Is a 27' 1989 CARVER SANTEGO FLYBRIDGE a good 'first boat'?

[CarverLover]

Howdy, y'all!

I'm looking into getting a 27' CARVER SANTEGO FLYBRIDGE from 1989. Buying from the original owner and it looks clean and well-maintained. I plan on getting it inspected and having a marine mechanic look it all over. The big question is, is this a good first boat? I've never owned a boat before and want something for the family to enjoy on the weekend. It'll be living in a marina nearby.
I'm happy to hear about your experiences and what to look out for in the buying/inspecting process.
What questions should I be asking?

Thank you all

[buster53]

First of all, you are doing it right…asking questions first and planning on having a survey done and engines checked out.
But you are asking a question we really can’t answer as we know nothing about you. You say you never owned a boat before, but what boating experience do you have? Where are you boating? What plans do you have for the boat…is it going to be a dock queen and basically serve as a floating condo or do you plan to cruise extensively and how far are you going for what length of time? Big question…how big is the family? How old are the kids? Wife on board for this endeavor? Are you a DIY kinda guy or do you plan to hire out people to handle maintenance….there’s alway something to be done to a 34 year old boat. If you are a DIY’er, what is your experience in engine maintenance, 120 volt and 12 volt electrical systems, plumbing and marine sanitation systems, possibility air conditioning? Give us more details and we might be able to give you some advice as to which boat would best serve your needs.

[km1125]

Welcome aboard!

Yes, all of buster53's questions are relevant!! There are no "wrong" answers to any of them, but the answers will help in moving you into a boat. Any boat can be the "right" boat for you, it just depends on the circumstances and your priorities.

Here's a write-up on the Santego I think you're considering:

Carver_Santego_87_93.jpg

[Viper]

I believe that model is a sterndrive boat. If that's the case, you'll need to budget for expensive maintenance as is the nature with sterndrives. If it's twin drives, double that. If they're Mercruiser drives, most if not all of the parts are still available. If they're Volvo drives of that vintage, finding some of the parts may be a challenge and will be at a premium price.

You'll want to get the mechanic to take a close look at the sterndrives and transom assembly hardware. This will give you an idea of how soon you'll need to do some of the regular maintenance like replacing the bellows. The gear oil should be checked for its condition and solids. Personally I would not purchase a sterndrive boat without removing the drives first and inspecting hardware that you can't see unless the drives are off. Some of that hardware can be pricey to replace. The tech should also know to check the lateral play between the drive and the transom assembly. If it's extensive, that's a pricey fix just in parts alone never mind the labour.

Sterndrives have their place and advantages but they are a heavy maintenance running gear. Their inboard counterpart maintenance on the other hand is a transmission fluid change every few years, big difference, very cheap to run. Your info doesn't indicate the type of water you'll be boating in but if it's salt water, a sterndrive would not be a consideration for me.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[bud37]

Welcome to the forum.......all of the above replies are extremely relevant....personally I would get an express style boat for the first boat, especially at that length....but that is just me.

How did you choose that particular boat, friend or just came across or does it appear cheap. Remember when looking at boats, they all look big/huge when on the hard ( storage yard ), they get much smaller in the water.

It is one thing to buy em but as has been said , keepen em is an eye opener for first timers who wish to do things safely and correct......good luck with your search and I repeat get some surveys done if serious, they can be expensive but will save you a ton in the long run, trust me.

[CarverLover]

QR_BBPOST First of all, you are doing it right…asking questions first and planning on having a survey done and engines checked out.
But you are asking a question we really can’t answer as we know nothing about you.

Great point! I am a very DIY-happy person. I've never worked on a boat but have done a lot of auto work and house/plumbing / and very LIGHT electrical (pun intended) and so on. I've spent some time on my friend's boat in the river just cruising and wakeboarding in my youth, but nothing recently. My family is me, my dad, my wife, some cousins nearby, and their kids who may come out once in a while. Mostly it's for my dad and wife. We've got no kids yet. We want to go around the Baltimore, DC, Cheasepeak area. Mostly weekend getaways, no more than a day or two, maybe go out to an island nearby for a camping trip. Something like that.
I just built out my basement and did a lot of plumbing, put in a kitchen, did some drywall, etc myself. I don't know much about 12V systems but I can learn ia.

[CarverLover]

QR_BBPOST I believe that model is a sterndrive boat.

You are quite right. I will ask about the motor. Thanks for the great sugestions for the mechanic, It's a lot to learn and I appreciate your help, everyone!. BTW I believe it's a dual drive.

[CarverLover]

QR_BBPOST Welcome to the forum.......all of the above replies are extremely relevant....personally I would get an express style boat for the first boat, especially at that length....but that is just me.

Thank you so much! I feel right at home

Would you say this Carver is an express style? I found this boat online and it looked well taken care of and is within my budget. The owner gave me a lot of details and seems like an honest person from our chat, but of course, I am planning on getting everything checked out.

[CarverLover]

I heard back from the owner on the engines, two mercruiser 180 hp

I'd love to get your opinions on what else should I be asking before I set up the inspections.

Thanks a lot!

[buster53]

QR_BBPOST I heard back from the owner on the engines, two mercruiser 180 hp

Thanks a lot!

Find out if the engines are fresh water cooled or raw water cooled. In case you don’t know, fresh water cooling doesn’t mean they were only run in fresh water lakes or rivers. They have a closed cooling system just like a car engine with anti freeze running through the engine block. Raw water cooling means sea water runs through the engine block.

Are you aware anyone born after 1972, MD requires you to have taken and passed a boater safety class. I strongly suggest looking into either the US Power Squadron or CG Aux and take an actual class as opposed to an online class. You will get a lot more out of it. After taking it, I also strongly suggest a follow with the Seamanship class both organizations offer. Well worth the time and effort you put into it.