Carver Owners Forum

My husband and I are in the market for a Santego and found one that was damaged in the storms in Texas. However, the damage could be extensive and I'm not even sure how much there is at this point. Waiting for more information from the owners.
What I have is in the pictures below and the fact that water did get inside the boat but did not damage the engines or generator. This has been sitting in the yard for some time and has had time to dry out but would the fiberglas hull repair be too much to undertake or too expensive? My husband has some former fiberglass repair however with vehicle body shops. But we are obviously looking to find an experienced boat repair facility for this job if at all possible. We are in the middle of missouri/illinois and not many around here that I know of for this type of job.
Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated as we are new to the boat world and want to make the best possible decision for us in the long run.

If I were you I would be certain to look at the boat. The fiberglass may be the least expensive repair. We water, especially salt water get into places it wasn't meant to be, the dollars can add up quickly. Even if the engines and generator did not ingest water there is a good chance there components may be damaged. Such as starters, alternators fuel pumps etc. Some may operate today and fail tomorrow. Then you have the 12 and 120 volt wiring, shift and throttle cables, floors, carpets air conditioners pumps etc. etc.
Also, if the current owners insurance company paid out a total loss, you will most likely not be able to get insurance other than liability.
What seems like a good deal, may end up costing you a fortune to cut up and dispose of.
Be careful and best of luck!

Any wire the salt water touched is shot, for sure.
Unless you get the boat for a couple grand, and are very handy and don't mind sweat equity, walk away.
Even if you fix everything visible, I'd be concerned about reliability, especially of you get into some weather.
If you need to pay somebody to go through al the systems, you'll end on the short end of the stick. Think about it, if the insurance adjusted thought it would be economically feasible to fix, it would have been. Insurance companies are tighter than Cratchet.

Welcome aboard.

Helkey0214 wrote:Source of the post.....the damage could be extensive and I'm not even sure how much there is at this point. Waiting for more information from the owners.....

I don't recommend relying on what the owner tells you. You need your own eyes on this or at least someone working on your behalf with your best interests in mind. Source a licensed surveyor to give a proper professional opinion of its condition. You should also source a fiberglass technician that can assess on site and provide you with an idea of what you're in for in repair costs. Preferably, these people have no association with the owner or marina, insurance company, etc. As mentioned, if she's been partially submerged, it's likely that after you get her going, you'll continue to experience ongoing gremlins for years to come. Without physically inspecting her, it's impossible to tell if it'll be a good deal in the long run or a money pit.

Don't make an emotional decision here, it could cost you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I am new to the foru m. I am doing a restore on a 1998 Santego 380. The previous owner was actually selling parts off the boat. Do you know if this boat was sold or the name of the yard in Texas. Perhaps they sold it for salvage.

Thank You