First time boat owner

[Gachong]

Hello all,
Just picked up my Santa Cruz Carver today. 28’ long, 10’ beam, 7.3 Diesel engine, single screw. Boat is mechanically sound and needs some cosmetic work. Other than that, it’s just some touching up. Any recommendations that I should work on first? Also, where is the best site to purchase items or accessories specific for Carver rather than “universal”?

[Midnightsun]

Nice, fairly rare to have a diesel in a 28' boat. A little more on engine type would be interesting to hear. There really are no specific Carver parts shops, in fact all boat manufacturers that I know of use parts from sub contractors which in general can be found in many places. Welcome to the club and boating.

[mjk1040]

Ahoy! Welcome! Sounds like a lucky find with a diesel!

[Viper]

Congrats and welcome board.

As Hans mentioned, with the exception of a few things, every boat builder uses hardware from several manufacturers. As you're looking to add or replace things, post an inquiry here and I'm sure someone will chime in with some recommendations. Keep in mind that for safety reasons, some things MUST be marine rated, and for longevity's sake, some marine stuff is built differently than their non marine counterparts.

Ah, where to start? I would start with ensuring all safety related systems and items that can compromise safety are in proper working order. Then go over the engine and related/supporting systems in hopes of minimizing breakdowns; inspect and replace all fluids, filters, belts, impellers, check hoses, etc. Test the batteries and check the age of the charger, go over the electrical system, make sure your navigation equipment works, any obvious leaks that need to be addressed, etc. The list is endless. Oh and make sure the fresh water system and head/toilet work!

After the above is addressed, you can focus on cosmetic repairs or improvements.

Did you get a survey and did they find any red flags that should be looked after shortly.

[Cooler]

Welcome Skipper! Excellent advice from Viper, - safety, engine/transmission, and finally cosmetic. If you have the paper work from the previous owner(s), there is a list of all parts, as well as their OEM's. That is really the best source for replacement parts, as the vast majority of those companies are still in business. Carver always used high quality and high performance OEM's. If there is a marine store/shop in your area, stop in and introduce yourself. They can provide support in obtaining the correct parts the first time, instead of wasting time & money on the wrong part. Oddly enough, boat companies, engine and transmission manufacturers will use different ancillary parts on the same model core item. Really rare to find a diesel engine in that model. Any chance it was repowered by a previous owner? er

[waybomb]

All I can add is, Welcome Aboard!

[Gachong]

Thank you all. I’m excited to put my boat to use. When I purchased it, it was used for commercial use, (Charter) so it Is safe and sound. I appreciate all the heads up about parts and ensuring that ALL parts are marine grade. I too notice that finding a diesel Carver is difficult. Thanks again everyone.

[Gachong]

Source of the post Welcome Skipper! Excellent advice from Viper, - safety, engine/transmission, and finally cosmetic. If you have the paper work from the previous owner(s), there is a list of all parts, as well as their OEM's. That is really the best source for replacement parts, as the vast majority of those companies are still in business. Carver always used high quality and high performance OEM's. If there is a marine store/shop in your area, stop in and introduce yourself. They can provide support in obtaining the correct parts the first time, instead of wasting time & money on the wrong part. Oddly enough, boat companies, engine and transmission manufacturers will use different ancillary parts on the same model core item. Really rare to find a diesel engine in that model. Any chance it was repowered by a previous owner? er

I am not sure. I will try and find out. I for one am happy it’s a diesel. I’m a big diesel fan.

[AaHubb]

Welcome aboard. What part of our state are you boating in?
..Aaron

[Cooler]

Looked up the original brochure for your Santa Cruz. Appears Carver did not offer a diesel, so someone down the line did a repower. Seeing as it was a commercial charter, you have some comfort in knowing it passed the inspections that commercial boats are required to do. Yippee! Diesel will offer you a lot of advantages. Here is a link:
https://carveryachts.blob.core.windows. ... 7/1977.pdf er