Carter 30

[BlackSpring]

Good day,
I am about to purchase a '75 Carter 30. Not much information is posted on these boats, however, what is posted seems to be positive feedback most of the times.
I'm looking for clues to look for, especially week points/spots on the the boat before purchasing. Surveying the boat doesn't seem possible due to the location and timing.
The hull does look sound and by the sounds of it most hulls on the Carter designs were very well built.
Can anyone give me a helping hand on this subject?

 

[Tranona]

These boats had many builders and iterations so it is difficult to give any more than general advice. If you do a search through PBO and YM back issues you will find various reviews and tests of both new and secondhand Carter 30s.

Risky buying a 35 year old boat without a survey or at least some third party advice unless you are rereally confident about you ability to spot trouble!

 

[jonjo]

Surveying the boat doesn't seem possible due to the location and timing.
The hull does look sound and by the sounds of it most hulls on the Carter designs were very well built.
Can anyone give me a helping hand on this subject?

Eeeek!

Why don't you do something more useful with your money like handing £20 notes out to strangers on the street, you will get more satisfaction from that pastime than owning a non surveyed 34 year old boat.

Even if the hull looks ok, fixing the rest of the boat and bringing it up to offshore sailing standards could set you back another £25k.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Sailed one once (called Circe). They're good performers, though a bit wet in heavy weather. Handle well under power. Can't give any advice on structure, though.

 

[Athene V30]

Surveying the boat doesn't seem possible due to the location and timing.

May struggle to get insurance without a survey.

Looked at a Carter 30 when searching for current boat - bit more draft than I wanted but otherwise looked a sturdy, no nonsense sort of boat.

 

[Lizzie_B]

Don't understand why location and timing should make a survey impossible....
As said before.you may have some insuring difficulties without survey.
having said that surveys are not foolproof and I have experienced a real mixed bag of them, like all 'professions' I guess.

Have chartered a carter 30 twice. Some were home completed. One of the one's we had, had the water tankage under one of the saloon settees which made a huge difference to windward performance on opposite tacks.
Other than that seemed a good solid no nonsense boat.. How much paper trail is there with the boat.. eg invoices for replacing standing rigging, engine servicing etc.. can often give you a feel for how the boat has been treated over the years.
Don't be rushed into buying without a survey, there are plenty of other similar boats out there.
If you have to let this one go, there will be others.

 

[mikeG]

Slow down ...You're moving too fast...... listen to what people are saying.....even though the money's burning a hole in your pocket and that boat seems spot on 'n the season's getting on 'n you're dying for a sail n'... need I go on? we've all been thro' similar times and some of us are still paying for it! No boat is inaccessible from a surveyor ...might cost a few quid more on expenses that's all but could just save you a load of money or God forbid something a lot more precious!

 

[fishermantwo]

Bit more info in your profile might help. There is one of these for sale in Cairns at the moment for a third the normal going rate. Looking at the photos alone I would buy it and not bother with a survey. Survey on the slips at a later date for insurance purposes if required. Survey would cost about 8% of the asking price on this vessel.

 

[webcraft]

Eeeek!

Why don't you do something more useful with your money like handing £20 notes out to strangers on the street, you will get more satisfaction from that pastime than owning a non surveyed 34 year old boat.

Even if the hull looks ok, fixing the rest of the boat and bringing it up to offshore sailing standards could set you back another £25k.

As a counterpoint to this . . .

After finding out everything we could about the marque we bought a 30 year old 27ft Albin Vega afloat with no survey for cash.

Yes, we have spent some money bringing her up to 'offshore' spec - new engine, various instruments and loads of safety gear, but nothing structural, unexpected or stupidly expensive. (OK, reinforced the mast step this year - but not because it needed it, and only cost £150).

She is now a 36 year old unsurveyed boat with another 10,000 happy miles under her keel including some blue water passages.

If you are happy with 3rd party insurance you don't need a survey. Spend the money on some good ground tackle instead!

Just another point of view . . .

- W

 

[bendyone]

I have just changed boats 32 year old GRP motorsailer, built like a concrete S**thouse. Had to have a survey for the insurance but would have brought it without.
The only points raised in the survey were waste water outlets well above the water line were only singled clipped, out of date gas pipe ( 600mm ) and he recommended 4 fire extinguishers not the 3 that were fitted.
Boats of this generation were built to last. The GRP thickness of the hull is excess of 30mm

 

[jonjo]

Boats of this generation were built to last. The GRP thickness of the hull is excess of 30mm

Really I am intrigued, please confirm the following in your boat have an indefinite service life:

Engine
Gearbox
Propshaft bearing
Prop
Rudder hinges
Standing rigging
Running rigging
Hatches
Sails
Furling mechanism
Anchor windlass
Anchor chain
Anchor
All electronics
Cooker
Fridge
All curtains and soft furnishings
Interior headlining
All metal castings attached to the mast
The housings of all navigation lights
All safety equipment
Toilet
All deck fitting
Guard lines
Any external woodwork

Need I go on?

