New to the group and looking at a Riviera

[Pat1781]

Good day to you all. Patrick from Ontario and recently put a deposit down on a 1983 Carver Riviera and was hoping to get some insight on what to look for. The boat is in very good condition with very low hours for its age (460). Right now it is in storage for the winter and the plan is to do the water test in May. I am coming from the sailing community but with three children under 8 my wife and I decided a powerboat might be better for us at this point
She is equipped with 220 crusaders, hot water tank (recently replaced), no generator, and basically bone stock otherwise with the exception of a new Standard Horizon chart plotter.
Are there any specific systems I should really go over? Any weak points on this boat that need closer scrutiny?
Appreciate the help and look forward to hearing from you.

[bud37]

Welcome to the forum and possibly Carver...they are pretty cool boats....what did your surveyor have to say so far.....??

[Pat1781]

At this point I haven't hired a surveyor as the boat really wasn't much money. I spent two hours going over her and I could not find any soft spots on the deck or any real issues with water intrusion.
Cheers

[waybomb]

Welcome aboard!

Our first boat was a new 2807 bought in September of 1988.

Great boat. We had two 230 mercs. That boat would jump on plane in a few seconds. With the keel it had, I would leave New Buffalo and head straight across the lake to Chicago and had to do hardly any rudder input when the lake was flat.

Engine access is a bit of a pain. After the first or second excursion down there. I simply planned for all the year's work at once (oil changes, filters, impellers, etc). Pulled the captains chair off the hatch. Carried it out to land. Then the hatch went downstairs into the galley area. Then the pax seat and table took a trip to land. Then it's mounting piece and finally its hatch. Then you had all the room in the world. Trust me, take it all apart. Things will go way easier.

The only down side was the aft cabin berths. A little tight at the leg end, vertically.

Great boat though. We had ours for about 11 years. Never had any problem to speak of.

Good luck!

[Midnightsun]

[bud37]

Source of the post At this point I haven't hired a surveyor as the boat really wasn't much money. I spent two hours going over her and I could not find any soft spots on the deck or any real issues with water intrusion.
Cheers

Hello Pat...you will have to get a survey if you are keeping the boat at any marina that I know of, cause I believe insurance requires a current one for coverage.
Any way, the standard looks for are the stringers, rudder supports, shaft strut supports, the aft bulkhead, the transom, the side deck walkways to the pulpit and the pulpit itself.....always liked that boat, real nice hull, handles great.......

[Pat1781]

Thank you for the warm welcome and all the advice. I will certainly look into getting a survey before the sea trail on that advice. Have always loved Carver boats and can't wait until we can get her out on the water.
Cheers

[bud37]

To add...if the boat already has a current survey with it, that may count for the insurance etc, check dates first.....

[Viper]

Welcome aboard Pat. What will be her home pot?

[Cooler]

Welcome aboard Pat. You are in the right place for help/guidance with your pending transaction. Those hours are really low. It is great they are Crusaders, as they use thicker gaskets & seals throughout their engines. That usually translates to lower risk of rot or failure from not running. I also made that jump from sailing to power when my kids were young, HUUUGE improvement to our boating life. Never went back to sailing, and I don't miss it. When your sailing buddies ask you how much you spend on gas, ask them how much they spend on sails, hardware, lines, and ICE. Then there is the time and spousal yelling element. Gas gets cheap and stress gets less. I would echo bud37 advice on structure inspection. Carver built a great hull in the 80's, but they did use some balsa core mostly above the water line. A surveyor with a moisture meter would find any wet spots that may require attention. Unless you are really good at DIY fiberglass repair, that type of repair gets expensive. AND, it is not easy to find a good technician. In this area, good fiberglass guys are backlogged for months/years. Finally, have a competent marine mechanic on board for the sea trial. At the very least, he will be able to discover any blow by, by hearing and throttling engines. Cheap insurance against expensive repairs. Looks like you're going to have some great boating experiences. Cooler