Looking for a Carver!

[NedZ]

I'm happy to joint the Carver Owners site and value your ideas and input as Carver owners.

My wife and I are considering purchase of a 1987 27‘ Carver Montego Twin Cabin. We are looking for a boat with the following considerations:
- twin engine boat for maneuverability and backup in case one engine goes down
- smaller engines to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency (we don't plan on needing higher speeds)
- ability to trailer shorter distances (50 miles max) as we don't live on water, and are trying to avoid marina costs as we prepare for our trip
- roomy enough for the two of use to be comfortable as we plan to do the Great Loop in 2021
- seaworthy enough to cross a portion of the Gulf, and the Great Lakes (on good weather days)
- our budget is limited to $20,000 for the boat and trailer
- it's likely that we will not keep the boat long after the trip

Has anyone used this or a similar boat for what we're planning to do? I will mention that we completed a 1600 mile joutney from the Twin Cities to Mobile and the Gulf last Fall in six weeks on a 24' pontoon boat w/ a simple shelter and bunks aft and were comfortable. Are we on the wrong path and looking at the wrong boat?

Thank you for your thoughts in advance.

[g36]

Good luck with your boat search. I hope you can keep us abreast of your journey toward doing the loop.

[vineyardgray]

If you need trailer-able I think a Doral might be within budget and early eighties were well built (I'm told) _ I may well be corrected, but Carver did not really make easily trailer-able boats.

[tomschauer]

The Carver 2757 Montego has a 10'6" beam. You can't trailer it with out permits. Most every state requires a permit for anything over 8'6" wide.
Great boat though.

[km1125]

Personally, I think 27' is a bit too small for lakes like Michigan or Huron or much of the Gulf. I had a 25' out in Lake Huron and was not very comfortable when that lake kicked up a bit (and then it wasn't even really that bad for Lake Huron!). Although if you are able to pick your days then just about any boat will do, so long as you can complete the segment in the same day.

You might want to consider the boat's range also as you run down the Mississippi. Not sure what kind of fuel economy your pontoon got, but were there areas south of St Louis that you'd rather not have stopped (especially for an overnight) where you'd want this boat to be able to make in one segment? I've never done that section but one of my friends did and there were a couple areas he felt were "sketchy".

[RGrew176]

It is definitely doable in a 27' boat. You already did it in a 24' pontoon so the creature comforts of the Carver would make for a nicer trip. Several years ago I read an article in a boating magazine about a couple who did the loop in an 18' Bayliner Capri Cuddy Cabin boat.

Good luck in your Carver search and if you do end up doing the loop I hope you keep us all posted here.

[Cooler]

Yikes! The Loop in a 27? Hat's off to you! You're more adventurous than I am. Can't even imagine the butt kicking I would get...from my spouse. This is obviously not accurate for you, but boats get smaller as the trip get longer. Good luck! Hope it all goes well! Keep us informed on how things go! er

[RGrew176]

The size of the boat may matter a bit. For me just making the loop in any boat would be the adventure of a lifetime. Like I posted above I read about a couple who did the loop in their Bayliner Capri. That's a cuddy cabin model. I have also read of a person who did the loop in stages in a pontoon boat. I've also read about someone who did it in stages on a jet ski.

If I ever have the financial power to do the loop myself I would do it in a heartbeat.

[tomschauer]

The 2757 Montego is actually pretty big for a 27. Its about 31'LOA with a 10'6" Beam and weights about 7500lbs.
Its bigger than a searay 280 or 290, about the same as a searay 300.