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Upgrading to 56 Carver or 50 Azimut?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by spreda, Apr 29, 2016.

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  1. spreda, Apr 29, 2016
    #1
    spreda

    spreda New Member

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    I've been driving a 46 Maxum w/450 Cummings for 7 years. Looking to upgrade and have been aboard 53/56 Carvers and 50 Azimuts. The Carver has more room but the Azimut seems better, more solidly constructed. Past threads have lauded the Azimut ride while cautioning about wiring. I like that the Azimuts have Cats. All else being equal would you go with the Azimut or Carver? Thanks
  2. Capt Ralph, Apr 29, 2016
    #2
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    A 'Mut with Cats is interesting. Are you looking at already listed ships?
    I guess it's o k to send the YW links.

    Attn ADMIN: Is that ok?
  3. olderboater, Apr 29, 2016
    #3
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    (C) None of the above?

    Where do you intend to use the boat and how? Carver and Azimut target two very different markets.
  4. Capt Ralph, Apr 29, 2016
    #4
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    OB has a point past the dock that needs to be answered. What are you going to do with the boat???

    If your serious into value for a long haul, answer OB's question and we can continue from there.

    I have been on a couple of fancy carvers with that Star Trek pilot seat. It's absolutely worthless but looks fancy, as some other Mut options.
    Beamed females and fat mechanics would prefer the Carvers. Wana be playboys may lean towards the Mut.
    I see some value in a properly cared for Cat boat over a Cummings boat as a slight edge pending the Cat power (NOT small 31 series).
    Dock side I can see someone comparing the two directly but they are entirely two different floating @$%^& (boats).

    Oh, I'm not biased. Where did you get that thought.
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2016
  5. Capt J, Apr 30, 2016
    #5
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I managed a 2005 50' Azimut for a while. It was a pretty decent running and handling boat. 25 knot cruise with CATs. The Carver is much slower and not as well constructed. Some items/parts will drive you crazy and have to be ordered from Italy. The Azimut has about a million bridge cushions and they're expensive to replace when they need to be. The one I ran had a passerelle and ended up in CA. Overall a decent boat.

    But rather than either, I'd find a Searay Sedan Bridge. I ran a 2006 52' quite a bit and it's a good running boat with good construction and layout and has Cummins and quality parts..... Or a 58'.
  6. spreda, Apr 30, 2016
    #6
    spreda

    spreda New Member

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    Thanks all for the feedback. Most of our cruising is in the Chesapeake and future plans do not have us doing much more than ICW south to FL. As far as the YW links, that's the site I use primarily for searches. And we are not exclusively focused on Carver/Azimut. Sea Ray's are in the mix as well as Navigator and Neptunus although the Azimut and Carver are at the top of the list. I was mostly interested in Carvers until I took a good look at Azimut and spoke with a few owners. We spend most weekends aboard and cruise upwards of 30 days at least once a year. Approaching retirement and hope to make the extended cruising a more frequent occurrence. For what it's worth I do all my own maintenance/upkeep except when it needs pulled.
  7. YachtForums, Apr 30, 2016
    #7
    YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

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    I just sent this PM to Ralph, but it should posted in response to this thread as well...

    YW links have always been allowed because many of our discussion are centered upon boats for sale. We're going live with the new classified system in May. At that time, we might want to revisit YW links. One of the reasons I discourage external links is because listings expire, littering the forum with dead links.
  8. Capt J, Apr 30, 2016
    #8
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I would take the Neptunus and Searay over either an Azimut or Carver any day of the week and twice on Sundays. The Azimut will drive you completely crazy ordering parts for it. Most all of the systems are Italian. When I managed the one, it was 2 years old and IMPOSSIBLE to get a new light fixture that matched for the overhead aft deck lighting and I'm in Fort Lauderdale.

    You can go through the boat and a lot of times and convert from the Euro parts to US, but it takes so ingenuity sometimes. Another example is 3 years ago I bought a freshwater pump from the Azimut dealer here, only pump in the US, it comes and was manufactured 7 years prior and looks like it had been rolling around in a pickup bed for a day. I install it, about 90 days out it fails ($1850 pump) I call the dealer......parts only have a 30 day warranty.......Can order a new one from Italy but 3 week delivery time. I drove to Headhunters factory (because they're the only ones that made a 24 volt DC pump large enough) and they literally had to build a pump/expansion tank, plumbing, etc. to convert it while I was standing there, yet I still had to search out some euro plumbing fittings elsewhere. Azimut USA stocks plenty of props and shafts but hardly any of your everyday parts that fail as well. On the other hand the 50' doesn't have too many systems and it's a pretty good sea boat and cruises 25 knots at 55 gph if I remember right.
  9. Capt Ralph, Apr 30, 2016
    #9
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Skippy J likes those SeaRays. But I think them to be a fair weather 15 to 20 kt over priced Bayliner.
    The Carvers can move a bit but not as fast, lil fatter forward.

    The Neptunus is the best of all you have mentioned (IMO). Better all-round with some speed.

    There has been some past Neptunus post here on YF.
    If you can search & find them, would make some good reading.
  10. olderboater, Apr 30, 2016
    #10
    olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    The Bayliner Pilothouse models are excellent boats for the type cruising he has in mind. Sea Ray's sedans and some Meridian's are as well. Carver could be. Sea Ray express are nice but lack the space of the others. These are all nice planing or semi-displacement cruising boats.

    For the type cruising he has in mind, I see the Azimut as more boat than necessary along with more problems.

    Now, I'd encourage him to rethink his requirements carefully. He said Chesapeake and ICW. Did not indicate any ocean cruising so no going outside, nor the Bahamas. In retirement I can see him wanting to go further. That changes the boat requirements.

    What age and price range are you thinking about? Do Grand Banks or Swift Trawler's enter your picture? Also, you indicate upwards of 30 days a year cruising. Well, upon retirement, is that 31 or is it 250?