Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving.

We just sold our boat and are ready to buy a 2002 or newer 530 or 570 Voyager on the West Coast. We are in the SF Bay Area but will be looking in SO Cal through the winter. If we don't find one in California by spring we will be willing to look in the PNW. Looking for turn key clean, mid time boat and not a water condo. Please contact me if you are ready to sell
Rusty Mayes

I saw the post where someone had sold their Carver, so I thought I would post also. I was previously nharrison5 on this forum and you guys helped educate me a tremendous amount in working through the systems on my Carver 33 SS. I decided to sell it in September and sold it in October. Everyone looking at it told us it was the cleanest boat they had seen, including the new owner.

I will be back in the market next year. I got tired of having two engines to work on, and as I mentioned in several posts here, the yards on this lake and the lake, one lock north, have provided really poor work when I had to use them. In fact, of 6 items I asked one yard to correct, not one was repaired correctly and I had to repair myself. Not one.

The other yard put me off pulling my boat for four months with dripping dripless shaft seals. When they finally replaced them, they didn’t bother to polish the shafts, even though I went through the repair process with them including the need to be cleaned and polished. Drove the boat back to home port 27 miles away, and when I checked the seals they were leaking! As I was leaving on vacation the next morning, I called them and they came and got the boat. Fast forward a week, I get to my boat, the shaft seals are no longer leaking, unfortunately, they left the boat tied on the side of the visitors dock with no power, and the new house battery was completely drained.

So, when I look for a different boat, it will have one diesel engine, and hopefully light enough to pull at a small marina around the corner, where I can do my own work.

Loved the boat, really enjoyed it. But unfortunately the poor state of repair yards here precluded me keeping it. One thing I did enjoy greatly was the advice and counsel from all of you folks on here. Will still be on here, and will join in when I have something to add, and of course, will continue to ask questions of you guys. Thank you very much, each one of you, for all the help you provided over the past 4 years.

Our Carver suffers from a rather stiff controls at the helm. The recommendation from the Marina's mechanic is replacement. They are quoting roughly $2,000 ($1,860 to be precise) for parts and labor.

I know that prices from such jobs vary widely, but I'm wondering if this sounds too high or if it's consistent with what one can expect to pay for such service. Any input is much appreciated.

Hey All,

Boats all tucked away and after my lift out hull inspection, I noticed that the exhaust pipes coming out the hull have sealant around them. Just a very small bead, but its a small bead of black sealant. Do you know what type of sealant would be best to use there to re-seal it. Mine is pulling away a little bit and want to get it all sealed up again.

Oh, I have a 2003 396 with Cummins 370B’s installed.

We recently bought a Carver 445. A previous owner has removed the gas shock/lift from the stairs that open up to allow entry into the engine room. We are thinking about replacing that to make it easier to open and close the stairs. Can anyone with a 440, 445, or similar size boat with the same type of stairs tell me what size, capacity, specification gas shock would work there. Also, does your boat have only one gas lift or one one both sides of the stairs?

Thanks.

Hello, recently joined the forum and grateful it exists!
Have a 2004 Mariner 360 w/6.0 Crusaders. Went to start them up the other day and the port engine would crank but would not start. When turning the ignition to ON, no audible alarms could be heard and the malfunction lights did not illuminate either. Puzzled over it for a bit, checked the usual stuff and just on a whim, I advanced the throttle to full and back to idle...and the alarm beeped and the lights went on. Cranked it and engine fired up right away. So am perplexed...the only thing moving the throttle would affect is the throttle position sensor... is it possible that there is a short or something in that which is causing a power loss to the ECM et al? Anyone else encounter a similar experience? Thanks!!

Trying to figure this out. By going with PleasureCraft engine plate(s) in our '76 Mariner '33 it appears I should have counter rotation 351 (5.8 std) engines with Both Warner/ Velvet Drive and 1:1 reduction. Here's where I get a bit blurry. Both engines have 4 BBL double pumper Holleys with electric choke, most things I've found indicate these were on the HO not the standard. Secondly the V drives are both Walters and the oil indicates in the fly bridge are both labeled Walter as well. Also the drives are obviously different models, best I can tell Port is a 20 series and Starboard a 26. Very well could of been replaced/updated at some point. Any thoughts or input is appreciated, we're bringing her back to beauty and just want to do it right.
Plate #'s
Port PLD-WRL10
Starboard PRD-WR-R10
Drive embossed #'s
20-16D-C
26 06D C

I am a rookie boat owner with a Chaparral Signature 30 and we are having a blast. My ultimate goal is to retire as a live aboard and travel. I am very interested in the Carver 405 and 444. I am comparing these to trawlers like a Mainship 430. Now it looks to me that a Carver 405 or 444 is more of a coastal cruiser.

So my question is, even if I were to add a custom 100 gallon fuel cell, what is the potential range non stop with a diesel set up? Preferably twin Cummins. I know there are variables but I'm looking at a rough idea fully loaded with a speed of 8 knots on the ocean.

Secondly, do these boats do well in open ocean vs a trawler or am I a fool to even consider this?

I'm kind of thinking a Carver would be great for Great Lakes cruising, the Loop and following the coasts and the Caribbean. If I want to get to Europe, I'd need a trawler.

Problem is Carvers are just so dam sexy!

Thanks

I am looking for our next boat which we have decided will be a 2002 or so 570 Voyager. We are considering looking at one in Seattle which is a nice looking and well appointed boat but has 3300 hrs on the TAMD 74 engines. I just sold my 06 Searay 44DB with Cummins QSCs with 400 hrs on them of which I put 300 on. I slept well at night not expecting large expenses due to engine wear. I am well aware of the concept that low hours are not automatically a good thing as any large equipment needs to be used and maintained regularly to assure reliability. Does any one here have experience with owning and operating vessels with 3000 plus hours in twenty years that can offer advice or constructive wisdom about the reliability of the TAMD 74 engines? We will be bringing the boat down to the San Francisco bay area for its first voyage so reliability obviously will be key.
Thanks for the input
Rusty Mayes