked off. The delamination can be seen inside the hole.

Our next exposure came with a 46 Carver wherein the owner had decided to add a cockpit extension to the hull. After going into the yard, the after interior was stripped out, then they removed the exhaust pipes from the transom. Problem was, water started pouring out of the balsa cored transom and hull sides. Seems Carver thought it was a good idea to core the hull right down to the chine, well below the water line. But worse, for all the through hull openings and exhaust pipes, they just cut holes right through the core and bedded the fittings and pipes in place. Now builders have know ever since the 1960's that you can't do this, but apparently Carver didn't. So when the fittings inevitably leaked, the core filled up with water.

But there was another problem. Once again, both the outer and inner laminates were so thin that the yard discovered, much to their surprise, that there wasn't enough material to bond an extension to. The hull was simply too weak to add onto it. At least for the amount they had quoted in the customer's contract. On the inside, over the balsa core, was only ONE layer of mat and roving for a laminate thickness of about 1/16".

It is our policy that we do not publish instances of hull failures or defects of any kind unless we can establish a pattern of defects. All boat builders make mistakes, and its not our purpose to go around pointing them out. The defect has to be endemic to their way of doing things. Moreover, we are extremely careful to make sure that the boat wasn't abused or damaged by some other means. We do not wish to sully anyone's reputation, so unless we find multiple instances of defects or poor design, we keep quiet about it. The boat that put Carver over the threshold for us is this 1994 model 370 that experienced massive bottom laminate failure.

This is a story we're telling with pictures because they speak for themselves. What you see here is a hull that has so little fiberglass in it, that is so thin that it is simply falling apart. At best, the bottom laminate around the unsupported panels (between frames) is one quarter inch thick. It looks a little thicker where you see the test hole cut because the bottom is delaminated and spread apart. Worse yet, of that 1/4" you can see that there are multiple layers of chopped strand mat, a material that is only used (or should be used) to prevent telegraphing of the weave pattern of the structural fabrics through to the gelcoat. In this case the mat, which is a very weak material, comprises a major part of the bottom laminate thickness, at least 25%.

What you see here is a catestrophic hull failure in progess. It was caught in time, before the boat sank, after the boat was hauled out and discovered that parts of the bottom laminate were peeling off. What you see here is the inevitable result of what happens when the bean counters get involved in the design of a boat in order to produce it as cheaply as possible. What you see here is the result of a conscious decision to use as little clostly materials as possible, not just in one or two boats, but throughout a product line. Its what happens when you design a hull to the edge of failure limits: some of them are going to fail. What you see here is a boat that cannot be repaired and, unless the builder is willing to refund the sales price, is likely to be tied up in litigation for years.

This is a very rare shot of bottom panel flexing so bad that it completely outlines the inner hull frames. Note the rectangular pattern. The horizontal cracks outline the stringers, while the vertical cracks outline the bulkheads or frames.

These circular pattern stress cracks are the more typical pattern that indicates bottom flexing. Note that at extreme left, these cracks have been painted over several times, indicating that they are not newly formed. Highly irregular patterns at far right are areas of delamination that are about to fail. At bottom, the strake is badly cracked and is in danger of splitting open.

Consider that the advertised weight of this boat is 17,500 lbs. and that a comparably sized Hatteras of same vintage comes in around 32,000 lbs. If you price a boat by the pound, which we often do for purposes of comparison, you are looking at a difference of almost DOULBE the weight. If you subtract the difference in average per pound cost in materials between the two, the conclusion you must draw is inescapable. And in case you've never made the connection, there is a direct correlation between weight, longevity and quality of ALL products; well made things simply weigh more, whether its a Rolex watch or a Rolls Royce. Even a good toaster is going to weigh more than a cheap toaster. To be well made, it not only must have more material, but better material.

There's no excuse for this sort of thing, or course. This is not high technology stuff here; mankind has been successfully building good boats for thousands of years, and fiberglass boats for over 40 years, boats that are reasonably priced, and boats that don't fall apart. And while its easy to blame the builder, increasingly we are turning our attention to the boating public that buys products like this without discernment. The fact is that you can't ever have your cake and eat it too. Unless you have two cakes. People who shop price alone don't have two cakes; they can only afford one.

Stress cracks outline the hull stringers extending nearly all the way aft.

Its the competitive nature of of capitalism that some manufacturers will attempt to capture market share by reducing the price below all competitors. Of course they cannot stay in business if they don't also reduce the cost of manufacturing by an equal amount. Companies must make a profit to survive. This unfortunate nature of capitalism means that inevitably the cost/quality relationship of manufactured products is going to spiral downward to the least common denominator, ending up with what you see in these photos. We end up with boats little better than so-called mobile homes. And when the big wind comes along, everyone looks to the taxpayers to pay the cost of their stupidity. You don't have that luxury with a boat.

Boat builders are not going to stop producing products like this, no matter how much pressure is put on them to do otherwise. The problem is market driven, and must be solved by the market. That means that unless and until the boating public becomes more discerning about the products they buy, they are going to continue to get burned. We shouldn't forget that capitalism is democracy in action. We cast a vote every time we buy something. That vote tells manufacturers what you want in terms of quality and price. They don't know whether you are knowledgeable or stupid; if you know what you bought, or of you just bought it blind. They only know that this is what sells. If you are willing to make a $250,000 purchase indiscriminately based on price alone, the manufacturer will be willing to take the same risk and design the quality right down to the bare bones, and below, in order to give it to you. Even if it takes both of you right down the drain. Once the downward spiral starts, the builders really haven't much choice. They either meet the market or perish. Its you, the boat buyer, who holds all the cards.

Consider that Hatteras has pretty much abandoned the mid-sized boat market. And so has Viking. Consider that Bertram and Blackfin are out of business. Consider that a lot of other quality builders have met the same fate. See what's happening here? Low quality is driving out good quality, because that's what the market wants.

That's why we find it hard to blame the builder for this sort of thing.

David Pascoe - Biography

David Pascoe is a second generation marine surveyor in his family who began his surveying career at age 16 as an apprentice in 1965 as the era of wooden boats was drawing to a close.

Certified by the National Association of Marine Surveyors in 1972, he has conducted over 5,000 pre purchase surveys in addition to having conducted hundreds of boating accident investigations, including fires, sinkings, hull failures and machinery failure analysis.

