I'm looking to buy a Mariner 350 - Info Please

[amanphoto]

Hi All,

I'm looking to step up to a Mariner 350. My key considerations for this model number where the design. It's a cool looking boat. I also love the floor plan with everything on one level.

With that being said, I'm now to the Mariner line. Can you please give me some thing that I should be looking for in the Mariner line up and across years of production. What are the things that go bad? What are the thing that age good?

Here are some questions to start off.

1. Are they carbonated or fuel injected? Years that they changed over?
2. Internal construction? Is there any wood inside to rot? Stingers?
3. What is a lot of hours on an engine and when should it be rebuilt?
4. The brochure says 14.6' bridge clearance. Is that keel to radar arch?
5. What is the measurements of the shower stall? Is the bathroom comfortable for larger people?
6. Where do you store you stuff? How is your boat configured?
7. Tunnel drives? Or from the pics, Is the bow keel lower then the props?
8. Can you see the transom from the helm when docking? How do you dock?
9. Does any one really use the ladder from the salon to the helm?
10. How rough will it handle? Rough seas? Waves? (I'm on lake Ontario)
11. What's in the two hatches adjacent to the anchor?
12. Is there an exhaust fan in the bathroom?
13. Separate AC/Heat units?
14. Is there a way to look up Hull numbers to see ordered options?
15. Is there a garbage can or area in the boat?

I would appreciate any info you can send along.

[mjk1040]

Go to the Carver web site and all your questions can be answered with the broachers they list. There is a nice 2006, I think Mariner for sale on NY Boater for $ 115K right now in Rochester, NY. - Mike

[amanphoto]

If you read over my questions, Not all are listed in the broachers. I did see the one in Rochester. I will have to go look at it. Thanks.

[mjk1040]

1. Later 1990's are injected, earlier would be carbureted
2. Not sure, older models yes, newer models not so much
3. Engine hours are tough, hard or easy running, I torn down 1,300 1986 Crusaders that looked great inside. The average runs about 50 to 60 hours a season here in the northeast.
4. Clearance is water line to arch
5. Shower stall in the older models was tight, may have improved in the 1990 and 2000 models some
6, Cabinet storage, under the berth storage, and under seating storage.
7. Tunnel Drives
8. No you can not see the transom, you need a guide or have to feel it.
9. Used the ladder a couple of times in rainy weather to get to and from the helm
10.Lake Ontario can get nasty, she'll handle some
11.Hatches are to the berth below for air
12.Should be an exhaust fan in the head
13.Our '86 Mariner only had one AC/Heat unit, not sure on the newer models
14.Do not believe so
15.No garbage can in our '86, newer models may have a small under counter unit
Hope this helps! MIKE
May want to consider a generator option?

[amanphoto]

Don't quote me on this, But I think I'm looking at what I believe is the the 2nd generation of the Mariner model. I think they changed the design around 1998 maybe? Then they changed it again (3rd generation) around 2004. I'm looking at the 2nd generation Mariner's.

[amanphoto]

Source of the post May want to consider a generator option?

Mike,
Do not all boat in this size come with a generator as standard feature? Excuse my ignorance, but I new to Mariner's. Is AC standard? I would assume that you needed a generator to power all your stuff while at anchor.

[tomschauer]

Generators and A/C were both options, but most of these boats were ordered with both. Just make sure they are present before making an offer.

[TonyC]

We have a 1998 with the 350 MAG MPI motors.

Cannot see the transom from the command bridge. Need an extra set of eyes or after market camera. Braille method not recommended.

We use the ladder to hang stuff...towels, comforters ...

Was in 5+ footers on Lake Michigan BUT not for long.

Both hatches are for line storage plus the port hatch contains the holding tank pump out while the starboard contains the fresh water fill

Our HVAC is reverse cycle heat/air.

Hope this helps.

[RuffLife]

1. Are they carbonated or fuel injected? Years that they changed over?Ours is a 99 and its EFI
2. Internal construction? Is there any wood inside to rot? Stingers? If there is, its all glassed over
3. What is a lot of hours on an engine and when should it be rebuilt? In our area 50hrs or so a season is about avg
4. The brochure says 14.6' bridge clearance. Is that keel to radar arch?Not sure but I think someone else answered this
5. What is the measurements of the shower stall? Is the bathroom comfortable for larger people? In our 99 (what you have referred to as 2nd generation), we could fit everyone on our dock in it
6. Where do you store you stuff? How is your boat configured? Storage space is not an issue on this boat. We have lived on board two summers in a row and there is more than ample space for all of our crap
7. Tunnel drives? Or from the pics, Is the bow keel lower then the props?
8. Can you see the transom from the helm when docking? How do you dock?Not even kind of. My husband and I take turns at the helm and whoever is manning the lines provides guidance from the swim platform (too tight, too wide, abort etc...). Met a guy a couple of weeks ago with a rear view camera that single hands his and says it works great
9. Does any one really use the ladder from the salon to the helm?Nope. We took it out and installed a cabinet there instead. We have a bar fridge under our table on the flybridge that sits right on top of the hatch so couldn't use it anyway
10. How rough will it handle? Rough seas? Waves? (I'm on lake Ontario)We have been out a couple of times where we were getting spray up on the flybridge. You have to manhandle it to try to smooth out the ride. Beam seas and following seas make for a fair amount of motion up there
11. What's in the two hatches adjacent to the anchor? The port side is where the waste tank is pumped out and the starboard side is where you fill your fresh water holding tank
12. Is there an exhaust fan in the bathroom? Yes
13. Separate AC/Heat units?Some have two, ours just has one
14. Is there a way to look up Hull numbers to see ordered options?Not sure
15. Is there a garbage can or area in the boat?We just have one under the sink. The under sink area is quite large

We are on Lake Ontario as well (Toronto). Might be looking to sell ours if I can talk my husband into it. I love the boat but would really like to move to a sailboat.