Carver 440 handling question

G

GerryinMarco

Member
Joined
May 6, 2008
RO Number
30018
Messages
7
As I mentioned in a previous post I am looking at Carvers, I like the 356 but am looking at all the aft cabin models.

My wife and I were sailing last week and pulled into a marina right next to a 440 that had a yacht broker/charter sign on it. My wife knowing I like this version suggested we call to get a showing.
This was the first real interest she has showed in getting serious so I was more than just a bit excited. About 20 minutes later a couple emerged from the vessel. It turns out that it is in charter, I got to talking to them and he said he hated the boat.
For the following reasons:
-It has a tunnel hull which doesn't provide much steerage?
-it had volvo 370hp and that was not enough power, that it had 2 speeds, 10mph or 18 at WOT
-the bowthruster was underpowered and was almost useless in docking
-The props were to far forward as Carver had essentially just added a cockpit to the 38 footer and because they are so far forward the steerage was poor

Now I was able later to explain some of this to my wife as a charter'er that had a hard time docking the boat, but hey we all do even on the boats we own.

However now she is convinced this boat isnt for us.

Any feedback on his comments is welcome.

Also any suggestions on how I could get my wife on a Carver for a test run? We are in NY temporarily on work, are they any charter companies in the area? Is that my best option?

Thanks,

Gerry
 
I apologize I might be talking about the 404, it is the version with the cockpit.

Thanks,

Gerry
 
it sounds like this might be a 430 CPMY. In either case, Carver does not use prop pockets (tunnels) on their aft cabin series, save for small ones on the 396 which disappear when the boat is lengthened to the 444. When they lengthedn one of their hull for the CPMY version, they also extend the shafts to put the props further aft. I agree that 370s would be small unless the boat is a 404, then they would be more than sufficient. The 404 has the same running surface as the 356 on which it is based...not an extended hull.

Approximately what year is this boat you looked at?
 
I knew something was wrong because I have a 440 and it is wery well behaved and a much better layout than the 404 which is really a 39' with a cockpit IIRC
 
ya know I dont think that guy was very experienced. All boats have an unhappy speed zone between slow and fast and only an idiot would try to run in that zone.
 
One thing different about added cockpit boats is that the props and rudders are usually still located where they would be without the cockpit. I havent driven a boat with that configuration but would expect a little different turning pattern and more lift aft producing a much flatter ride.
 
it's a 444 Cockpit Motor Yacht. Actually a very nice handling boat, but the 370's are a little under powered. Unfortunately, you could not get anything larger. Oh, no tunnels on that boat.
 
they may have upped the engine size available, when we ordered the ones we stocked, you could only get 370s...either Volvo or Cummins
 
I purchased a 440CMY last year. absolutely love the boat. I have Cummins 370's and it handles very well. Normal cruising speed at 2400rpm is about 19-20 knots.
 
Carver has too many similar model numbers. In the post above Joe seems to reference two distinctly different boats. The 440 is an ACMY there was a 445 that I think was similar but the 444 was a cockpit added to a 39' model IIRC. In my experience this leads to a lot of confusion over pricing since nobody, especially salesmen, knows what they are really discussing.
Pete can you help sort out Carver models over the years?
 
The 445 was the 440 with a moulded in swim platform. I can give most model numbers for the 1980 and newer boats...anything in particular you're looking for?
 
Kenny: we need the bagats of Carvers history. I think the Californian of some model begat the 4207 and the 4207 begat the 440 and now i learn that the 440 begat the 445. Is that it?? Then of course there are some Trojan models in there somewhere with similar numbers. Is there any surprise that all the models get lumped together in peoples minds when in some cases they are very different.
 
Everyone except me...LOL Honestly, unless someone includes the model designation, ie Motor Yacht, Express, Voyager...I can get confused too. Californian came about after the 4207 and all of the Californian models were existing prior to Carver's purchase. One model, the 44 Veneti, a beautiful express cruiser in the likes of the Portofino, was dropped after a short time.

Yes...4207 begat the 440 Aft Cabin, which became the 445 Motor Yacht. The 3607 was redisigned as the 3608, which became the 370 Aft and finally the 405/406
 
so the 4207 wasnt a californian? they do have a similat look.
 
4207 came out in 1986, Californian was purchased in 1989 or 1990
 
It's soooooooooooooooooo good to have people like Kenny around to decipher all this really historical model stuff for us. I am just happy at my age recognizing when it IS a Carver I am looking at!!! (with my contacts in that is)
:-)
Don
 
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