Over forty years of knowledge and experience are brought to bear in following books. David Pascoe is the author of:

" Mid Size Power Boats " (2003)
" Buyers’ Guide to Outboard Boats " (2002)
" Surveying Fiberglass Power Boats " (2001, 2nd Edition - 2005)
" Marine Investigations " (2004).

In addition to readers in the United States, boaters and boat industry professionals worldwide from nearly 80 countries have purchased David Pascoe's books, since introduction of his first book in 2001.

In 2012, David Pascoe has retired from marine surveying business at age 65.

On November 23rd, 2018, David Pascoe has passed away at age 71.

Biography - Long version

Boat Reviews Articles At-A-Glance

Introduction to Boat Reviews
Albemarle 305
Aquasport 215
Baha 260 Targa (not "Baja")
Bertram Yachts
Bertram Yachts: Introduction
Bertram 26.6 II
Bertram 28 II
Bertram 30 Express
Bertram 30 Moppie
Bertram 31 SF
Bertram 33 SF
Bertram 36 Moppie
Bertram 42 Convertible
Bertram 46 Convertible
Blackfin Yachts
Blackfin 29 SF
Blackfin 29 Combi
Blackfin 32 Flybridge
Blackfin 33
Boston Whaler Outrage 26
Cabo 31 Sport Express
Century 3000
Chris-Craft 302 Crown
Contender 25
Cranchi Mediterranee 40
Cruisers 4270 Esprit
Cruisers 4280
Glacier Bay 2640 Renegade
Grady-White Offshore 24
Grady-White 24 Voyager
Grady White 272 Sailfish
Grand Banks 42
Gulfstar 43 Trawler-style Yacht
Hatteras Yachts
Hatteras Yachts: Introduction
Hatteras 36 Convertible
Hatteras 38 Convertible
Hatteras 38 Convertible - Updated Review
Hatteras 39 Sport Express
Hatteras 45 Convertible
Hatteras 52 Convertible
Hatteras 53 Motor Yacht & Convertible
Hatteras 61 Motor Yacht
Hyatt 45 CMY
Intrepid 289
Island Gypsy 40
Legacy 34 Express
Luhrs 320 Open
Luhrs 34 - 340 F.B. Sedan
Luhrs Tournament 350
Luhrs Tournament 360
Mainship 31
Mainship 350 Trawler
Mako 221- Updated 11/05/99
Maxum 4600 1998
Morgan 462 Ketch
Offshore 48
Post 46 Convertible
Pursuit 2855
Pursuit 3000 Offshore
Pursuit 3070 CC
Sea Ray and Balsa Core Bottoms (from "Structural Issues")
Sea Ray 250 Sundancer
Sea Ray Sundancer 290
Sea Say Sundancer 290 Update
Sea Ray 370 AC
Sea Ray 39 Express
Sea Ray 500
Shamrock 26
Thompson Santa Cruz 2700
Tiara Yachts
Tiara Today
Tiara 3100 Open
Tiara 3600 Convertible
Tiara 3600 Open
Topaz 28_1981
Trojan 10-8 Meter
Trojan 14 Meter Convertible
Trojan 440 Express
Viking 43 Open
from Buying a Boat cat.
Marlin Monroe 42 Bertram Convertible Make an Old Boat New
A Few Favorites

Basic Considerations
Boat Types: Which is Right for You?
Old Boats, New Boats and Quality
Basic Hull Construction
Evaluating Boat Hulls
Performance and Sea Keeping
Decks & Superstructure
Stress Cracks,Finishes and Surface Defects
Power Options
The Engine Room
Electrical & Plumbing Systems
Design Details
Steering, Controls, Systems & Equipment
The Art of the Deal
Boat Shopping
The Survey & Post Survey
Boat Builders by Company

What is Pre-Purchase Survey?
Business Practices and Client Relations
Sound vs. Seaworthiness
Hull and Its Structure
Surveying the Hull
Using Moisture Meters
Stress Cracks & Surface Irregularities
Deck & Superstructure
Drive Train
Gas Engines
Fuel Systems
Exhaust Systems
Electrical Systems
Plumbing Systems

Published by: D. H. Pascoe & Co., Inc. Articles, Images: Copyright © 1997 - 2018 David H. Pascoe All rights reserved. Articles, Images: Copyright © 2019-2022 Junko A. Pascoe All rights reserved. Web site design & developement: Copyright © 1997 - 2023 Junko A. Pascoe All rights reserved. Web site: Maintained by Junko A. Pascoe

Carver boats - a big mistake?

Richard C. Belanger

"Richard C. Belanger" < [email protected] > wrote in message news:[email protected]...

Harry Krause

[email protected]

>Hi: > >I have been looking at a new Carver 396. Looks like a nice boat, good >for the family, though not a hard-core offshore design. Everything has >been looking good until I went to http://www.yachtsurvey.com > >David Pascoe has a post on Carver's that makes me feel I would be better >off lashing together some logs than getting a Carver. Needless to say I >am more than a little concerned. >

garyjwilliams

Fred Konchan

Karl Denninger

>> Don't forget, Pascoe's articles, although well written, are the kind of

>> reviews where $150K is considered cheap. > > Not true.

While there is some good information on his site, many of his > conclusions are indefensible in an open forum, IMO.

> Carver's are fine recreational boats with many proud and repeat owners.

> Pascoe is a winey cowardly ambusher thus far unable to belly up to the > bar. Hopefully, some day he will find the courage of his convictions and > test his rather myopic views in free and open discussion.

>> I can remember when Pascoe passed off pictures of hurricane damaged >> boats implying they were *typical* of the builder's products until he >> was called on it. He meekly pulled those pictures and stories from his

>> website. While there is some good information on his site, many of his

>> conclusions are indefensible in an open forum, IMO.

>> Carver's are fine recreational boats with many proud and repeat owners.

>> Pascoe is a winey cowardly ambusher thus far unable to belly up to the >> bar. Hopefully, some day he will find the courage of his convictions >> and test his rather myopic views in free and open discussion.

> Another in the series of bullshippy, bold-faced lies from Skipper...

