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Thinking about a carver
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Topic author - Scurvy Dog
- Posts: 2
- Joined: October 9th, 2016, 8:07 am
- Vessel Info: 1995 Crownline 250CR
- Location: Lake Lanier, Ga
- Has thanked: 2 times
Thinking about a carver
I am looking to move up from a 25ft Crownline. There is a couple of Carvers for sale in my area (Lake Lanier, Ga). All Mid 80"s boats. A 1985 3227. New engines with 75 hours on them. Boat looks very nice. Another one is a 1987 2827.
Can you tell me of any common problems with these boats that I should look for or steer clear of.
Thanks
Bruce J. Scheck
Crownline 250 CR
Lake Lanier, Ga
- mjk1040
- Admiral
- Posts: 1506
- Joined: July 30th, 2015, 8:15 am
- Vessel Info: 1998 355 AC/MY "Deja Vu"
- Location: Savannah, NY
- Has thanked: 9 times
- Been thanked: 236 times
Re: Thinking about a carver
I'd Rather Be Boating!
1989 Sea Ray Seville
1986 Carver Mariner 32'
1990's Thompson 22' Cuddy Cabin
1990's 4Winns 245 Vista Cruiser
1980's Thompson 19' Open Bow
- waybomb
- CYO Moderator
- Posts: 2404
- Joined: February 5th, 2013, 9:24 pm
- Vessel Info: 1995 Boston Whaler Rage15
1987 3697 Carver Mariner
1988 Cougar 46 Kevlar Vee offshore
1969 15' Glasspar / 1967 Johnson Electromatic 85
1996 Boston Whaler Rage 15 - Location: Saint Joseph,Mi
- Has thanked: 50 times
- Been thanked: 396 times
Re: Thinking about a carver
Ask around from people that have used a surveyor - they will lead you to a good one and away from bad ones.
Fred
1969 Glaspar Avalon /1969 Johnson Electromatic 85
1987 Carver Mariner
1988 Cougar Kevlar 46' with triple blown 572 ci
1995 Boston Whaler Rage
Past - 1988 2807, 1989 4207 Aft
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- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 5799
- Joined: July 10th, 2015, 9:58 pm
- Vessel Info: 1989 Carver 3807 Aft Cabin
- Location: Ontario, Canada
- Has thanked: 431 times
- Been thanked: 1586 times
Re: Thinking about a carver
Look for obvious things like stained headliner and any other evidence of leaks that may indicate a bigger underlying problem. While some spider cracks in the gel is normal, wide cracks could indicate a structural glass issue in that area. Look for discoloured areas in the gel, this is usually an indication of a repair. This isn't necessarily a bad thing unless the repair involved a structural remedy that wasn't done properly or the discolouration/colour match is so bad that it'll just keep bothering you.
Look at how the boat was kept and maintained. The lack of maintenance or cleanliness is a pretty good indication that the owner just didn't care and is a good indication of the condition other systems may be in and that you may be in for some additional spending. While it's understood that every new purchase no matter the boat usually entails additional expense to update/upgrade, the last thing you want is to have to replace hardware on a regular basis because it keeps failing due to lack of maintenance by the PO.
Try to get Service/repair records. You want to see regular maintenance like oil changes every year, tune-ups every few years, impeller changes, etc. Were there recommendations made but no repairs to remedy? Was the boat being used/run or just sitting there? Have a compression test done, and a vacuum test. Do a visual on the exterior of the engines looking for things like cracked hoses, bad belts, wiring, rusted components, etc. Check the condition of engine oil and tranny fluid.
Do a visual of the wiring throughout the boat. You're looking for proper connections using approved marine connectors, not marrettes! What condition are the batteries in? Will they hold a charge? Are they clean connections? Is there a smart charger?
I've only touched on a fraction of what you should be looking for. There's a lot to consider but if you can get past the butterflies when you first get on board a potential candidate and look for what's really important, you'll start to see things that will help determine if it's the right boat for you or not. Then you can start thinking about what colour carpet you can go with. Start looking for a model that fits your needs in terms of room, storage, accommodation, seaworthiness, etc., then go through some of the items above, and take your time looking through each boat, and take notes.
A warning, you may come to have an emotional attachment once you buy a vessel and acquire some memories but when buying, you must put emotions aside and make a decision based on facts, needs, wants, etc. Put your business face on.
Good luck in your search and keep us posted, we're here to help.
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Topic author - Scurvy Dog
- Posts: 2
- Joined: October 9th, 2016, 8:07 am
- Vessel Info: 1995 Crownline 250CR
- Location: Lake Lanier, Ga
- Has thanked: 2 times
Re: Thinking about a carver
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