Carver is more than well known for building exceptionally spacious and comfortable motor yachts. You've seen them around your marina and at the anchorage and Carver owners tend to stay with the brand. But the Wisconsin boat builder is never satisfied with the status quo so it's launching an all-new, forward-thinking line of motor yachts for 2013, starting with the C34.
Sticking with the core company philosophy as the basic building blocks for the C34, Carver also employed new, more efficient manufacturing processes that led to the best feature of all - a lower price.
In recent years, Carvers have come a long way in styling and this new C34 might be the pinnacle. It features a sleek, in-motion design, highlighted by an aggressively raised sheerline that complements the almost plum bow.
Boarding the C34 will be via the moulded-in swim platform and through the starboard transom walkthrough that leads into the cockpit, where it becomes quite evident this boat is made for entertaining. There's plenty of seating thanks to the L-shaped aft bench and the cozy love seat at the base of the bridge stairs. Access to the salon from the cockpit is through French-style doors, which open out to marry the two spaces together into one uniform layout.
Two steps down from the cockpit, the salon is flooded with light from the 360-degree windows. To starboard, the galley is very open with nothing above the solid surface counter. All the drawers and cupboards are located below the counter, along with the standard refrigerator, microwave and two-burner electric stove. The U-shaped lounge is paired with a dinette height table that can be lowered to convert into a spot for two to sleep should you have extra guests on board.
The 360-degree view not only provides great lighting, but it offers excellent visibility should you go for the optional lower helm for inclement weather piloting.
Down below, there are two private staterooms, which will appeal to those making the move up to the C34 from an express cruiser. The forward master stateroom features a queen island berth with plenty of room to walk around it, a by-product of the plum bow shape mentioned earlier.
The guest stateroom has twin berths that can be pushed together. Both are well lit and well ventilated. There is plenty of standing head room, lots of storage and recessed LEDs light up these cozy quarters.
Another attractive feature on the C34 is the full head with separate shower. Those who are used to spending 20 minutes wiping down the head after a 10-minute shower will appreciate this added convenience.
Back above deck, the stairway leading up to the flybridge is quite wide, casually sloped and has a supportive hand rail. Thankfully, long gone are the days of vertical ladders, which may save on cockpit space, but aren’t friendly to those who are less mobile.
And it's with good reason the C34 has such an accessible flybridge. It is possibly the best spot on the boat. Offset to starboard, the helm features a captain's chair, flush-mounted gauges and 360-degree views.
For the captain's company, there is a full-size wrapped bench seat that could easily accommodate your entire guest list. And as if that wasn't enough, behind that is a giant sun pad to hang out and catch some rays - or maybe even snag a couple of Zs. The foredeck is spacious as well and the side decks leading up are no less than 11 inches wide so footing is secure.
Standard power on the C34 is twin MerCruiser 5.7-litre inboard V drives, with the option to upgrade to Volvo diesels. Bow and stern thrusters can be installed for both gas and diesel applications. If you go with the diesels, you can add a Xenta Joystick Yacht Control system that marries the inboards with the thrusters.
Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to run the C34 out on the water at the Miami Boat Show. However, I was told its performance is top-notch thanks to a new running surface and it will top out at 33 mph with standard power.
Building motor yachts is nothing new to Carver, so it's great to see their mission to create a brand-new entry into the motor yacht segment focused on form, function and value. And that is exactly what they have done with the C34.
SPECS
According: usboattest.com
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