Following the success of the C37 Coupe, Carver’s new C34 Coupe emphasizes comfort, convenience and space management. It’s evident the moment you step aboard the nearly 4-foot-long swim platform. Activities begin with an optional Kenyon electric grill concealed within a fiberglass console with a small sink and freshwater faucet, but a closer look reveals Carver’s attention to more important details like grippy molded nonslip, built-in stowage compartments, a hot-and-cold transom shower, stainless-steel grab rails, and toe-snub-free recessed cleats in the platform corners for tying up a dinghy.

Up the steps and through the gate into the cockpit, I discovered that the L-shaped lounge converts to a sun pad, that its base conceals stowage, and an optional electric cold box in the bench keeps drinks handy. A high-low table creates an alfresco dining area, complemented by an optional SureShade power sunshade. Molded steps and overhead grab rails provide convenient access to the bow, and the narrow walk-around features an average rail height of 25 to 26 inches and a 1-inch toe rail. The bow rail has an intermediary run as well.

A three-section sliding glass door leads to the air-conditioned salon and opens the cockpit into the boat’s interior, creating ­multiple gathering areas. At the same time, it allows privacy and all-weather protection at the dock and underway. The salon is flooded with natural light, with a one-piece windshield, thin mullions, and large side panels. A fixed skylight and shade are standard, but our test boat had the available power sunroof. Carver’s interior glossy cherry joinery throughout is rich and complemented the easy-care laminated wood flooring. An L-shaped sofa on a raised platform and a high-low walnut table with fiddle rails deliver an invitation to relax and enjoy meals. To starboard, a 32-inch flat-screen television provides entertainment, and the galley area is outfitted with solid-surface counters, an undermounted stainless-steel sink, electric induction cooktop, refrigerator/freezer, and a microwave at a convenient waist-high level. Not as convenient: The AC power panel is ­beneath the table in the sofa base.

Visibility from the helm is good, ­although the sole-to-ceiling appliance package partially blocks the starboard corner. Backing into a slip, just keep your eyes on the port side. The dash is covered with brown leather to offset glare, and accessory switches and controls, including the Axius joystick control, are aptly placed. Try the seated and standing positions to ensure you can see the instrumentation. Our test boat had a Raymarine multifunction display, which I could see fine, but the MerCruiser readout on the flat to the right of the wheel would be better placed on the dash panel so it would be more easily read.

Head belowdecks and the intrinsic advantages of the plumb bow design are ­obvious in the size of the forward stateroom, which includes air conditioning, a full-size berth and 6-foot-8-inch headroom. Fixed hullside windows illuminate the space. Ample overhead and rope lighting, a 32-inch flat-screen television, sizable hanging locker, and Bomar translucent deck hatch fill the bill for sleeping in comfort.

Amidships, a lounge area with an L-shaped sofa converts to a full-size berth and can be ordered with a bulkhead from the factory to create a private stateroom. The space below provided another surprise for us in the nicely appointed head with its Techma freshwater-flush marine toilet, an opening port in the hullside window, air conditioning, and a walnut-framed vanity with a solid-surface top. The molded nonslip sole had us believing this was a wet head until we saw the walk-in shower stall with its seat and plexiglass door.

Performance impressed us as well. Our test boat with twin 300 hp MerCruiser 6.2 Bravo Three DTS SeaCore sterndrives rips to a top speed of 39 mph. It’s thirsty at 46 gph, yet it’s nice to know you can get home in a hurry. Its midrange performance in the mid-to-high 20s is comfortable and efficient. The twin props grab plenty of water for rapid acceleration, and maneuvering around the dock using the Axius joystick is intuitive.

I had to remove the cockpit table to ­access the engine compartment, but once inside, I discovered that Carver hits a home run. Mechanical installations are clean, and chafe gear abounds. Through-hull fittings and seacocks are labeled, and access to engines, the 6.5 kW Westerbeke generator, battery banks, bilge pumps and other equipment is a walk in the park. Acoustical insulation on the forward engine compartment bulkhead and sealed wire and plumbing passages result in a notably quiet ride. Carver even includes a pair of boxes that rest along the stringers for tools and spare parts. Beneath the surface, the C34 Coupe has a resin-infused hull, rugged fiberglass stringer system and 10-year structural-hull limited warranty.

