320 Voyager What to look for?
- Thread starter Wintersux
- Start date
i'm sure ramsport will be by by shortly. he's been around carvers a long time and will be able to tell you any issues known to the model, but i'm not aware of any.
two years ago i bought a 1996 320 voyager, the model with the open cockpit. there are pictues in the sticky thread at th top of this forum (page 1 about 2/3 of the way down the page). another member has a mid 90's 3205 (i think that's the model designation), which is the same 320 hull but in an aft-cabin configuration. both boats have crusader 350 xl's. which model are you interested in?
we thoroughly enjoy our boat and for our use it's about perfect. things we love about the boat include the large cockpit (for fishing or lounging), huge flybridge (which can hold 7-8 real-sized adults), flat foredeck, and the interior setup, which is ideal. i think in 1995 they changed the inside and moved the galley from port forward to starboard aft, with the head across from it. this move allowed the creation of a second "stateroom" (cave, really) under the dinnete. this area is great for storing stuff or for the kids to sleep. it also placed the galley (with it' full sized fridge) and the head within easy reach of the cockpit, without having to traipse through the entire salon.
there are some things we don't like about the boat, but all boats are compromises and the things we don't like didn't deter us from purchasing the boat, nor would they if we had to do it again. these items include: the vertical (but thankfully short) ladder to the flybridge (older folks have a problem with this, but we don't - at least not yet), narrow side decks (not really an issue since there are handrails on the flybridge as well as safety rails), the boarding ladder location (it's in the middle of the molded swim platform and can't be used if a dink is on the platform), and the location of some maintenance items. the open cockpit model has v-drives (which are easily accessible), but getting to the oil filters and transmission fills are tough (but do-able). the engines themselves are easy to work on, but hanging upside down to get to the oil coolers takes a bit of contortion. the raw water pumps are easier to get to, as are the heat exchangers. the wiring from the salon to the flybridge can be a chore but once you know how the wires get up there (behind the fridge), it's not too difficult.
i've got a second helm inside the salon, but really don't use it. i find the visibility from the flybridge trumps any comfort issues, even in the rain.
the boat rides well even in moderate seas. i haven't had her out in really dangerous conditions and don't intend to. she cruises comfortably between 17 and 25 mph burning between 20 - 25 gph. she'll go faster, but at a burn rate too fast for my wallet to keep up. we fish from ours regularly, do day cruises, and take at least one 4-5 day trip per season. i also installed a ski eye and have pulled a double tube, but it's not exactly a thrilling ride (but the kids enjoyed it).
as with any "older" boat, a survey is a must and normal maintenance items like hoses, belts, and clamps, need special attention until you're sure all are in good order or have been replaced.
when we purchased ours, there were about a dozen for sale in the U.S. and the range in price for the same model years was huge (up to 30k in some cases). we ended up purchasing a boat from the west coast and shipping it east because even with shipping, it was much cheaper then any boat closer. the othe day i checked prices and they are about the same as when we purchased ours.
let me know if you have any other questions.
two years ago i bought a 1996 320 voyager, the model with the open cockpit. there are pictues in the sticky thread at th top of this forum (page 1 about 2/3 of the way down the page). another member has a mid 90's 3205 (i think that's the model designation), which is the same 320 hull but in an aft-cabin configuration. both boats have crusader 350 xl's. which model are you interested in?
we thoroughly enjoy our boat and for our use it's about perfect. things we love about the boat include the large cockpit (for fishing or lounging), huge flybridge (which can hold 7-8 real-sized adults), flat foredeck, and the interior setup, which is ideal. i think in 1995 they changed the inside and moved the galley from port forward to starboard aft, with the head across from it. this move allowed the creation of a second "stateroom" (cave, really) under the dinnete. this area is great for storing stuff or for the kids to sleep. it also placed the galley (with it' full sized fridge) and the head within easy reach of the cockpit, without having to traipse through the entire salon.
there are some things we don't like about the boat, but all boats are compromises and the things we don't like didn't deter us from purchasing the boat, nor would they if we had to do it again. these items include: the vertical (but thankfully short) ladder to the flybridge (older folks have a problem with this, but we don't - at least not yet), narrow side decks (not really an issue since there are handrails on the flybridge as well as safety rails), the boarding ladder location (it's in the middle of the molded swim platform and can't be used if a dink is on the platform), and the location of some maintenance items. the open cockpit model has v-drives (which are easily accessible), but getting to the oil filters and transmission fills are tough (but do-able). the engines themselves are easy to work on, but hanging upside down to get to the oil coolers takes a bit of contortion. the raw water pumps are easier to get to, as are the heat exchangers. the wiring from the salon to the flybridge can be a chore but once you know how the wires get up there (behind the fridge), it's not too difficult.
i've got a second helm inside the salon, but really don't use it. i find the visibility from the flybridge trumps any comfort issues, even in the rain.
the boat rides well even in moderate seas. i haven't had her out in really dangerous conditions and don't intend to. she cruises comfortably between 17 and 25 mph burning between 20 - 25 gph. she'll go faster, but at a burn rate too fast for my wallet to keep up. we fish from ours regularly, do day cruises, and take at least one 4-5 day trip per season. i also installed a ski eye and have pulled a double tube, but it's not exactly a thrilling ride (but the kids enjoyed it).
as with any "older" boat, a survey is a must and normal maintenance items like hoses, belts, and clamps, need special attention until you're sure all are in good order or have been replaced.
when we purchased ours, there were about a dozen for sale in the U.S. and the range in price for the same model years was huge (up to 30k in some cases). we ended up purchasing a boat from the west coast and shipping it east because even with shipping, it was much cheaper then any boat closer. the othe day i checked prices and they are about the same as when we purchased ours.
let me know if you have any other questions.
