Carver Owners Forum

Not sure if I am on the right type of forum or not, but my wife and I are seriously considering purchasing a very old carver. It's a 1974 that had a restoration started but then the owner needed to move (supposedly). We are looking for more cabin than cruiser and this seems to fit the bill. Being that I am a mechanic by trade repairs to the engines and electrical parts do not worry my especially at the price I'm getting it. My main concern is what are the common issues of this model from this era just so I can know what I am getting into. we just got out of a Sea Ray and are looking for something bigger.
Here is a link to what we are considering.

http://ashtabula.craigslist.org/boa/4332700775.html

The main thing on the older Carvers like this one are going to be stringers and hull coring. The coring in the hull on these older ones goes all the way to the keel, so if you can get your hands on a moisture meter, it would be a good idea to check the content in both the hull and the stringers. The stringers may not even be encapsulated, but I would check them anyway.

That trailer is probably worth $1500 on it's own.

how do i gain access to the stringers it does not look like the floor boards are able to be pulled up in the cabin. the boat did look good in general though, one carb issue that i will need to take care of but otherwise looks solid. if the wife likes it i plan to buy it this weekend. btw everything on this boat looks very well made. i thought sea ray made a quality boat but this is a different beast altogether.

The stringers are the longitudinal wooden strengthening items in the bilge of the boat. In the engine compartment, the engines and trannies are mounted to them. In the cabin, there should be some floor boards that come up, and you should be able to see stringers in them.

ill see if i can take a closer look on sunday......
Looks like I never introduced my self by the way. I'm Adam from the Cleveland area. my wife and i love to boat in the Lake Erie islands area. we have made a habit of buying a boat that needs a little bit of work and fixing it up then selling it for a profit. we started with a row boat that we found half sunk in a marina and have worked our way up. At this point we are looking for more cabin than cruiser to we have a place to run away to on the weekend. we have no kids yet but are planning on it soon so a larger cabin cruiser makes sense for when the time comes.

Nice to meet you Adam! I'm Kenny...my partner Scott and I live in Euclid and keep our boat at Cedar Point Marina in Sandusky. LOVE to go to PIB and Kelley's!!! And hang out in the marina and in the amusement park.

a friend of mine and i kept an old trojan house boat there (the ugly one on the second to last pier) a few years ago, it was a great marina but way out of my reach this year.

I remember that houseboat...it sat on land for a couple of years after. I now dock caddy corner to where it was on the same pier