seriously considering a carver!

D

dmac

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Mar 1, 2007
RO Number
25372
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My wife I and our 2 boys 7 and 3 are looking to move up from our current boat A very nice 1986 30'SeaRay express. We are looking at 32 and 36' aft cabin models from the mid-80's. the Searay has been a very good boat and quite Frankly am afraid to switch brands. We boat in the Finger-Lakes region of New York. Any Input good or bad about the '82-'87 Voyager (I think) Aft Cabin Fly-bridge boats would be greatly appreciated. I grew up spending much time aboard A 1985 28'voyager and it was an awewsome boat. My wife and I really like the lines of this era Carver. Any input good or bad and what I should look for in thse boats would be greatly appreciated. Thanx. Dan
 
Dan, the "Voyager" nameplate only appeared on a 28 foot version from 1983-1989 called the 2827. The 32' and 36' Aft Cabins are known as models 3207/3607. The 32 is similar to the 30' being discussed on another thread here in the Carver club. The 36', which shares the same "dual mode" semi displacement hull with the 3697 Mariner of this period, is a wonderful long distance cruising boat that even has a bathtub and desk in the master stateroom. I've always wanted one - my wife hates them because there's 7 steps to go from the aft deck down into the salon. They are an incredible boat though, if you like aft cabins, and they are a bargain. Economical too, at slower speeds, thanks to the trawler style hull...
 
They also made a 32 Voyager, the sedan version of the 32 Aft 84-93... Also they made a 32 Voyager in the 90s.

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dmac- Go see the guys at midriver marine in Union Springs. Bought my 1985 3227 there and found them very helpful. Go to thier website and you will see that they have quite a few used Carvers for sale in the marina
 
Carver, that boat in the picture is NOT a 32 Voyager. Its a model 3227 Convertible. I know its just semantics, since the "2x" series denoted the Voyager model earlier in Carver's history (3120, 3326 for example), but if you walk into a dealership asking for info on a 1983-'90 32 Voyager you're going to get a lot of funny looks. It was NEVER shown that way in Carver literature of the period...

You are correct that Carver eventually slapped the "Voyager" designation on the continually lengthened 28/300/320 that appeared after the demise of the 28 Mariner in the early '90s. There is a 320 Voyager from the mid 1990s, which is a very different boat from the one illustrated above...
 
Semantics aside, it is still the best model for an all around 32. With kids you dont have to worry about them falling off the top of the aft cabin and you still have two staterooms. Something you dont find on many convertiables.
 
It was a great boat. My only bugaboo with it is that it started life as a 30 footer so the 11'7" beam is narrow by today's standards. It showed in the design because they couldn't put a sofa across from the dinette in the salon, which I've always thought odd. But other than that, go find a 32 footer with a full galley, full sized fridge, 2 staterooms that aren't cramped, and a reasonable fishing capability. The 3227 was a fine boat for many, many people...
 
Dan, we have a 1988 36' Carver aft cabin and we love it! We have had her for 6 years, she has the hard top with the canvas which extends our season in the fall and spring on lake Michigan. Lots of room below and above. With the 454s I can cruise at 22 MPH all day and if I have to get off the lake quickly I can hit 30 MPH at about 3,600 rpm. Handles like a sailboat when docking due to a 14" keel. We are starting on the Great Loop this May, our web sit is Aftertuition.com If you want more information, contact me, as I can talk faster than I can type. Jeff
 
quote:
Originally posted by PBardunias

It was a great boat. My only bugaboo with it is that it started life as a 30 footer so the 11'7" beam is narrow by today's standards.

Click to expand...


Pete, the old rule of thumb was, the beam should be no less than 1/3 the length. 1/3 the length was considered a great beam. 11'7" is a good beam for a 30' boat.

Walter
 
Yes, its a good beam for a 30 foot boat, but narrow for a 32 foot boat, which is what I meant. Some 32 footers are closing in on 13 foot beams now...
 
We have an 1982 Carver 3607 AC for a family of 5. We've gutted her to update everything - Like owning a new boat with great teak and mahogony character. She sleeps 8 comfortably now and we thoroughly enjoy the ability to entertain guests with enough room. I suggest you go for the dinette floor plan too. I would not buy a 32' as your kids will likely have friends along - you'll find yourself wanting a 36' pretty quick.

We may be moving up to 42'. Let me know if you want to talk.
Don
 
Dan, better get one with big motors or you will continue to get spanked by "Stormy Joe II"
 
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