Carver Owners Forum

Hi, I'm a newbie to this forum. I joined because I am interested in buying a 1992 Carver 634 Santego. From the research online and reading about surveys from a guy named Pascoe I am concerned about the reputable thin cored fragile hulls of Carvers. I figured who better to ask than owners of these boats. Are my concerns founded and are Carvers that bad? What about this particular model? I have owned a Bayliner 2655 and currently have a Monterey 286 SEL but would like to go a bit bigger. I had no structural issues with either the Bayliner or Monterey and would buy either of these brands again. The Carver really caught my eye and would suit my needs perfectly but I don't need a weak poor quality hull with core moisture problems. Any information or opinions would greatly be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the carver forum. I don't know that model but my 3297 mariner gets tosses about pretty good when the traffic is heavy or the wind is up. I don't believe it is any less boat the a bayliner. We love our boat for the comforts that Carver is known for building into their boats. Our weekend cottage. Just don't expect the carver to ride like a hatteras.

Welcome aboard and I've read Pascoe's review.

I do not recall which he surveyed, but I believe an older one that was cored, and got wet, or was cored below the water line. After I read it, I thought to myself, who at Carver upset this guy, because the review was not at all what I have experienced.

I do not believe any Carver after 86 or so had any coring below the water line. Many boats do. The problem is when somebody makes a penetration and does not seal the hole properly. the core gets wet; the hull gets soft. Any boat will do that.

I'm on my third Carver. All of them have seen rough water. No hull problems ever. Somebody on this website has a newer 466 I believe, that has some sort of gelcoat issue or worse below the water line, but that's the only one I know of.

Whether you buy a Carver or some other boat, pay the money up front for a complete Survey. Any boat can have problems.

Pascoe only likes high class yachts. If you believed everything he ever wrote about Bayliners, Sea Rays, Carvers etc. no one would ever buy these boats. According to him they will all come apart in rough seas. I have not had my 3007 out in rough seas yet but I bet it can take more than I can.

I had a previous boat a 1996 Bayliner 2855 Ciera Sunbridge. Best rough water boat I have ever owned by far. Came home from Put in Bay to Bolles Harbor in May of 1997 in 16 foot waves on Lake Erie. Made it home safe and sound and dry. Pascoe probably would not believe that a Bayliner could handle stuff that rough.

Pascoe definitely has something against Carver. Carver has not used coring in their bottom since the 1970's into the REALLY EARLY 1980s. Any model ending in "7"...the 634 is actually model "3167"...is solid fiberglass below the water line. In fact...beginning in the mid 1980s, they started taking wood out of the stringer system as well, creating a "top hat" stringer system that is strong and rot free...that depends on model, so the one you're looking at may or may not have that. I have not seen any structural issues with Carvers, save for a model or two which were recalled and repaired. I have worked at a Carver dealer for 30 plus years

If you search the web long enough, you'll find something wrong with every brand ever made! After all, for the most part, they're human opinions based on human experiences. I've worked on a lot of Carvers and have yet to run into one that had a major issue/failure that was directly related to manufacturing. Little things ya, but you'll get that with any brand including the higher end ones (been there). Now, what previous owners or handlers have done in the past with a boat and how their mistakes have eventually come back to haunt them is a different story, and the OEM can't be blamed for owner and handler incompetence once the vessel leaves their line. None the less, it's usually the OEM that gets the bad wrap for it.

Like anything man made, every brand has their pros and cons. It's up to prospective buyers to educate themselves, weigh everything, and reach a final compromise because you'll never find something that scores the best in everything. The best you can hope for once you've reached that compromise is that a survey (a must) will catch any issues that need attention.

Good luck with your search. Keep us posted.

Thanks all for the valuable responses and insights. I feel less apprehensive about the Carver brand of boats now and certainly would consider buying one with a marine survey of course. Anyone on here own a Santego 634? The one I'm interested in looks in really great condition inside and out. I love the interior space and layout. Anything in particular I should pay attention to? Does it handle well in moderate rough sea conditions, etc. Again, Thanks.

We have a 310 Santego, which is essentially the replacement for the 3167. Similar hull designs and space utilization. We love the boat and enjoy it's ride on Lake Erie...which is a very unpredictable lake. We have left for a short trip to one of the "hot spot" islands on calm water, only to have to return the next day in 5 footers or more...never with any issue.