> Pascoe pulled those Bayliner photos because he was tired of seeing his

"Richard C. Belanger" wrote: > > Hi: > > I have been looking at a new Carver 396. Looks like a nice boat, good > for the family, though not a hard-core offshore design. Everything has > been looking good until I went to http://www.yachtsurvey.com > > David Pascoe has a post on Carver's that makes me feel I would be better > off lashing together some logs than getting a Carver. Needless to say I > am more than a little concerned. >

> [email protected] wrote: >> >> On Sat, 18 Mar 2000 13:26:06 GMT, "Richard C. Belanger"

>> < [email protected] > wrote: >> >> >Hi: >> > >> >I have been looking at a new Carver 396. Looks like a nice boat, good >> >for the family, though not a hard-core offshore design. Everything has >> >been looking good until I went to http://www.yachtsurvey.com >> > >> >David Pascoe has a post on Carver's that makes me feel I would be better >> >off lashing together some logs than getting a Carver. Needless to say I >> >am more than a little concerned. >> > >>

>> dont forget, pascoe's articles, although wel written, are the kind of

>> reviews where $150K is considered cheap. > >Not true. >

Further, if you DO have a cored hull (even above the waterline only; I'd dismiss as insane any hull cored below the waterline) there had better be layers of roving on the OUTSIDE of the core material. If there isn't (eg: chopper gun or nothing) on the outside you have pretty close to ZERO impact resistance.

>> I have been looking at a new Carver 396. Looks like a nice boat, good >> for the family, though not a hard-core offshore design. Everything has >> been looking good until I went to http://www.yachtsurvey.com

>> David Pascoe has a post on Carver's that makes me feel I would be better >> off lashing together some logs than getting a Carver. Needless to say I >> am more than a little concerned.

> Well, Pascoe pretty-well documented his findings on the Carver... A > boat...with a hull thin enough to puncture due to a light impact

> (realize that a "light" impact in boat terms is a rock or other hard > object on the bottom that you hit with the hull while moving at 20 knots!)

> The prospect of being holed and sinking as a consequence of such an impact > ought to dissuade anyone from buying a boat such as this.

> "Light" impacts (due to deadheads, other junk in the water, etc) happen ALL > THE TIME and are basically unavoidable risks in the boating world. If you > boat in a region where you're more than a comfortable swim away from shore > (or where the water is cold enough to kill you even if you'd otherwise > survive) then I would consider such a boat to be an INSANE purchase > decision.

RICHARD POELSTRA

>Try walking the dock telling the proud owner of a Carver that his boat >is a POS and unsafe. Yes, you and Pascoe have a lot in common ...both >Assholes. > >-- >Skipper

But heh, its your money Skip.

Larry W4CSC

> >Further, if you DO have a cored hull (even above the waterline only; I'd >dismiss as insane any hull cored below the waterline) there had better be >layers of roving on the OUTSIDE of the core material. If there isn't (eg: >chopper gun or nothing) on the outside you have pretty close to ZERO impact >resistance. >

You look at the shit some Hats and Bertrams get put through during storms (including being blown into pilings, other structures and boats) and you'll find exactly that kind of ruggedness.

Jim Donohue

Richard C. Belanger < [email protected] > wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> Hi: > > Thanks so much for the feedback, pro and con. I have been in touch with > dealer and Carver. We are going to do a preliminary sea trial on the > same model boat in the next few weeks - and a complete walk through. I > will report back on the results, if anyone seems to be interested. > > I am also widening my search to encompass other boats, with an emphasis > on learning more about what makes a good design. > > Does anyone have good sources on what to look for in a well designed > boat today (other than Pascoe. I have already printed out his stuff). > > Thanks, > > Rich >

> "Richard C. Belanger" wrote: > > > > Hi: > > > > I have been looking at a new Carver 396. Looks like a nice boat, good > > for the family, though not a hard-core offshore design. Everything has > > been looking good until I went to http://www.yachtsurvey.com > > > > David Pascoe has a post on Carver's that makes me feel I would be better > > off lashing together some logs than getting a Carver. Needless to say I > > am more than a little concerned. > >

> >You look at the shit some Hats and Bertrams get put through during storms >(including being blown into pilings, other structures and boats) and you'll >find exactly that kind of ruggedness. >

A friend of mine has a Hunter 34 sloop. The race committee insists everyone have a hand-operated bilge pump permanently installed. So, I installed Joe a Whale into his cockpit's starboard side where someone could sit and pump for hours on its handle. I stood on the dock with my cordless drill and hole saw to put the 1 1/4" thru-hull fitting into the starboard side of the hull about 2' above the water line. Some, on the dock, were skeptical that my little B&D could drill the hole. They watched in horror as I easily drilled the pilot hole and let the saw kiss the gelcoat, grinding its hole in the side of the boat. Took only about 20 seconds and the deed was done. I handed Joe the plug from the inside of the hole saw. "That's all there is to the hull?!!", he exclaimed. "Yep, about 1/2" thick, only 2' off the waterline. We looked close and it looks like there's only one layer of cloth, or at the most 2, in the epoxy, left really rough on the inside. I guess this will be thick enough until he slams into the dock from the tide, someday. Can't we afford more for a hundred grand??

>A friend of mine has a Hunter 34 sloop. The race committee insists >everyone have a hand-operated bilge pump permanently installed. So, I >installed Joe a Whale into his cockpit's starboard side where someone >could sit and pump for hours on its handle. I stood on the dock with >my cordless drill and hole saw to put the 1 1/4" thru-hull fitting >into the starboard side of the hull about 2' above the water line. >Some, on the dock, were skeptical that my little B&D could drill the >hole. They watched in horror as I easily drilled the pilot hole and >let the saw kiss the gelcoat, grinding its hole in the side of the >boat. Took only about 20 seconds and the deed was done. I handed Joe >the plug from the inside of the hole saw. "That's all there is to the >hull?!!", he exclaimed. "Yep, about 1/2" thick, only 2' off the >waterline. We looked close and it looks like there's only one layer >of cloth, or at the most 2, in the epoxy, left really rough on the >inside. I guess this will be thick enough until he slams into the >dock from the tide, someday. Can't we afford more for a hundred >grand?? > >Larry

Those boats not only inherently have a shitload of mass but they spend their entire life in the water. Below-waterline cores in those hulls WILL get wet and once they do trouble is inevitable.

On 20 Mar 2000 01:45:14 GMT, [email protected] (Karl

On Sun, 19 Mar 2000 19:56:42 -0500, "L8apex" < [email protected] >

Rod McInnis

> I hadn't considered the more hard-core boats like Bertram and Hatteras > since I believed they were completely out of my price range. > > Any opinions out there?