Comparison shoppers might look at the Jeanneau NC 33 ($295,000 base price with 220 hp Volvo Penta D3 diesel inboards). The smallest Carver, the C34 Coupe will appeal to new boat owners moving into the cruising lifestyle, as well as loyal Carver fans moving down.

High Points
* Visibility from the helm is enhanced thanks to a one-piece windshield and thin mullions.
* Polished stainless-steel hardware is plentiful and oversize.
* Head includes a shower stall with a fiberglass seat that spouses will love.

Low Points
* Transom grill could use a cover over the sink to provide a cutting board.
* Steep staircase heads below into the cabin.
* Cockpit table must be removed to access the engine compartment.

Price: $472,320 (as tested; base $335,715)

Available Power: Sterndrive + Inboard

How We Tested
Engines: Twin 300 hp MerCruiser 6.2 Bravo Three DTS SeaCore gas sterndrives
Props: 20″ pitch stainless-Steel Bravo Three propset
Gear Ratio: 2.20:1
Fuel Load: 110 gal.
Water On Board: 50 gal
Crew Weight: 360 lb.

More Information
Carver Yachts – Pulaski, Wisconsin; 920-822-3214; carveryachts.com

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If I could sum up the essence of the Carver C43 Coupe in two words, they would be living space. That’s because, just as it did with the C40 and the C37 before it, Carver seeks to maximize usable space belowdecks, in the salon and also in the aft cockpit.

It starts with Carver’s plumb bow design. Instead of the heavy taper at the bow seen on most modern planing boats, the plumb bow carries the hull sides almost vertically down to the water, maximizing the beam forward. This design element allows for the spacious master stateroom with a private en suite head. Though still nestled in the stem of the boat, the island berth sits lower than it would on a boat with a tapered bow, allowing for easier entrance and exit from the bed. There’s also wider space to either side than you’d typically find. With 6 feet 8 inches of headroom belowdecks, the whole space feels like it has the nautical equivalent of cathedral ceilings.

Notably, the en suite head to port has a separate shower stall so that cruisers can bathe without dousing the entire bathroom. The sink features a trendy elevated basin. A skylight overhead keeps the space brightly lit, and of course there’s the obligatory privacy shade.

There’s a well-appointed guest head across the hall on the starboard side that is accessible from the hallway or the guest stateroom just aft of it. The guest stateroom features twin beds that can be converted to a full via a cushion insert.

Upstairs, the living space — from the helm to the salon and out to the cockpit — is all about flow. Everything is on the same level, allowing for continuous movement between the galley, the dinette and the cockpit. The setup maximizes entertainment value. With the double-wide seat at the helm and another directly opposite the helm to port, the captain can be included in conversation as well. I like how the helm seat features a separate flip-up bolster for the captain so he or she can adjust the seat to sit or stand as desired. The helm features an inset dash for flush-mount electronics and an ergonomically placed steering wheel that tilts to the captain’s preference. The joystick control sits to the left of the helm, the rocker switch controls to the right. Everything is within easy reach whether standing or sitting. With the skinny mullions in the windshield and windows around the entire salon, Carver does a great job in maximizing visibility from the helm, though a coupe never achieves the unfettered 360-degree visibility a bridge design affords, as found aboard the sister C40.

If it’s light and openness you want, though, push a button and retract the sunroof, a feature that boaters in the Southern region will adore. The galley runs aft of the passenger seating to port, ideally suited to serve both the dinette to starboard and the cockpit out of the sliding glass doors. The fridge is located at the aft end of it for just that reason. I like how the aft bench of the dinette has an adjustable backrest so that, when the sliders are open, guests can face aft and socialize with folks in the cockpit or just enjoy watching the wake.

