1980's Deadrise

C

ChefJunk

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Greetings again!

I don't know what it is about Carvers, but I am stuck on them. I am still looking at the 1981 3007 Aft Cabin but want to learn about more. In looking at all of the early/mid/late 80's 27-32 footers they are all 10 or less degrees deadrise at the transom. The 32 mariner is even listed at 6 degrees!

My question is how do these boats ride compared to a deeper V aft? Like for instance, a SeaRay or Bayliner? A couple of my customers operate Marina's on an island and tell me "you can spot a Carver a mile away because they bob at the slightest ripple". What can the owners of these models tell me?

Some I was looking at:
85-83 29 Monterey 10 Degrees

86-93 27/530/300 Montego 8 Degrees
88-93 27/630/300 Santego 8 Degrees

83-90 28 Mariner/Voyager 10 Degrees
83-89 28 Riviera 10 Degrees

81-90 30/32 Aft Cabin 10 Degrees
84-93 32 Convertible 10 Degrees

87-91 32 Montego 6 Degrees
85-96 32/330 Mariner 6 Degrees

Thanks for your input!

Jim

PS, I am on Lake Erie
 
The 27/530/300/630 Montego and Santego changed to a 19 degree hull in mid 1988...anything after that will be a deep vee. Mine is a mid 1988 and has the deeper vee...I looked specifically for that when I bought it. The other boats are not fast boats, so they will ride decently enough, plus they are relatively heavy. I'm not sure what your friend is referring to about bobbing, other than Carvers of that era are typically bridge boats and tend to look like they move around more. OH...they also have keels on them which helps to stabilize the boat.
 
The reason that we love our Carvers is there doesn't seem to be another boat builder that uses interior space like Carver. On the 32' Montego, the low deadrise gives the boat speed and effiency. The sacrifice is in rough water, you get a little more of a rough ride, than a Deep V. However, we spend a lot of time in a "more than significant ripple" and I can't really say that we "bob around". Maybe bobing is more a charateristic of a lighter weight boat. I'd say that any ripple that makes us uncomforatable will make the Sea Ray owner equally uncomfortable. I will take my headroom, stand-up shower and private stand-up stateroom over the smoother ride of a 34 Sundancer, anyday.
 
Thanks for the info, I am glad to hear of the deeper V, the flat bottom was scaring me away but maybe I will take a look. I really like the circular setup. How cozy is that mid cabin?

Thanks,

Jim
 
There is no question that the older Carvers such as the 3297 Mariner/3257 Montego or the other ones you mentioned had very flat sections aft and could be hard-riding in a chop. Its a tradeoff you make for all the extra space inside and the decent performance. But since an awful lot of people have enjoyed their Carvers over the years, myself included, it can't be THAT big of a handicap...

I will admit I love the ride on my friend's 1990 350 Sundancer, though. We plowed through some big ocean waves on a trip up the NJ coast and didn't even knock the vase off the counter in the head. On my 2896 the whole cabin would have been a total mess...
 
I had a 1984 32 Aft Cabin from 1984 (new) until 1988 and the boat rode extremely nice for the size and relatively boxy shape, better actually than any other boat I had rode on of that era or size to my knowledge. It can get a little stiff at cruising speed in a steep chop but just back off the throttles a little bit and you would be fine. I challenge you to find a boat with more interior space at 32' than any 32' Carver especially the aft cabins!
 
The aft cabin is quite wide and has "normal" length to it...I, on the other hand, am "freakishly tall" , as my dock neighbors put it, so I cannot sleep there. It should be okay for most adults and kids. The circular dinette is fantastic...great for games and stuff :-)
 
I own an '81 3007 & have pleased overall. I agree that Carver has mastered the interior space thing for boats that size. I boat on Lake Michigan, and about the only concerns I've encountered have been handling issues on plane, when another boat passes and I get their wash. Boat seems to get skiddish, and I find myself powering down substantially to get control back. Issue 2 is the 'metronome' effect with high freeboard and a flybridge. One tends to feel the swaying from port/starboard waves when at anchor. I purchased another anchor which I deploy from the stern to keep me facing into the waves. I beleive they only produced the 3007 in 1980 & 1981...then went to the 32 aft with more of a trawler hull. Love mine though!
 
From what I understand the 32 Aft Cabin hull is identcal to the 3007 just stretched...
 