>Would I be making a huge mistake with a Carver?

Larry Weiss

Larry Weiss "...Ever After!"

With that out of the way, let me say that Carver quality has been on the rise for a number of years. My understanding is the boat in David Pascoe's review was actually bought back by Carver, having been one of a handful of boats produced that year that were incorrectly built and *replaced*. I like Mr.

Pascoe's information, but he cannot be expected to provide the complete story behind every boat brand, so I can't blame him for missing the whole picture in that situation. He saw what he saw and reported it accordingly.

Dale Peterson

"Skipper" < [email protected] > wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> RBStern wrote: > > > I like Mr. Pascoe's information, but he cannot be expected to provide the > > complete story behind every boat brand, so I can't blame him for missing the > > whole picture in that situation. He saw what he saw and reported it > > accordingly. >

> > Carver has since invested a lot of money on quality control processes and > quality control people. And it flat out shows.

> Comparing it to a Hatteras is silly. Put a 2 inch thick hull on a Carver for > close-to-shore or lake or river duty? Yeah, that would make sense. Then it > needs big diesels. Might as well make it a deep-vee while we are at it. There > goes the space, the price, fuel economy, maintenance costs, etc. Who would > buy one? The same people who buy Hatteras. Not what Carver is after, I'm > afraid. And not what a lot of us Carver owners want.

> > To the original poster: You will not find a better 40' aft cabin boat with so > many amenities, high comfort level, quality, and resale value than the Carver > 396, in that general price range. You can find better boats built for a > different audience, at different price points, usually higher, or you can buy > an older, higher end boat, but again, it won't touch the functionality of the > 396. Just don't buy the 396 (or any aft cabin!) if rough conditions are part > of the boating you plan to do on a regular basis. >

I have no qualm with someone who wants a floating party barge. There's a market for everything, and if that's what you want that's fine. But trying to claim that these boats are suitable for cruising out in big water (and the Great Lakes certainly qualify as big water) is dangerous to the health of those who do so.

RBStern wrote: > > Hey, one more Carver opinion, while we are at it? > > First, let me (re)state that I am a Carver owner and therefore, biased. > > Second, don't take my word for it. Here's a link to another forum, > specifically, the opinion of a marine surveyor who sees a lot of Carvers on the > Great Lakes: > > http://www.yachtingnet.com/community/forums/power/1051/0.html >

> With that out of the way, let me say that Carver quality has been on the rise > for a number of years. My understanding is the boat in David Pascoe's review > was actually bought back by Carver, having been one of a handful of boats

> produced that year that were incorrectly built and *replaced*. I like Mr.

> Pascoe's information, but he cannot be expected to provide the complete story > behind every boat brand, so I can't blame him for missing the whole picture in > that situation. He saw what he saw and reported it accordingly. >

> Carver has since invested a lot of money on quality control processes and > quality control people. And it flat out shows. >

> Carver has a solid reputation for good fit and finish, similar to Regal, > Chapparral, and othe mid-priced brands. I believe their use of interior space > is ahead of anybody making products in the same category. They've also had > some great innovations lately, such as frameless (no leak!) windows, very wide > sidedecks, and have recently eliminated all wood below the waterline on their > boats (they haven't made cored hulls since 1981). >

> I wouldn't hesitate to have anyone here who doubts the quality to take a close > look. They know how to build a decent boat. And the company is very good > about standing by the product. They are customer service oriented. > > My wife laments about having to drive the family minivan every day because she > says she "doesn't look cool." In response, I usually say, "Well, do you want > to trade it in on a sportier car?" Her response is always the same: "No, I > need the functionality of the minivan." The point being that the product we > might idealize (a tough, diesel powered, wave slicing, ocean going battlewagon > like a Hatteras sportfish), is not often the product we can either afford or > live with. >

> To the original poster: You will not find a better 40' aft cabin boat with so > many amenities, high comfort level, quality, and resale value than the Carver > 396, in that general price range. You can find better boats built for a > different audience, at different price points, usually higher, or you can buy > an older, higher end boat, but again, it won't touch the functionality of the > 396. Just don't buy the 396 (or any aft cabin!) if rough conditions are part

Your point is what, exactly?

Of course, what most people call 3-6 footers are really about 2'.

>Perhaps boats of this type need a warning label on them. "Warning: even >though this boat is 40 feet long, it is designed and built only for >close to shore, lake or river duty, and we don't mean Lake Superior in a >squall."

>No offense, Rich, but that 40' Carver, at least the one depicted on the >Carver website (396 motor yacht), is among the ugliest boats I have ever >seen. It looks like a doublewide manufactured home with a huge lifting >handle, with some canard of a back porch-diving board right behind that >radar arch. With all that windage, it must be a terror to dock. And the >standard engines on that 28,000-pound monster are a pair of big block >V-8 gasoline slurpers? Holy Batman, who makes the boat, OPEC?

>Seriously, if you want a boat like that, why not buy a houseboat and be >done with it? At least a houseboat is honest in what it is. > >-- >Harry Krause

> I guess your boat needs a warning label that says: "Warning: You cannot sleep > comfortably, cook a meal, watch TV, get out of the weather, rest out of the > sun, have air conditioning, store food indefinitely in a refrigerator, carry 15 > people comfortably, or any of a few dozen other things on this boat."

Interestingly, the psychotherapist in the family is pushing me towards buying a new boat on which you can sleep comfortably, cook a meal, watch

TV, get out of the weather, rest out of the sun, have air conditioning,

store food and carry a lot of people. It's smaller than that Carver under discussion, but it will safely handle offshore conditions.

> > >No offense, Rich, but that 40' Carver, at least the one depicted on the > >Carver website (396 motor yacht), is among the ugliest boats I have ever > >seen. It looks like a doublewide manufactured home with a huge lifting > >handle, with some canard of a back porch-diving board right behind that > >radar arch. With all that windage, it must be a terror to dock. And the > >standard engines on that 28,000-pound monster are a pair of big block > >V-8 gasoline slurpers? Holy Batman, who makes the boat, OPEC? > > No offense taken. You're entitled to your opinion. I expect Carver will sell > every one they can make, as seems to be the problem with a lot of their recent > models.

> >Seriously, if you want a boat like that, why not buy a houseboat and be > >done with it? At least a houseboat is honest in what it is.