Other coupes, such as the Tiara 44 Coupe ($903,704 with twin 435 hp Volvo Penta IPS600 diesels), employ a salon abovedecks that flows into the cockpit, but the Tiara’s is a split-level. Others, like the Regal 42 Sport Coupe ($751,665 with twin 300 hp Volvo Penta IPS400 diesels), feature a more traditional layout, with more open space abovedecks and with the galley and salon below.

From the C43’s cockpit, it’s easy to walk forward to the bow along the side walkways. The walkway itself is 13 inches wide, so you don’t have to shimmy sideways, and there are strategically placed handholds along the way. Not to mention that the stainless-steel bow rail measures above my knees (I’m 5 feet 11 inches, average height), so it serves as a handhold and is tall enough not to trip over. The bow area is flat with a nonskid surface, so it’s a safe spot for handling lines or dealing with the anchor windlass tucked under a bow hatch. There’s a remote-controlled spotlight mounted on the bow rail.

With the boat’s wide beam and spacious interior, you’d expect it to look kind of like a floating tub. This is not the case. Carver worked hard to design the C43 with a sleek, sporty profile with an eye-catching broken sheer line. It has none of the excessive freeboard seen on the older generation of cruiser-oriented coupes. With the twin 480 hp Cummins diesels, we pushed this boat to a pleasant top speed of 36.5 mph. Ease off the throttles just a bit and the boat settles into a sweet spot at around 28 mph. While it’s not a speed burner, the diesel power and 350-gallon fuel tank give the boat a peak 329-mile cruising range. And that’s the point of this boat, not only to cruise but also to make the journey as entertaining as possible along the way.

Comparable Models: Tiara 44 Coupe, Regal 42 Sport Coupe

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The Carver C37 Coupe stands out as unique in the realm of coupe cruisers for two reasons. First, whereas most coupes in this range have some version of a vented hardtop or a covered bridge deck that’s fully open aft, the C37 Coupe offers a fully enclosed cabin, complete with glass doors between the salon and cockpit. Second, in contrast with most of the boats in this class with slim V-hulls that taper to a point toward the stem, the C37 opts for a plumb bow design that carries the beam farther forward in a more rounded fashion. The result is a wider foredeck and more living space in the forward cabin below.

The plumb bow design allows Carver to design the C37 with a large master stateroom with 6 feet 5 inches of headroom and a queen bed set lower down into the bow so that it’s easier to get in and out of, compared to boats with more tapered bows. To port there’s a full head with a separate shower stall and a bench seat, which is a fantastic use of space on a 37-foot boat. A midship stateroom to starboard can be outfitted with twins or a queen. The salon upstairs can convert to beds, providing sleeping space for six on board.

All of these amenities help the C37 meet and exceed its mission statement: to provide day-boaters who prefer gasoline sterndrives an upgrade to a weekender-style boat that offers a little more than the typical express cruiser. As competitors in this category offer pod-drive propulsion with joystick controls, Carver offers the option for the Axius sterndrive joystick system. Our test boat had it, which made inching in and out of our extremely tight slip at the marina a stress-free affair.

Once underway, the C37 Coupe touched speeds just under 40 mph while showing the agile handling afforded by the twin counter-rotating dual propsets. While some may view the wide beam as a performance detriment, the plumb bow puts more of the hull in contact with the water, and it held its own in manufactured head and quartering seas. Plus, with the raked windshield, broken sheer line, extended hardtop and stylish windows, it looks pretty up on plane — and with a look all its own.

Comparable model: Pursuit SC 365

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Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver C40

Carver calls the sedan bridge design on the new C40 a “command bridge,” and while we waited for the helicopter to show for our cover photo shoot, I could see the reasoning. Normally you can hear a chopper well before you see it, but from the elevated helm of the C40 I noticed it appear far off on the horizon, instantly validating the commanding view a bridge affords.