If someone buys an old bargain boat with a nice solid hull but no survey and then discovers that 50% of the above is knackered the restoration bill could easily be £20k.

 

[bendyone]

Nothing an indefinite service life, not even you however nothing in your list is any good without a hull.
Obviously over time bits are replaced and upgraded. I did not say I brought a old bargain boat but a old well constructed boat with upto date equipment. The point I made is that IMO an older boat can be stronger than a new AWB.

 

[Tranona]

Nothing an indefinite service life, not even you however nothing in your list is any good without a hull.
Obviously over time bits are replaced and upgraded. I did not say I brought a old bargain boat but a old well constructed boat with upto date equipment. The point I made is that IMO an older boat can be stronger than a new AWB.

Can be very misleading. They were heavily built partly because they were heavy displacement designs and GRP is cheaper than lead and partly (no mainly) because they had little idea how the material would behave. So just pour lots of glass and resin into the hole and at least it will be thick! However, most of it is unnecessary for strength and often it is not properly cured. Have a look at some old hulls that have severe osmosis and gel coat stripped back and observe the voids weeping a mixture of styrene and water then you will see what I mean.

Over the last 40 years a lot has been learned about the properties of composites and modern boats are just as strong - often stronger- using far less material so builders can use the weight, volume and cost of materials providing features that are much more valuable to the user than a thick hull!

 

[jonjo]

Obviously over time bits are replaced and upgraded. I did not say I brought a old bargain boat but a old well constructed boat with upto date equipment.

That is the key point.

What concerns me is that people new to yachting turn up on this forum and ask about a 30 year old xxx 32. They get replies along the lines of "them was built nice and strong". This advice is misleading if it is not qualified with the caution "but 70% of the value of an offshore capable yacht is not in the hull".

 

[Judders]

Get Carter is currently second to last on the water in the Fastnet.

 

[jpcarter30]

As you can see from my username I am a proud owner of a Carter 30. My boat is a 79 built in Poland and handles like a dream and is bone dry throughout.
The most important point, however, is that I bought mine after a lot of research and viewing ashore and only when I was convinced it was a good boat and I might splash my cash on it did I bring in a surveyor. I would not, however, have gone ahead, despite its pristine condition above and below the waterline, without a survey as it gave me peace of mind and confidence in not being deceived. I would advise you to do that also.
After eighteen months ownership I still can't praise it highly enough and it performs and handles superbly. My survey has given me that peace of mind that allows me to be happy with what I spent. My advice is for you to do the same.

 

[joha]

Hiya
Have owned my carter 30 for the last 6 years, have lived aboard her for 4 of those years. They are well built, watertight (apart from the odd drip down the keel stepped mast) has a proper lead fin keel, good in heavy weather and was one of the few boats that survived the 79 fastnet apart from contessa 32 but much more room : ) set up well for single handing, surveyed well when I bought her even though she hadn't been particularly well looked after.

I do believe one was taken direct from the yard in Poland, and with no mods and was sailed across the atlantic. They were very succesful quarter tonners in their day and still regularly sail out of their handicap.

She is over 30 so will need attention but then they all do! and if I need to beat off a lee shore she will do it, but not so sure her modern sisters could in a gale of wind but I know mine can! J

 

[canvey john]

Hi i have owned mine for 10 years she has oringinal volvo lump in her and ive seen 10 knts on the gps on the south coast ive been in 55 knts of wind in her and was comfortable. great boat built to sail and in the right hands well capable to beat modern boats .only tip learn every nook and crannie on her and do the work needed yourself you will save plenty of money.

 

[Seajet]

BlackSpring,

I had a Carter 30 for 4 years.

Good points;

sailing performance

seaworthy with small cockpit

looks

handling under engine

Bad points;

Volvo saildrive core plugs rotted through,and that was a 1981 boat in 1988 !

prop' boss of saildrive cracked and irrepairable, v expensive

loo is basic by modern standards

gelcoat seemed brittle

inner moulding prevented inspection of backing pads or adding kit easily

saloon settee berth is deceptively narrow

saloon dinette berth deceptive too, very short and only wide enough for 1.2 people !

Unless modified the stemhead fitting has no anchoring roller

----

Mine was a pro built boat at Gdansk, Poland.

I have a review and my photo's somewhere if the others here don't have them.

Overall I thought she was good for the money but be prepared to spend a LOT on an old one now, sails and rig are large and would be pricey.

If still the Volvo saildrive regard it with deep suspicion, and remember the huge seal saildrives sit on, has it been replaced lately ?

I agree with others you need a survey.

 

[prv]

I had a Carter 30 for 4 years.

If he went ahead, the OP has already had his for six

Pete