> That's a pretty ridiculous statement, even from you. You are essentially > saying that if a product's attributes don't appeal to you as functional for > your purposes, it's dishonest. Hey man, get a grip. The planet spins with or > without you. > > -- Rich Stern

> > No offense, Rich, but that 40' Carver, at least the one depicted on the > Carver website (396 motor yacht), is among the ugliest boats I have ever > seen.

> It looks like a doublewide manufactured home with a huge lifting > handle, with some canard of a back porch-diving board right behind that > radar arch.

> With all that windage, it must be a terror to dock.

> And the > standard engines on that 28,000-pound monster are a pair of big block > V-8 gasoline slurpers? Holy Batman, who makes the boat, OPEC?

> > Seriously, if you want a boat like that, why not buy a houseboat and be > done with it? At least a houseboat is honest in what it is.

> > I own a 36' Mariner, which is certainly an odd configuration. The lack > of any forward facing windows gives the boat a funny look to start with,

> > > It looks like a doublewide manufactured home with a huge lifting > > handle, with some canard of a back porch-diving board right behind that > > radar arch. > > What, you object to people diving off their boats?

> > > With all that windage, it must be a terror to dock. > > A valid concern. It gets worse with the canvas enclosures that people > often add. Prospective buyers should be aware that a shallow draft, > high windage boat will be harder to dock in high winds than a deep vee, > lower profile model. It is a trade off that has to be made.

> > > And the > > standard engines on that 28,000-pound monster are a pair of big block > > V-8 gasoline slurpers? Holy Batman, who makes the boat, OPEC? > > The Carver web page lists 7 different engine options for the 396: two > different Mercruiser gas engines, two different Volvo gas engines, two > different Cummins diesels, and a Volvo diesel. I don't see where they > state what the "standard" engine is.

> > Of course, you could buy a top of the line boat, like a Hatteras 50 > foot convertible, which comes equipped with a pair of Cat 3412E > engines. Nothing like a 1400 Hp, 12 cylinder monster to make those V-8 > Carver uses look puny.

> >Interestingly, the psychotherapist in the family is pushing me towards > >buying a new boat on which you can sleep comfortably, cook a meal, watch > >TV, get out of the weather, rest out of the sun, have air conditioning, > >store food and carry a lot of people. It's smaller than that Carver > >under discussion, but it will safely handle offshore conditions. >

>Sorry to reply to my own post, but you notice how Skipper has >COMPLETELY ignored this message. Got'im, right in the cojones. > >Ron M.

Dig around that message board. The guy's experience comes across pretty well, and there are plenty of details. I guess this is where you'll tell me that you don't have time to waste on a subject you don't really care that much about. I understand. I know you are pressed for time. So many threads to interupt, so little time...

>No such label needed. It is obvious from looking at my boat that you >cannot sleep on it, cook on it, et cetera or so forth. But to a >neophyte, that big Carver might look as if it might be up to more than >sheltered water use."

>Interestingly, the psychotherapist in the family is pushing me towards >buying a new boat on which you can sleep comfortably, cook a meal, watch >TV, get out of the weather, rest out of the sun, have air conditioning, >store food and carry a lot of people. It's smaller than that Carver >under discussion, but it will safely handle offshore conditions.

And while I might like the boat you pick for some reasons, I would probably not buy the same model because it wouldn't fit my needs. I don't have enough of an ego to call it an bad product just because it wouldn't work based on my boating value system.

.> I do believe that particular boat's design is intellectually >dishonest.

Huh? We are talking about a style of boat that has been extremely successful for a large number of boat builders, for well over a decade. The aft cabin style has been built by some of the "best" production builders in the industry. They hold resale as well or better than many other production boat styles. Obviously, people who buy them, like them.

>I wouldn't call it "bad" because it doesn't suit my needs.

>You're talking about style. I am talking about design. They aren't the >same.

"RBStern" < [email protected] > wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> What is it about the design of that aft cabin that sets it dramatically apart > from other aft cabins?

> And "ungainly walrus" seems to be a style comment, since you are referring to > the lines of the boat.

> Harry, face it: Aft cabin is to Harry Krause what homosexual is to Jerry > Fallwell. Not natural. To be feared. Shunned. Not in the creator's image (a > deep vee with lots of bow flare and diesels). > > -- Rich Stern

Bruce Friedell

The follow up question I asked was: "What is it about the design of that aft

cabin that sets it dramatically apart from other aft cabins?"

>A number of other after cabin boats I have seen were designed to be >boats, not floating condos.

>The boat is well-balanced visually,

>and has a raised deck over the rear >cabin.

>The decks along each side of the cabin allow easy movement to the >bow and cockpit, and there are waist high safety railings.

>The hull form >is a modified vee, with sharp forward sections that make for easy entry >into head seas and choppy water.

>The hull is solid glass. While the Hatt >is a couple of feet shorter than the Carver, it is heavier because of >its more solid construction. The stringers are foam cored with steel >plates for the engines. There are serious bulkheads, bonded to the hull >with lots of glass cloth and resin.

>The water, fuel and holding tanks >are fiberglass.

>The joinery is mostly solid hardwood.

>The Hatt is designed for coastal cruising. It looks like a boat and >handles like a boat. The Carver, I suppose, is for more protected >waters. To me, it looks like a curvilinear double decker houseboat that >stopped off in Italy for a facelift. >

>The Hatt 38 was designed by a man who practiced the belief that function >was the basis of good design, and that boats should look good without a >lot of "trick" decorative touches or trim.

>The Carver was designed, probably by a committee and "focus groups, to >be just the opposite.

>The entire boat is tricked up. As an example of >the latter, I would point to the strange, eliptical and really ugly >windows on the hullsides of the Carver,

and the "radar arch cum >fiberglass roof" structure on the Carver and the fact that there appears >to be no bimini top possibilities for the topside control station.

>And >the sharply sloping gunnels on the Carver do not inspire confidence if >you have to walk forward outside of the cabin.

>I don't know what the Carver sells for new. The used Hatt in terrific >shape with fresh diesels is under $100,000.

> Sorry to reply to my own post, but you notice how Skipper has COMPLETELY > ignored this message. Got'im, right in the cojones.

>> Looking for testimony? Pick up the latest issue of Sea magazine. This >> month's feature article is a rave review of the subject Carver 396. >> While this boat may not be up to the standards of your mighty issue, >> most of us would find it a step up.

