Future Carver Owner

N

Nautically Challenged

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exMember
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Nov 2, 2004
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15645
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Hi All,

The Admiral and I are making plans for our next boat. I showed her a few pictures of 32 to 36 aft cabin Carvers and she is hooked. We are planning to buy one maybe sometime this year.

Any of you owned a 32 or 33 aft cabin of the early 90's? I would love to hear to pro and con of these boats.

Also, our biggest boat is a 25 cruiser that we have now and we like the fact that we can keep our present boat in dry storage and we love to go to sand bars and other shallow areas. We are concerned about bottom paint, cleaning bottom and stuff like that associated with having a boat in a slip.

Any tip will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
Harry,
My only comment is I was totally hooked on an aft cabin/motor yacht style in the 36-40 foot range. I recently had a sea trial and found that I didn't like being so high off the water while underway , it really bothered me ,but other than that it was very nice. Just last year I would see the cockpit motor yachts and say 'no way" a waste of footage but now I understand fully the advantages of them.

Best of luck in your search
 
One more thing. I made a search on boattraderonline for the South East, and I couold not find any. On the North East, dozens showed up. I wonder if it will be difficult to find them here in South Florida where I live.
 
Naut,

We just bought a Carver 30 foot Aft Cabin for use on Puget Sound. We also own an '02 Regal 25 footer (2465) for the Columbia River. After we purchased the Carver, it was a let down to be in the 25 footer, crouching around a dark cabin, whereas with the Carver, we can walk around with ease.

So....we've decided to sell the 25 footer this summer. It wouldn't surprise me if you make the same decision, sooner than later. We will keep our bowrider for the same purposes you describe. Nice to haul out a boat, take it where you want, and put it back.

As for where to find Carvers, keep checking Craig's list. Found our Carver on it.
 
I tried yachtworld and like it even better than boattraderonline.
In fact, I found quite a few Carvers 32-35 in Florida.
Now, all I need is the money.
Thanks for the tip.
 
Hello Harry,

We have a 1989, 36' Carver Aft Cabin for sale and are located in North Florida. You can take a look at a couple of pictures on our American Boat Listing Add.

http://www.ablboats.com/details.asp?ListingID=67429

It has always been a fresh water and under cover stored vessel and looks and runs great, give me a call!

Rod
904-610-2111
 
quote:
Originally posted by Up the Creek

Hello Harry,

We have a 1989, 36' Carver Aft Cabin for sale and are located in North Florida. You can take a look at a couple of pictures on our American Boat Listing Add.

http://www.ablboats.com/details.asp?ListingID=67429

It has always been a fresh water and under cover stored vessel and looks and runs great, give me a call!

Rod
904-610-2111

Click to expand...


Harry,

I bought a boat out of Florida. Was much lower than the nationwide average and for good reason....it costs quite a bit of money "to get Florida out of the boat." Having said that, Rod's boat is ideal, since it's been under cover and out of the nasty water. Our Florida boat was dry lifted, which was good. Trouble is...it was quite oxidated and pitted.
 
Hi Rod,
It's a beautiful boat. I love the wood inside. Wish I could go take a look but we are not quite ready yet.
This is not something we are planning to do immediately. We have plans to look for one sometime this year.
Yours do not show pictures of the engine. The boats that showed pictures seem to have no space to work on the engines. Is that standard on those aft cabin boats? Do they also come with diesel?
Thanks
 
Actually there is tons of room to work on the engines, the entire floor can come up if need be. All of them were offered with diesels but good luck finding one, and finding one for a reasonable price at that. The Carvers under 40 feet usually do not require diesels to get up and go. I had a 32 Aft Cabin and now have a 370 Aft Cabin both boats cruise out nicely.
 
Hi Harry,

I agree with Carver 370 on his statement, There are 5 floor panels that really open up the engine access. The center main panel can be removed without moving any furniture and will allow access for oil and battery checks etc, etc. I have done two tune-ups since I have owned this Carver and I have done compression checks at the same time. Other things that I have done is Carb overhauls, Belt changes, oil changes, one starter and a few other things and I have not had a problem with access. One nice thing when you are working in the bilge is that you can crank the saloon a/c or heat up and have a very comfortable work environment.

For anyone out there looking for a very clean 36 AFT Cabin, this is a good one!

Rod

PS: Greg, Thank you for the nice comments, this boat is a bit unusual for a boat in Florida(spent the majority of its life on the Tennessee River), it definitely does not have the problems of the salt water and sun exposure, everything inside and out still shines.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Up the Creek

Hi Harry,

PS: Greg, Thank you for the nice comments, this boat is a bit unusual for a boat in Florida(spent the majority of its life on the Tennessee River), it definitely does not have the problems of the salt water and sun exposure, everything inside and out still shines.

Click to expand...


Just saw the pictures.
Wow!
I'll say it backwards.
Wow!
Great bang for the buck!!
 
We bought our 1995 Carver 325 Aft Cabin last year after being tired of living in a cave in our express cruiser.

So far we really like it. You would have to buy just about a 38ft express cruiser to match the room in an Aft Cabin.