I think some of those older Carvers were the dual-purpose hulls; semi-planing, trawler-mode, or whatever you want to call them.

My '95 Carver 325 Aft Cabin has a 16deg deadrise, and now adays not withstanding any rough-water performance issues, am not so sure a lower deadrise hull might be better due to the fuel economy difference.

But everyone is dead on about Carver's ability to put a lot of room in the interior.

We bought our 325 in 2006, and absolutely fell in love with our boat due to the room it has. If you look at the hull-line, its really a 30ft'er, because I have at least a 2ft overhang on the swim platform.

I'll argue that you'll never see a 30ft express cruiser with anywhere near the room in our boat. I have been in 35ft express cruisers without as much room as we have.

We live about 100 miles inland from the boat, so we use it as a weekend and vacation home in season. We retire next year, and we plan on being on the boat a couple weeks at a time - so we wanted something with room, but in a small enough package we could still handle the boat on the water, as well as financially.

As most of you know, costs; whether it be for a slip, maintenance, gas, storage, or whatever, seem to increase expotentially as the boat size increases.

Our aft cabin then I felt gave us the best comprimise, so with Carver's reputation for room, I can see the attraction most boaters have for them.

They have not always built the most "attractive" looking boat, and this is coming from someone that loves their Carver, so I'll say the styling over the years has been unique. But the interior room is incomparable.
 
awboater, I believe the LOA of your boat is over 37', so the actual hull length is 32. When it went from the 300 aft cabin to the 325, they added mor than just a moulded in swim platform, they lengthened the hull running surface too. The 300, although a fine boat, does not ride or run nearly as well as the 325.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the only "dual mode" hulls Carver built back then were the 3607 and 3697. The 3007/3027/3207/3227 were on the same modified-V cruiser hull, albeit with the lengthening Ramsport detailed above. The 3257/3297 used a different hull, but still a modified-V...
 
Ram; From the end of the swim platform to the tip of the bow (not including the bow pulpit), I am pretty sure the boat is 32ft.

What I am referring to is that the transom lies forward (underneath) the swim platform about 2ft. Last year, when we re-striped the hull, I am pretty sure I remember measuring the hull from the tip of the bow to the transom, and I think it was about 30ft. I guess I'll have to measure it again after it comes out of storage.

While the hull may very well be different than the traditional 30ft'rs (which I am sure it is), the actual transom is about 2ft in front of the swim platform.

Of course, I suppose it is still a 32ft'er as that is what the marina charges for slip and storage.

Pete - I am sure you are right on the 3607 having the trawler hull; I just remember some boats did in those years - not sure which all models they were.

Didn't some of the 32ft boats have a keel though?
 
My 32 had a small keel, but in my opinion was nowhere near a trawler hull. I hated how the boat ran while not on plane, but I also don't like doing 8 or 9 mph. so thats a factor too!
 
Go take a look at some shots of the bottoms of the 32s versus the 36s of 1980s vintage and you'll see the difference. The 30/32 foot sedans were definitely modified vee boats. The 32 Mariner/Montego was a little harder to differentiate, but basically is still a modified vee with a very sharp entry forward. The 36s are the true semi-displacement versions...
 
quote:
Originally posted by ChefJunk

Thanks for the info, I am glad to hear of the deeper V, the flat bottom was scaring me away but maybe I will take a look. I really like the circular setup. How cozy is that mid cabin?

Thanks,

Jim

Click to expand...


Sorry to be late to this conversation. We have an '82 Aft Cabin and the mid cabin is fabulous. I appreciate that they don't stick a dinette in the middle of it. Instead, you have a very versatile table which we love. We've slept 5 people and been quite comfortable.

That being said, I think the later year 32 footers are a smart design. The V-berth gives you a nice dining or game options if one doesn't mind sleeping in the Aft Cabin. On our boat, we prefer the V-berth, using the Aft Cabin for storage, changing clothes, or guests.

As for ride, we rode 80 miles through small craft advisories on the Sound and did fine, going 17 mph the whole way. Had we slowed to 8 mph, we'd been more comfortable, but we were in a hurry. The biggest problem is the kite effect our enclosed flybridge gives. There is relatively little rudder control and so you have to quick compensate with the twins. A little disconcerting at times.

HTH.

-Greg
 
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