> If I won a brand new one in a lottery, I'd sell it without ever splashing it > into the water. I don't know what it sells for new, but if you trucked it to > the right place, you might realize enough to buy a new Cabo 31.

>> Newsstand price is $3.50. Very informative boating magazine. ...The >> boat, base $248,495, as tested $257,920.

> Damn hate to take skippers side on this one but so far youve been comparing > apples to oranges.40ft carver to a 31 cabo comon. In a storm 31 cabo at the > dock holding a martini 40 carver.For a new subject lets compare skippers > knowledge of boat to Karls.

>>> Got'im, right in the cojones.

>> Looking for testimony? Pick up the latest issue of Sea magazine. This >> month's feature article is a rave review of the subject Carver 396. While >> this boat may not be up to the standards of your mighty issue, most of us >> would find it a step up. >> Ref, have you ever noticed that those who do the most bashing tend to own >> boats with wet pounding rides not up to the challenge. Think there's a >> correlation?

> Well, Skipper, you're just verifying my point. You're not even talking about

> the same BOAT, much less answering the simple question I posed in the > original message, and which continue to collect dust while you indulge in > nebulous, irrelevant topic-switching.

>I doubt it. Ref probably would do what I would do if either of us won a >new one in a lottery. We'd sell it before it every splashed into the >water and use the proceeds to fund the Bayliner Roadside Cleanup Fund, a >not-for-profit agency that arranges for the pickup and eventual grinding >down of Bayliners abandoned by their owners.

GRIND EM??? Please don't. Just take them a few miles offshore and pull the plug. They make good artificial reef material.

Russ Glindmeier

>> The subject of this thread is Carver boats. That's C-A-R-V-E-R. While >> we're on that subject, would that Quarter million dollar C-A-R-V-E-R be >> a step up for you, Ref?

> No, Skipper. The subject is your response to the Pascoe photographs that > showed crummy 1" stringers held on by tiny pieces of tape, and cheap > pop-rivets. You said the photos were phony, and I asked for clarification, > e.g. "did they replace the stringers just for the photo?" and so on. > > You have yet to reply, Skipper, and you won't, because you KNOW I've > caught you with your pants down. Face the music, Skipper. You've had > it. You're sunk this time. No way you can get out of this one. > > Checkmate.

> Ohh was excited for a moment. > Thought Skipper was starting to figure out Life, the Universe, > and Everything. But alas it's just alta vista.

> >> >> Ref, have you ever noticed that those who do the most bashing tend to own > >> >> boats with wet pounding rides not up to the challenge. Think there's a > >> >> correlation? > >> > >> > Well, Skipper, you're just verifying my point. You're not even talking about > >> > the same BOAT, much less answering the simple question I posed in the > >> > original message, and which continue to collect dust while you indulge in > >> > nebulous, irrelevant topic-switching. > >>

> >> The subject of this thread is Carver boats. That's C-A-R-V-E-R. While > >> we're on that subject, would that Quarter million dollar C-A-R-V-E-R be > >> a step up for you, Ref? >

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Syf350 New Member

I know this is a loaded question. but hoping for objective opinions, not brand ambassadors. Looking at a navigator 53 (volvo) and carver 530 (cummins). same year, same price, lets assume same shape. I am not looking to travel the world. I am looking to liveaboard on something reliable with the occasional jaunt to the bahamas, possibly the loop. go.

BRyachts Member

Navigators seem to have a pretty good reputation, Carvers not so much. While I generally prefer Cummins (parts are cheaper and easier to get) to Volvo, a lot comes down to what model of each one, and how well they've been maintained. Some would depend on your liveaboard lifestyle too.

SeaEric YF Historian

Neither of those models have aged graciously in my opinion. It's been my experience that the Carver is, in general a much easier re-sale. My choice would be the 53 Carver.

NYCAP123 Senior Member

I'd prefer the Carver because of a better support network and easier to resell, and also the Cummins for the reasons in #2. Another reason is because around here there's far more Carvers to choose from, but that could be different in your area.

gr8trn Senior Member

Sorry, I am a brand ambassador. Actually just an owner operator. I have never run a Carver. Look at them both. Sit on them both. Operate them both. Buy the one you like the best. I would go Nav>Carver Cummins all day>Vovlo based one longevity and parts pricing I see your dilema.

Ralph Holiman New Member

I know someone with a 56 Navigator. It's nice looking boat, but, the side decks going forward are so narrow they are hard to negotiate when it's tied up to the dock. I can't imagine trying to do it when any kind of seas, anchored or moving.

JadePanama Member

Based in Seattle, there are a ton of Navigators up here. We actually recently bought a 2011 Californian 55 (which is a Navigator with a different look/layout). One of our closest friends has a 57' Carver and we spend a ton of time on both. I honestly cant say there is anything I like better about the Carver. They have had constant problems. I have never really held either in the highest regards, but after owning the Cal/Nav, I am actually quite impressed with the build and finish. The woodwork is outstanding and the cabinetry hardware they used is top end stuff. I get its still not a Grand Banks or even an OA, but for the Puget Sound waters its a hell of a bang for the buck. Comparing the two, the fit/finish is much higher on the Navigator imo. I never have understood the Volvo hatred. They are very solid, efficient engines. Folks bring up parts, but I have found a pretty plentiful supply out there. As you have probably noticed if you have looked much, at the end of the day it really matters more about that particular boat you are looking at. How was it maintained and used before you means far more than the name on the side. Best of luck!

cleanslate Senior Member

JadePanama said: ↑ Based in Seattle, there are a ton of Navigators up here. We actually recently bought a 2011 Californian 55 (which is a Navigator with a different look/layout). One of our closest friends has a 57' Carver and we spend a ton of time on both. I honestly cant say there is anything I like better about the Carver. They have had constant problems. I have never really held either in the highest regards, but after owning the Cal/Nav, I am actually quite impressed with the build and finish. The woodwork is outstanding and the cabinetry hardware they used is top end stuff. I get its still not a Grand Banks or even an OA, but for the Puget Sound waters its a hell of a bang for the buck. Comparing the two, the fit/finish is much higher on the Navigator imo. I never have understood the Volvo hatred. They are very solid, efficient engines. Folks bring up parts, but I have found a pretty plentiful supply out there. As you have probably noticed if you have looked much, at the end of the day it really matters more about that particular boat you are looking at. How was it maintained and used before you means far more than the name on the side. Best of luck! Click to expand...

the Californian brand has changed hands several times. Not gonna go too deep into the history but the original founder of Californian was Jules Marshall founded in 1972. He sold it to Wellcraft in 1980, bought it back in 84, sold it to Carver in 86, went on to create Navigator in 1988, and bought Californian back from Carver in 1991. From then till they closed around 2016 Californians were really Navigator Hulls and Engines, with a different layout and body. Not sure either is more sea worthy than the other. They both (carver/navigator) have very different layouts so functionality and design preferences probably should drive this. Not trying to be a homer, but I have always considered the Navigator line to be a step above Carvers. I will say the more I dig into mine, I am continually impressed by the neatness of wiring, plumbing, systems etc.

