370 Aft Cabin

Guessing here as I haven't run a Carver 370, but with a pair of 454s, my guess top speed is high 20s possibly into the 30s depending on weight carried, props pitch and horsepower avail. A good cruise on that size boat (if it's tall high volume boat I'm thinking) is going to be around 24.

As to is it a good boat for your family, that depends on your family and their usage of the boat. If you're all comfortable on it and intend to use it for a short run then sit in a nice location and basically camp on it for the weekend maybe a few days, or stay on it somewhere with personal support facilities, a couple dozen times a year, I don't see a particular problem with them. As with any gasoline engined boat you have to be extremely vigilant with the condition and service of your fuel system, but you already know all that. There is a point in operational quantity where it becomes more economically advantageous to run a diesel(s), but most family boats operating at normal usage levels in that size range don't meet it $50,000 buys a lot of gasoline still, plus a 454 can run on straight methanol...

If your family is young and small and still growing, you may want to take the current market situation into account and buy the boat you think you'll be moving up to in 2 boats from now now. There's multiple factors to consider, but there are deals right now that are pretty near if not setting historic records of value. Just something to consider.

Take a look on yacht world and see what comes up in your price range.

I own a 1994 370 with 454's. Are you looking at the 370 that was based in Saugatuck? If so I have been on that boat before these current owners bought it.

I can't reply with a very complete response right now but I will tomorrow to answer your questions on cruise speed, fuel consumption and top speed. I have owned mine since 1994 when the boat was new so I have a lot of helm time on one as well as others, have actually run the 96 370 thats in Saugatuck....

Quick numbers on MY 370 for now, 22-24 mph cruise at 3300 RPM, I have seen 33/34 MPH top end on mine loaded up with gear, fuel, and water consistently. This is a BIG 37' boat, as you can see I haven't felt the need to move up in a long time being the original owner.

I casually have mine for sale right now, probably will get more serious in a year or so to upgrade to something in the 48-55' range.

Nice Family Boat

<croc Dundee accent on> now THAT'S a yacht <croc Dundee accent off>


that carver is a big boat with high windage for gassers bit as Henning said for most owners that s ok. If you intend on running 100 hrs a year though then diesels make sense

I personally have never felt the boat is underpowered with them, all 680 hours on my boat have been personally run by me, people who usually say that boats are underpowered have no actual experience. The weight and size so called "limit" people use for gas engines in a boat is all subjective. There are certain boats that are very underpowered with gas engines however this is not one.

One thing you will find and at least from my experience is that the 350 HP Crusaders have a lot more torque and seem to just run better over all than the Mercruiser 7.4 version. I have just never been really impressed with the Mercruisers at least in any Carver I have run. (MY OWN OPINION as to not offend anybody.)

I've been meaning to touch on this in a few threads but I pose this question. If a manufacturer has sold so many of one model and the majority engine is "A" which the supposed inadequate engine, then why do so many owners keep these boats or even buy them in the first place? They must have been sufficient enough for them out of the showroom right?

i agree, the "gas ceiling" is subjective and depends on many factors. For most owners in the grey area, diesels just dont' add up.

there are many underpowered boats around, usually when new and lightly loaded they're fine. with time, motors get a little worn, boats get a little heavier and it becomes marginal.

$$ is the big reason why people go with base engines and in most case it's ok.

"Adequate power" is subjective to the requirements and desires of the owner. Most underpowered boats stay that way because they only get used three times a year and the owner has no set of performance requirements. They are built that way (with minimal HP) because HP costs money, not only in the engine, but the drive and structure as well.