Hello all -

I am in my 70's and just recently purchased a 1988 Mariner 3297 with 600 hours on it. It is in excellent condition both inside and out and I am still learning where everything is located. I previously owned a 1979 Trojan Tri-cabin that I purchased new.

The Tri-cabin was 36' and the Mariner is 32' so a bit of a difference there. The biggest problem I am having in making the transition is the transmission control levers. The Trojan had a very small "throw" distance between forward and reverse and the Carver seems to be about triple that amount which is taking some getting used to - especially in tight conditions around the marina. Both the throttles and the transmission controls seem to be a bit stiff to operate. I have been told that the "throw" can be changed if they are a certain type of control. Going to check on that. I am also used to standing at the helm station when leaving the slip and docking and that is very impractical with the Carver due to the long throw.

Another issue is that the helm station is very far forward compared to the Trojan which makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to see the stern when I am backing out of the slip. Thinking about installing a camera above the sliding door to allow me to see that area.

I have been reading a lot of posts on the forum about similar boats just to see what others are experiencing and learning a lot. I don't seem to have some of the issues commonly reported for which I am grateful. I have been cruising at 3,000 RPM and getting about 17 MPH. The boat seems to pop up on plane with no issues like my Trojan did.

All-in-all I am very satisfied with my purchase and look forward to many happy hours on the water here on Lake Michigan. I am not good at working on boats so I doubt I will have much advice to offer. But I will gladly listen to others who are knowledgeable and pass along their wisdom if needed.