JadePanama said: ↑ the Californian brand has changed hands several times. Not gonna go too deep into the history but the original founder of Californian was Jules Marshall founded in 1972. He sold it to Wellcraft in 1980, bought it back in 84, sold it to Carver in 86, went on to create Navigator in 1988, and bought Californian back from Carver in 1991. From then till they closed around 2016 Californians were really Navigator Hulls and Engines, with a different layout and body. Not sure either is more sea worthy than the other. They both (carver/navigator) have very different layouts so functionality and design preferences probably should drive this. Not trying to be a homer, but I have always considered the Navigator line to be a step above Carvers. I will say the more I dig into mine, I am continually impressed by the neatness of wiring, plumbing, systems etc. Click to expand...

Rusty Mayes Member

We were looking for a Navigator 56 rival because we liked the cabin lay out and were also interested in the Carver 530 Voyager. I did a tone of research and forum reading on each. Owners love them both, I had Cummins on our last boat and would prefer to stay with them. The one thing that I have heard and seen first hand on the Navigators is windshield and side window sealing issues. There is a local boat that we almost bought and saw 6 months later that had the cabin ripped apart chasing interior wood damage. During my research on the Carvers I have not seen too much negative on the overall quality for a boat in its price category. We ended up falling into a local deal on a Carver 506 which for our five year plan will suit us well. It has Volvos so now we just get learn about them. Happy searching

Rusty Mayes said: ↑ We were looking for a Navigator 56 rival because we liked the cabin lay out and were also interested in the Carver 530 Voyager. I did a tone of research and forum reading on each. Owners love them both, I had Cummins on our last boat and would prefer to stay with them. The one thing that I have heard and seen first hand on the Navigators is windshield and side window sealing issues. There is a local boat that we almost bought and saw 6 months later that had the cabin ripped apart chasing interior wood damage. During my research on the Carvers I have not seen too much negative on the overall quality for a boat in its price category. We ended up falling into a local deal on a Carver 506 which for our five year plan will suit us well. It has Volvos so now we just get learn about them. Happy searching Click to expand...

Dweintra New Member

Agreed Dweintra. Both are solid boats and I think it really comes down to maintenance and preference of layout. Yours is a beautiful vessel and I know it will serve you and the fam for many years. Now.. I just need to find a way to get me a private dock off the backyard as well lol

gr8trn said: ↑ Congratulations on your decision and the new boat. I recall you have mentioned Benicia as your home port, I recall that as my wife is from that wonderful town and learned to sail on 9th street beach. We have walked the Marina perimeter many times as her mom lives there. Anyway, you are correct about Navigator windows. There was a move to flush mounted windows in about 2008, don't quote me on that year. Navigator used a 3m product to paint the inside of the windows to give the adhesive something to "stick" to. Short story, it failed and they need to be pulled, fritted or prepared and rebedded. This can be a $30K project at the top end or a $3K project if done as needed one window at a time. Not ideal, there was a law suit over this around that time but as we all know 2008-2009 was not a good time in boat building and Navigator did not make many hulls and finally ceased operations in the years to follow. Pre 2008 or 2007 or so, this Window seal failure is not an issue as far as I know. Click to expand...

JadePanama said: ↑ Agreed Dweintra. Both are solid boats and I think it really comes down to maintenance and preference of layout. Yours is a beautiful vessel and I know it will serve you and the fam for many years. Now.. I just need to find a way to get me a private dock off the backyard as well lol Click to expand...

Ralph Holiman said: ↑ I know someone with a 56 Navigator. It's nice looking boat, but, the side decks going forward are so narrow they are hard to negotiate when it's tied up to the dock. I can't imagine trying to do it when any kind of seas, anchored or moving. Click to expand...

Rusty Mayes said: ↑ Thank you, We really love the marina and it is only30 minutes from our home. Great place to relax on the weekends. I was sure that the boat we looked at was a Sundance in the 2000 vintage. It had big problems with several leaking deck plates and cleats as well as the window leaking. I am not knocking Navigator in general I just want the original Poster to make sure to have the windows and deck plates looked at for any signs of water intrusion as I know it was a very expensive issue to deal with. The prior owners of the boats were very cavalier about the maintenance and it cost them dearly when it came time to sell. The current owners thankfully went in with eyes wide open and are bringing the boat back to ship shape the right way. Cheers Click to expand...

Thank you all. I have now found a carver 570 that is a few years newer and in the same price range, muddying up my decision even further. But it sounds like i can't go wrong with any of them, provided maintenance and soundness are there.

Rkbk New Member

I have a 2000 53 Carver Voyager and love it

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2014 Carver Yachts C40 Review
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2014 Carver Yachts 54 Voyager Review
Carver Yacht News, Reviews and Features
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COMMENTS

