The all new Carver C34 is 35'6" (10.82 m) LOA with a 13' (3.96 m) beam and has a dry displacement of 16,500 lbs. (7,484 kgs).

New Styling. At first blush two important things stand out about the new Carver C34: first she has an entirely new exterior design, setting her apart from the rest of the Carvers we have seen for the last number of years. She is certainly modern and her design capitalizes on the trend we have seen to retro features like round portlights, which hark back to the 1920s. She also has a sheer line that reminds us in a general way of what Rybovich was drawing in the 1960s and Hargrave in the 1970s. She also has what appears to be a nearly plumb bow, again something done in the '20s and which has been resurrected among a number of European designs of late.

Overall, we were impressed by Carver's new design approach and we look forward to seeing more new models.









Ample Beam. The second notable aspect of the boat is her prodigious beam. At 13' (3.96 m) it certainly must be among the highest beam to length ratios in this size range, particularly when considering that her integral swim platform extends about 18" (.45 m) beyond her transom at the waterline. That is a good thing in a small cruiser like this, simply because it gives the boat the breadth it needs to accommodate two cabins and berths for four people below, and adequate seating on the main deck.

The fact is that no matter how small the boat, people stay the same size. Carver's designers have clearly worked hard on the boat to make it ergonomically correct even though the LOA is only 35'.



This version of the C34 has a single helm on the flying bridge, but note the height of the windshield below that should give good visibility if the lower helm option is elected. The stainless steel bow scuff plate is standard.

Things Done Right

There are a number of aspects of the boat that show good thinking on the part of Carver's designers. Here's what caught our eye--

Salon. First, we like the U-shaped galley, which gets the cook out of the flow through the salon. When seated at the dinette it is possible to easily see out of the side windows and the table is a high-low which gives the space some versatility. Also, once the cook is ready to sit down at the table, two director's chairs can be placed on the inboard side of the table to seat more people.

Note that the windows are…well…windows, and not swooping slits of glass with a fiberglass band in between. These windows maximize visibility for people sitting or standing. This design approach will pass the test of time.

Side Decks. The side decks are wide enough to move forward and there are hand-holds along the cabin all the way forward. Outboard the rails are high as they should be, so it is secure going forward.

Flying Bridge. The flying bridge is of good size for a 35' boat and we liked the fact that the U-shaped dinette is adjacent to the skipper. The sun pad is aft where it should be. There is only one seat -- the skipper's -- facing forward, but a companion can sit side saddle and look forward so that another pair of eyes are involved with piloting.



We like the substantial wind deflector wrapped around the helm. It is made of Plexiglass and has a black anodized aluminum frame with header. This gives better protection and is more sturdy than what we see on many European vessels which try to minimize the visible height of the flying bridge bulwarks and windshield. A table is an option.



Note that this boat has a single lever and drive-by-wire controls placed just where they should be. Carver has taken a page from Euro designs and has made the bulwarks of the flying bridge low to keep her from looking boxy in profile.

Below Decks.

The master stateroom in the bow is pretty much what one would expect in a boat this size, but it is important to note that it has a bulkhead with door for privacy. Likewise, the guest cabin to starboard also has a door for privacy and standing headroom when entering this space. As one moves aft in this cabin the headroom diminishes as one would expect. The head to port is surprisingly large and has its own separate shower stall.



The aft deck of the C34 is 51 square feet and can handle an optional table. Pull up two folding director's chairs and six people can comfortably eat al fresco. Note the molded-in fiberglass stairs to the flying bridge which we like far better than a steep ladder. However, owners should make sure that teak treads are applied to the steps as nothing is more slippery than fiberglass steps with a little water on them.

Construction

The construction of the C34 has some noteworthy advancements. For example, the hand-laid structural and non-structural fiberglass and core laminates are said to be "bonded with infused epoxy resin." The surface below the waterline is sand blasted to create an optimal bonding surface for the anti-fouling paint. And Carver is using an integral aluminum truss reinforcement in the cabin top structure.

The engine room bilges are coated with white, low-VOC gel coat. The engine room also has a standard FE241 Fireboy automatic fire suppression system. Seacocks below the water line are marine grade bronze. The vessel has two 1,500 gph bilge pumps and there is a high-water alarm in the engine room.

Power Option

Standard power will be twin Mercury 5.7 L inboard gas engines with V-drives. The C34 is also available with optional twin Volvo Penta D4 300-hp freshwater-cooled diesels. With these engines and an optional Xenta joystick control device is offered which ties the engines into both optional bow and a stern thrusters to make docking even easier than it already is with the twins alone.

Observations

Powered by the standard twin MerCruiser 5.7L (300-hp each) gas engines with straight outboard shafts the C34 has an MSRP of $325,000.

We have not tested the C34, but hope to this spring. We will be looking at several aspects of this boat which make her different than models already in the market. For example, her bow sections are full which should make the boat handle well in a following sea. Her underwater exhaust is designed to be quiet underway.

The folks at Carver tell us that her WOT is over 30 mph. We look forward to a full test.

Photo Gallery



View of the main salon and galley looking aft. Note the soffit in the overhead. The lights in the overhead are all LED and not Halogen. High marks to Carver for that decision.



Looking forward in the salon. The high-low table is optional. In the version with a lower helm it goes in the space forward of the red wine bottle. The nylon carpet is standard.



We like the U-shaped design of the galley as it keeps the cook out of the flow of the boat. Note the amount of counter space. Microwave, two-burner stove top and a refrigerator are standard.



The salon has opening windows port and starboard. A 24" flat screen TV, DVD player, stereo and radio are all standard. Storage is under the seating.



This is not a particularly flattering or accurate image of the forward cabin. The drawing above probably gives a better perspective of the width of this space. We like the storage cabinets over the round portlights.



This image of the guest cabin is also distorted making the inboard bed look wider than it it is. Again the drawing is probably more instructive. However, there is standing headroom in the entrance to this stateroom and there is a solid door for privacy.



The head is relatively large for a 34-footer and note to the left is a separate shower stall with door. We like the wash basin inset into the countertop rather than being a glass bowel set on top of the counter. This is more secure, safer and water is more likely to stay in the basin in a seaway.