In designing a cruiser with a command bridge helm, Carver is aiming squarely at smaller express cruiser owners looking to up their overall length, cruising comfort and range. To achieve that, Carver designed the all-new C40 from the keel up, which means it sprung from new tooling with a fresh new design. Outside of the bridge, the most striking thing about the boat is its plumb bow, a design that carries the bow vertically down to the waterline. While plumb bows are common on workboats, military vessels and trawlers, it’s rare to see one on a planing cruiser these days — most builders opt for a stem that rakes aft to connect with the bottom at the waterline. A plumb bow keeps more hull in the water forward, helping to smooth the ride in rough seas. It also increases the interior volume of the boat, which, when combined with the 13-foot-6-inch beam, allows for a spacious layout belowdecks.

This is evident in the forward master stateroom, where the elevated island berth appears to be at a more accessible height than on comparable cruisers. Carver says it’s about a foot lower; while I wasn’t able to verify that claim, I could tell it was one of the easiest berths to climb in and out of, which is noteworthy. Also of note is the private master head with a separate fiberglass shower stall. There’s a day-head for guests across the passageway that has a handheld shower nozzle. That Carver was able to fit two heads plus a master and guest stateroom aboard a 40-footer is a testament to the extra volume the plumb bow helps to create.

There aren’t too many competitors in this category, but one to take a look at is the Meridian 391 Sedan ($578,687 with twin QSB 6.7-liter 380 hp Cummins diesel inboards), another cruiser with a sedan bridge helm and two staterooms belowdecks. The Meridian is actually beamier but sports a more raked bow and a straight sheer line, compared with the broken sheer of the C40’s profile. If you prefer octane to cetane, though, Meridian offers the 391 Sedan with a pair of 370 hp Mercury 8.1 Horizon gasoline inboards. There is no gas power option for the C40.

The C40’s salon is bathed in natural light, thanks to windows that wrap around its entirety. The sedan bridge helm allows for more amenities in the salon, such as the full galley to port with solid-surface countertops. To starboard there’s dedicated stemware stowage and a U-shaped dinette that can be converted to a bed if extra sleeping space is needed. (For boaters in cold-weather climates, a lower helm is offered as an option.) A small settee aft of the galley to port provides additional seating. I found the ride in the salon very pleasant while underway, recording a conversation-friendly 75 decibels (dbA) inside while running at 24 mph.

However, I’m the type of boater who likes to ride outside, and the C40 offers ample space for that. Start with the cockpit, which features a wraparound transom bench interrupted only by the stainless-steel boarding gate. (Owners looking to do some casual fishing can ditch the seating for an open cockpit array.) The cushions are covered in a plush champagne vinyl, and the backrests are mounted on separate fiberglass parts upheld by stainless-steel supports. Carver is unique in that all stainless steel and upholstery is done in-house

Carver also vacuum-bags every fiberglass part on the boat, even the hull and deck. The resin-infusion process is precise and keeps total weight down, important for a boat with large additional components like the command bridge. About that bridge, it provides the extra outdoor space that makes sedans so appealing compared with express cruisers. The twin bucket seats at the helm, the L-lounge to port and the aft sun pad all keep cruiser claustrophobia at bay.

If there’s a knock on this style of boat, it’s that its wide beam and high profile make it hard to steer in close quarters and susceptible to pounding in rough seas. But on photo-shoot day we ran the C40 outside the inlet in tight 2- to 3-footers and felt comfortable riding in the 20 to 25 mph range. Carver attributes that to the improved center of gravity afforded by inboards and the extra wetted surface from the plumb bow. Good traits for a cruiser. As for the close-quarters handling, the optional bow thruster solves the problem, as once we were safely inside the inlet we used it to ease into our slip at the marina. Bridge or no bridge, that was easy to see.

Comparable model: Meridian 391

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Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver C34

Carver’s C34 abounds with details that impress experienced skippers, such as raised edges on stair treads to ensure safe footing, deep hatch gutters to promote good drainage and keep gear dry, and cleat placement that provides security and several options while docking, anchoring or rafting with other boats. Also, from its seven-seater flying bridge lounge to its two-stateroom, two-head cabin plan, the C34 boasts features bound to impress guests.