Carver... Good? Bad?
As a former owner of both Mainship and Carver, I am here to tell you Carver build quality is better than Mainship. Overall design, engineering, and access was better on the Carver. The 400/404 is the same boat as the 355/356 with cockpit added. Those boats are a great compromise of size as it relates to handling.
Carver Boat Reviews
Carver 380 Santego: Used Boat Review. Steve Knauth. Jan 26, 2011. A boater in the Chicago area has found the ideal platform for viewing the city from the water. …. Read More. 1. Advertisement. The latest Carver boat reviews featuring first look videos, tests, specifications, and information resources.
Carver yacht quality?
My fridge crapped out last year and only two models that I know of fit my boat. Isotherm Cruise 130 $1352.00 + shipping. Same model in SS $1575.00 + shipping. Dometic CR 1110 $1100.00 + shipping. Crap!
Carver Yacht Specs, Tests and Reviews
1970 Carver 3180 Monterey EC. 1970 Carver Monterey 3180 EC. Get the latest Carver Yacht specs, tests and reviews featuring models, specifications, available features, engine information, fuel consumption, and information resources.
The Carver 40 is the best affordable family yacht
Back with a boat review, I walk through and rank a 2020 Carver C40 Command Bridge. Newly remodeled and looking great, this boat hits all the marks, making it...
Carver C43
A V-drive package likely reduced Carver's overhead, and presumably the retail pricing of the C43. With a base price of $571,650, the C43 is one of the most affordable boats of her size and ilk, and even optioned out as our test boat was, she comes in less than $700,000 before negotiations.
Carver C40: A Command Bridge Cruiser with Both Brains and Brawn
The newest Carver on the water, the C40—which we had the chance to inspect at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, where we shot a C40 First Look Video—offers up room for a family or two couples to overnight and move about the boat very comfortably while enjoying a degree of privacy, all in a boat that actually fits into a 40-foot slip. (The LOA is 39'10, even with the pulpit and swim platform.)
Carver 34: Quick Look at an Affordable Family Cruising Boat
The Carver 34. One of the nicest features on the 34 are the really nice wide side decks. If you've spent enough time passing through the windshield on an express cruiser, you're really going to love this. It's at least 12-13 inches wide. You get two feet side by side here. So Carver priced this boat super-competitively, at just over $320,000.
Boat Review: Carver C34 Coupe, Cruising Into the Future
Displacement: 17,300 lbs. Max HP: 700. Fuel Capacity: 200 gal. Water Capacity: 78 gal. Price (MSRP): $412,240. Dealer: Waterfront Marine, Edgewater, MD, (443) 949-9041. Boat Reviews. If you're looking for a modern, cutting-edge boat that handles well both in close quarters and at speed, look no further than the Carver C34 Coupe.
pros and cons of older carvers
Older Carver's. Last summer we purchased a '85 Carver Riviera. 28' with twin crusaders. Very well maintained. We are the 3rd owner, first had it for 17 years and loved the boat dearly. The 2nd owner just kept it at the marina and didn't use it. After a thorough survey, weeks of cleaning - we are very proud of her.
4 Top Selling Carver Motor Yachts That Are Always in Demand
Carver has been building motor yachts longer than many of today's yacht brokers have been out of grade school. Beginning with a succession of popular aft cabin models in the 1980s, by the early 2000s the Carver fleet had grown to include several cruising yachts in the 50-foot range. These were good years for the yachting industry and Carver ...
Carver Yachts for sale
Carver. Carver is a yacht builder that currently has 421 yachts for sale on YachtWorld, including 23 new vessels and 398 used yachts, listed by experienced yacht brokers mainly in the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France and Montenegro. The selection of models featured on YachtWorld spans a spectrum of sizes and ...
Boat Review: 366 Carver Motoryacht
Boat Review: 366 Carver Motor yacht. Source: Boattest.com. Formerly the 348, the 366 Motoryacht from Carver combines elements of a yacht with elements of an express cruiser to create a uniquely designed vessel. With absolutely no bulkheads between the galley, salon and dinette, Carver designers have enhanced the spaciousness that truly defines ...
Carver C52 Coupe Review
Carver 380 Santego: Used Boat Review. Steve Knauth. January 26, 2011. Boat Reviews. Carver 54 Voyager: Sensibility You Can Rely On. Jeanne Craig. January 19, 2012. Related Boats for Sale. Hanover 527 Request Price. Hanover 525 Request Price. Palm Beach Motor Yachts PB52 Request Price.
Boat Review: 396 Carver Motoryacht
Boat Review: 396 Carver Motoryacht. Source: Boattest.com staff, Boattest.com. The Carver 396 Motor Yacht is a boat meant for coastal cruising. She is a strong, stable ride with quality construction and good interior accommodations for two couples or a family. With the 396, Carver has managed to combine great interior headroom with open spaces ...
Boat Carver 370
In 2012, David Pascoe has retired from marine surveying business at age 65. On November 23rd, 2018, David Pascoe has passed away at age 71. Biography - Long version. Now, when a builder enters the larger boat market, particularly with boats priced well over 1/4 million, that attracts our interest.
466 Carver Motoryacht
466 Carver Motoryacht. Source: Power & Motoryacht Magazine. Carver's 466 Motor Yacht is highly flexible because she's offered in either a two or three-stateroom layout with either enclosed-or open-deck areas. Overall, she's a good performer with a stable ride that's great for cruising and entertaining.
Carver C37 Coupe: Luxury, Dependability, and Performance
The new Carver C37 Coupe is a roomy pocket yacht that's ready for adventure. Carver has been on a roll lately, introducing new boats like the C34 Command Bridge, and the C40. Now they've bridged the gap between the two, with the C37. The Carver C37 Coupe is a yacht that turns heads whether alongside the dock or carving a wake.
Carver Yachts for sale
How much do Carver boats cost? Carver boats for sale on Boat Trader are offered at a range of prices, valued from $7,989 on the cheaper end all the way up to $1,433,500 for the most luxurious yachts. Higher performance models now listed have motors up to 2,632 horsepower, while lighter-weight more functional models may have as modest as 254 ...
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There are many things to consider in a 40' boat. As an example, you note right away that the Carver you are considering, a plush multi-level cabin cruiser with lots of glass, is *not* a hard-core offshore design. Neither are similar looking boats from the two other manufacturers you mention, SeaRay and Maxum.
Carver 54 Voyager: Sensibility You Can Rely On
The 54 Voyager retails for $1,156,000 with the 575-hp Volvo diesels. For the investment, you get a complete package: home-style comfort in big spaces, classic style, reliable engineering, value, and longevity. For more information, visit Carver Yachts. Jeanne Craig has been covering powerboats since 1988. She spent ten years as a senior editor ...
Navigator Vs Carver
Hey JadePanama!! My Carver 56 with Volvo TAMD-75's has been reliable other than usual boat stuff as boats age. I think it comes down to the maintenance and history of the particular boat as they age. I believe corrosion was the big issue with the one you mentioned. The Carver 560 is the .2 version of the 530/570 but shares a lot in common.