Carver Owners Forum

Jeff,

My 506 shares the identical hull to the 53 and the 57 - the 57 is just stretched. I shopped for Voyagers before I bought my 506, and the main reason I chose the 506 over the Voyager was the inside helm with the dinette on the Voyager. With my 506 I have the full monty - huge salon with an actual dining room table, and 2 salons - plus a pilothouse. My pilothouse has an electric sunroof so is nice and open when you need it - the AC will bring a 90 degree down to about 73 with the sunroof closed. Now the downside, I don't have a walk out sliding back door. I do have a 5ft deep swim platform that becomes a party dock when at anchor.

I do have the Volvos, an although regular maintenance is pricy (filters, etc) - they have remained bulletproof. Mine are the TAMD74's and my boat tops out at 24kts. Generally, I run at 10kts like a (fast) trawler, but on long distances I travel at 15kts while in open water.

I have had the boat out in Georgian Bay in solid 6-8 foots rollars without a problem. It is a wet ride with bow spray and the windshield wipers are on. But other than that I have no complaints on its seaworthiness.

With the optional Volvos comes the big genny - 23kw.

Lyndon, that is a beautiful salon.

Thanks Tom, I didn't consider the 506 until I set foot into the salon, I was set on something with a cockpit. We had a party last summer and had 19 people in the salon between both of the couches, the dinette and the galley.

She's a beauty.

Lyndon670 wrote:Qr Bbpost Thanks Tom, I didn't consider the 506 until I set foot into the salon, I was set on something with a cockpit. We had a party last summer and had 19 people in the salon between both of the couches, the dinette and the galley.

Cool...heh buddy.....I am not sure we could get that many people in the house...

Cool...heh buddy.....I am not sure we could get that many people in the house...

EXACTLY why we had it at the boat

Jeff
Been going threw what your doing for a little while & I just contracted for a 2000 530 with Volvo 122's/610HP each.
Surveys & sea trail over the next couple of weeks. Like you I have been looking for feedback but with very few replies. Rich's info on his 45 is very welcome and I agree with him that going bigger than his size boat with ether the 450C's (one of the best engines every made) or the Volvo 480's is pushing it. If your looking for bigger power there is a 1999 53 with cummins QSM's/635 HP & another 53 with the Volvo 122/610 hp.

It's my understanding that the Gen is able to run all & these also came with invertors that ran the fridge/freezer/sound & TV systems etc- light stuff

A side note, the current owner of the boat i hope to close on has had it for 17 years- you know he had the really like it! :

Got twin Volvos on my Carver had Volvos on my 1st boat & never had any issues .
Had Cummins on a Doral & it was always shredding belts !

I bought my 2001 530 pilothouse last July in Virginia with the Volvo 580's. We brought it back to the great lakes with a blue water run from Norfolk to New York city and we averaged 24k and she did very well.

typo on my last post Volvo 480's