2006 Carver 36 MY purchase pending

[Cliffm]

Thanks to you all for the warm welcome & feedback. Our pending survey from S3 Maritime in Seattle area pointed out that the seller listing was wrong. This model is equipped with Volvo 8.1L Gi-F motors. The OEM FWC Risers are bad, manifolds in question? Awaiting fluid analysis. Motor mount bad??? (trying to comprehend how a mechanical motor mount goes bad?)


Was informed by S3 Maritime that our $480 mechanical survey did not include compression check as the access is tight on the hull side of each motor, between motor & fuel tank. Was told by S3 Maritime that additional 6-6hrs of labor is required to perform? So what did we just pay for????


anyone recommend a "better" more competent mechanical surveyor in Seattle/lake union area that can actually do compression checks on this designed boat?

thanks again for all the coments

[Cliffm]

turns out for the mechanical survey, the motors are Volvo 8.1L Gi-F manifolds & Risers are RWC.

[Viper]

Wow that must be pretty tight

[pepmyster]

Welcome aboard. This is my first boat, Carver 360 Sports Sedan, that has a thruster. I really love having it. But if it was not there, I probably would look into it for sure. You'll know after several outtings with your boat. Good luck!!!!

[km1125]

I don't know anyone who does it yet, but it seems like a high resolution crank sensor could quickly tell the condition of the motor under load without having to do compression or leak-down tests. You could see the acceleration pulses from each cylinder and compare them. Hmmm...maybe an idea I should start working on!

Anyways... back to this thread. If it's that hard to just get to the plugs to do the test, how would you do maintenance?? I wonder if they did all the checks on the 'inboard' cylinders and, if so, how they came out? I'd want a complete list of everything they DID do (or claimed to do) for the $480!!

I know some motor mounts have vibration isolators in them and are completely different than the solid steel ones on my boat. I wonder if that's what you have?

Is the boat a salt-water boat? Wonder how they determined the riser is bad?

[Cliffm]

Currently the boat is moored in Lake Union (fresh water) Previous "second" owner used it more for floating condo than travel, hence the "minor" drive train service. First owner did most of the engine hours.

Currently getting "full compression eval" performed for an additional labor fee... pull out survey schedualed for next week.

We're hoping for moorage in Seattle Elliot Bay (salt water) for ease of access to surrounding puget sound area destinations without dealing with the locks in Ballard. So far nothing too scary to deal with, but additional surveys pending.

My only observation is, as it sits in the water, the bow seems a little high, and the stern seems low, with a slight list to the starboard side. The aft swim platform/deck lip on starboard side is almost touching the water? In other "web" photos of similiar 366 or 36 aft cabins, the swim step is close, but yet some sit higher? Any insights as to what causes this?

[Cliffm]

Source of the post That's a lot of boat to have small block engines. I'd much rather see it with 7.4's.
Also, before putting out big bucks for a bow thruster, see how well you can handle it without. I'm on my 3rd twin engine boat and never felt the need to have a bow thruster.

i've not piloted a twin screw, but have several friends saying the same thing....much easier to jockey around. It has to be easier than a single stern drive 24"
The thruster is a peice of mind thing, and resale down the road...

[Cliffm]

Source of the post Welcome Aboard. Also a former Bayliner owner. There are a few members here who made the move from Bayliner to Carver. I too am a BOC member and still participate there. Most of my participation is here. If all goes well and you are the new owners of a Carver I would at least take the boat out a few times to see if you really need a bow thruster.

With twins you can do a lot of maneuvering and boat handling with just the engines and transmissions. I am not saying that a bow thruster would not be a great addition. It would definitely assist in boat handling.

Good luck.

Thanks Ric, I've been told the same thing, just never done it.... so my current apprehension is high!!!!

[RGrew176]

Thanks Ric, I've been told the same thing, just never done it.... so my current apprehension is high!!!!

As was mine when I first got my Carver. Twin inboards handle a bit differently than twin I/O's. Being that my 3007 is a sedan there is also the windage issue that has to be addressed. It actually took me a bit over a season and a half to gain my full confidence in handling my current boat.

What surprised me the most was my 3007 Carver is about 1300 lbs lighter than my 3055 Bayliner Ciera was. The Carver is a totally bigger boat but it is a lot lighter. That first season and a half if the wind was blowing more than 10 MPH I stayed at the dock. The wind does affect my handling. I finally decided that if I wanted to do more boating I would have to go out when the winds were blowing. I started taking her out in less than ideal conditions and gradually gained the necessary confidence that I could handle the boat in less than ideal conditions.

Yours being a 36 will be a lot heavier but windage will still need to be addressed and over time you will be able to handle your Carver as well as any previously owned boat.

[Cliffm]

update: "official" report pending, but todays Survey by Bob Evans, determined:
- the the aft swim step is water logged!!! the swim step rub rail is "in the water" with two or more people standing on it. Bob's moisture meter pegged on stern portside corner
-port engine prop shift turns hard? motor alignment?
-stern transom is blistered on port side to mid span, needs ground out, epoxied and new bottom paint
-aft head shower sump overflowing into bilge
-water pump (sinks, showers, ect...) not working, not sure where pump is??
-both engine risers need R&R

the good news, the boat ran great! and my wife and i ran for couple hours.
+40lbs oil psi, +3500K-constant 175F temp
piloted from lake washington to lake union using throttles only, no rudder... whoohoo! my first day! I may get teh knack of this twin screw after all.

just worried about the survey value and cost of fixing swim step?