What else did we discover? Read on, learn more details, and take a vicarious ride aboard the Carver C34.

While the C34 topped out at 31.8 mph, I was more impressed with the comfort this broad-bow, straight-stem little yacht delivered at 24 mph cruising in our test day’s blustery Atlantic chop: I enjoyed both the ride and the view from the flying bridge, and that’s not something that can be said of all flying bridge boats this size.

Running from a flybridge is like being on the long end of a stick. Motion is amplified. The three major components of a boat’s motion — roll, pitch and heave — which can feel comfortable at deck level, often become tortuous when experienced from 8 or 10 feet higher. It’s hard to pin down exactly why a certain boat behaves a certain way in a given set of conditions, but in the C34’s case, we can make some assumptions as to why it delivers a rather comfortable ride.

For one thing, its straight stem gives it a longer waterline length than those of similar boats possessing similar length overall (LOA), such as Meridian’s 341 Sedan ($545,201, with twin 320 hp MerCruisers), allowing it to bridge waves a bit better and reduce pitch. Though its 18,000-pound displacement is par for this class, the C34 is not as tall as comparable boats, yet it’s a bit wider. Both attributes contribute to stability. The aluminum trusses I saw installed during the plant tour portion of this test helped prevent the house from being wracked. Subjectively, the boat feels balanced, and it responds as expected to input at the helm.

On the flying bridge, snap-in woven carpet, a plush swiveling helm chair, an aluminum-frame venturi and two large Raymarine touch screens made this skipper feel comfortable. (However, the teeny compass needs to go; a boat like this demands a 5-inch, flat-card compass, in my opinion.) There’s a lounge that seats seven guests wrapping to port. Behind that is a thick sun pad ringed by a stainless-steel rail. A stowage locker beside the helm features a recessed tray top and a built-in stereo. A taut and rugged Bimini top covers all, and the steps to the cockpit feature grippy nonskid and the aforementioned raised-lip risers.

The cabin impressed me. The C34’s decor achieves luxury, while remaining bright, functional and easy to maintain, thanks to an artful mix of faux wood, taut fabric and just the right amount of glossy fiberglass. Moreover, the twin, sliding-glass entry doors hinge open as well, swinging wide to seamlessly connect salon and cockpit. This arrangement will be just as useful for a cruising couple as it will when entertaining a dozen guests. In effect, it provides an express boat’s egress and access to and from the water while retaining the maximized living quarters only a bridge boat can provide in any given length. Small details, such as the handy little retainers for the miniblinds, also impressed.

The salon features a six-person settee and table that converts to a double berth. Opposite, find the U-shaped galley, with its two-burner cooktop (for cruising, specify a model with potholders), microwave and a deep sink. The two-tiered forward section of counter is functional and is also where a second control station can be fitted (price on request), a desirable option for those seeking climate-controlled helm time.

Belowdecks, the C34 boasts a two-stateroom layout. The starboard-side guest stateroom features twin berths that convert to a double, and is privatized by a wood door.

Across the passageway is the head, with its fiberglass stall shower. I sat on the shower seat and believe cruisers will find it a welcome amenity, particularly since the shower head can be used as a hand-held wand. The vanity sports a vessel sink. There’s an exhaust fan, and the fiberglass sole makes it easy to keep things sanitary.

The master stateroom features a residential-height master berth. We appreciate such residential-height berths not only for their ease of entry but also for the extra headroom and sense of space they provide. (Intangibles and a space’s “feeling” are important, in our view.) The round portholes, as distinctive here as when seen from outside, open for ventilation, yet dog down tight for rough-weather motoring. In all, I felt that one could comfortably “escape” one’s crew for a few hours in this stateroom. That’s a tough feat to accomplish aboard a 34-foot boat.

Sea-trial Carver’s C34. You might find that it manages to pull off numerous feats that other boats fail to accomplish.

Comparable model: Meridian 341 Sedan

**

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