Here is a link to photos of our boat: http://members.toast.net/boatguy/index.htm

Be sure also to check out my projects page for projects that I have done on the boat.

The 325 and almost identical 326 was made from 1995 until I think 2000 or 2001. They are not as many of those as there are older 3207s, of which there are plenty. Those are a classic boat and worth a look-seee.
 
quote:
Originally posted by awboater

We bought our 1995 Carver 325 Aft Cabin last year after being tired of living in a cave in our express cruiser.

So far we really like it. You would have to buy just about a 38ft express cruiser to match the room in an Aft Cabin.

Here is a link to photos of our boat: http://members.toast.net/boatguy/index.htm

Be sure also to check out my projects page for projects that I have done on the boat.

The 325 and almost identical 326 was made from 1995 until I think 2000 or 2001. They are not as many of those as there are older 3207s, of which there are plenty. Those are a classic boat and worth a look-seee.

Click to expand...


I love your site. We have a similar journey. I'm the soon to be owner of a '82 3007 Aft Cabin. Actually, possession was suppose to be tomorrow but the boatyard isn't finished with the repairs, which are the seller's responsibility. So....we take possession on March 16th.

In the meantime, we're spending this weekend on the Columbia in our Regal 25 footer. Having been on the Carver, it really deflates our enthusiasm for the Regal, even though we believe it's the best 25 footer out there (it's our 3rd). There is such a contrast between walking around a boat, reclining, cooking in comfort vs. crawling around a cave. Consequently, we have decided to sell it early summer. We may get an older fishing boat, like a hardtop Bayliner Trophy....perhaps share ownership with a couple of pals. Regardless, we're done with multiple night cruising on an express cruiser. We will miss the gas mileage but not the backache.

I've wondered, being 48, if our Carver will be the final boat but after seeing yours, I think an upgrade will be doable down the road. I have yet to see a better layout than the Aft Cabins within the 30-32 foot range. The issue for me will be the decision to keep/maintain an older boat or move up 15 years to a more modern wessel.

Maybe you'll sell me yours. :>

One comment. I like your layout vs. the 3207. For us, I see no purpose for a head in the aft cabin. Your V-berth design and versatility is an improvement too. The rest seems to be pretty equitable between yours and mine. Glad Carver didn't ruin it.

BTW...when did Carver quit making 32 foot Aft Cabins?

Finally, we work two jobs too with six kids, though two are home. Our boat is our time....a no kids zone. Amazing how refreshed we feel after a weekend on it, regardless of the weather. It's fun just to stay in the slip.
 
Which 32 Aft Cabin are you talking about, there were a few different models.

Old Style
1983 - 1991 32 Aft Cabin (only 32 with aft head)
New Syle (no aft head, forward does not have a cabin but instead a dinette)
1991 - 1992 28 Aft Cabin Same boat as the 300 Aft Cabin in 1993 and 1994
1995 - 2001 called the 325/326
 
370...Thanks for answering my question....and future ones. I was quite interested in Carver's ressurection of a 30 foot in the '90's. It's basically the same boat as my '82, sans teak and crusaders. It appears Carver gave up on 30 footers in the Aft Cabin design....correct? Do you know why? Also, 1994 is the last year for the 30' AC?

May have to get one in a few years.
 
Yes, the boats are a very similar layout, my parents had a 1984 32 Aft and it was a great boat. I guess the smaller 30s aft design was getting old and they jumped on the bandwagon to sedans. The 28/300/325/326 are almost all the same exact boat, the 325/326 is the same boat as the 28/300 with an integrated swim platform and some window and hardtop changes. I'm bored, Ill dig up some photos to show you....
 
You will find Carver liked to play the number game when adding platforms and such...

2000 326 (frameless windows, oval ports in the aft state room)
1425931_1.jpg


1997 325 (framed windows, larger framed windows in aft state room)
1628120_1.jpg


1993 300 Aft Cabin
1617592_1.jpg


1991 280 Aft Cabin
1656784_1.jpg
 
The newer series 28/300/325/326 is similar but in no way related to the old 3007/3207. The older boat is a smaller beam (11'4", later 11'7" when they changed the gunwale mouldings) while the newer one is 11'10" beam. The newer boat was actually a replacement for the 2807 Riviera but it was so much bigger LOA, especially when they began including integral platforms into overall measurements, that the size kept creeping up...

I like the older model's galley layout better, honestly. And the flybridge on the older one is bigger. Greg, I personally think the model you'd "graduate" to is the larger 330/350/355 series which is huge compared to your boat and is in fact the replacement model for it...

Or you really could go nuts and get the 390/400 cockpit MY, which is the 330/350/355 with a cockpit extension...
 
The older 32 Carver has less beam than the but I think has most useable space on board. The 80s vintage 32 has a little larger aft deck than the 30, and I entertain on my aft deck so much, honestly I am looking to move to a 445 Aft with 450 Cummins, a 530 Voyager with 610 Volvos, or a 480 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge. I would love to stay Carver but the Sea Ray appeals to me quite a bit.
 
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