1998 Carver 350 - Arch Removal for Transport

is there no way to get it to your new home by water? that would be the best and most fun
there should be some access ports on the sides to gain access to the bolts you should be able to unbolt the arch through them and also have access to whatever is run up the arch. it would be a good idea to make sure you tag each wire for easy reassembly
if you are hiring a company to move your boat many times they will disassemble and reassemble, on the arrival it will need to be resealed when its put back together. have you gotten quotes for the move?
you could also contact carver (marquis) they can help with the removal info.
seems like i remember reading carver used joule marine transport they could probably tell you also and give you a quote,

I would suggest that you contact the marina where the boat is currently located and they should be able to remove the arch and handle all the wiring involved. Your home marina should be able to assist on the receiving end. Hope this helps

I agree that it's best to go home via water if that's an option. It may cost a lot of money in fuel but what you're describing will cost a LOT too...maybe more!

I'm not an experienced boater but I did do a lot of homework before buying my boat. I found out it made a lot more sense to buy locally, and forget about the "great deals" I saw hundreds of miles away. By the time I'd travel, get surveys done, negotiate repairs to be completed before closing the deal, and then get the boat home, the deal wouldn't be nearly as good as it seemed when it started. But if I found a boat locally (which I ultimately did), I could control every aspect of the deal, from beginning to end, and maybe even be able to keep the boat right where it was! (Which in fact I did!)

It seems like, if your deal is already done, "woulda shoulda coulda's" aren't what will help you NOW. (But I am stating all this for the next would-be buyer reading this thread.)

NOW....what you REALLY need to do is find a mechanic who will do BOTH sides of the move!

The guy who takes the boat apart MUST be the guy who puts it back together. Otherwise, how will you hold anyone accountable if there are issues upon re-assembly? Each guy will blame the other!

Get a mechanic local to where you'll keep the boat, tell him he's your new guy who will be taking care of your boat, starting with making the trip to help prepare it for transport and then putting it back together when it arrives home.

What a great way for both you AND your new mechanic to get familiar with your new boat! Both of you will get a good idea of what it needs to be top-notch and you might even want to get some things done with your mechanic while its apart.

Best of luck and congrats on the new boat!

You could engage a delivery captain. I'd suggest comparing the costs both ways, land and water.

No, you should have the same person assemble as disassembles, the same person who moves the boat. That way there can't be any problems unless he wants to blame himself. I've seen several transported boats on which the are was put on all wrong. Rattle trap, and the canvas never fit again.

The disassemply and reassembly are no big deal; a few bolts and wire to disconnect, or if not fitted with connections, cut a few wires, crane it off. The tricky part is the reassembly, but it just takes care.

That said I'd do the run, even if you had to break it up over a few weekends. Great adventure, great learning experience. Hire a captain to run with you. That time will be worth it's weight in gold to you. You'll also know your boat by the time you get it home. You could even go for part of the run and have the captain bring it the rest of the way. I suspect when you count hauling and relaunching, disassemly and reassembly, and the cost of trucking (plus any damages) it'll work out to similar dollars and one way you may have a big headache and the other you get experience and enjoyment.

would definately use a transport company if you dont have the ability to do it yourself.. most of these companies know what needs to be done.. just find a reliable one.. the money spent will be well worth it .. compared to the anxiety of doing it some other way..

While respecting your choice, just a couple of clarifications.

As to spending the week with the captain, you would not need to accompany a delivery captain. In fact most would prefer you not.

As to spending time with Captains being some horrifying fright, this board is filled with Captains, all who seem to be very pleasant people. Plus we have Captains on our boat and they are great to spend time with.

As to freaking out, you will legitimately do so if you don't hire the right professional transport company to do the job. Carver could guide you better than anyone and someone here suggested they use Joule.

If you're considering removal of the arch yourself or just having a yard to do so and another to replace, then that choice is fraught with danger. Get true professionals to do it. I get the impression that's what you're seeking and looking for someone to tell you how to do it. Now, if that is your choice, I'd still suggest contacting Carver for guidance.

You should contact spring brook marina in michigan. They took my bridge off. They know how to do it

350 Mariner

I have the same make/model/year. I had it transported from Ft Myers to Clear Lake/Houston. The yard in Ft Myers decommissioned her there and my yard in Clear Lake recommisioned her. Given the 13' beam, it was a permit load. The access plates on port & stbd give complete access to bolts and wiring. Need a pretty tall lift/crane to deal with the arch. It is aluminum and heavy. I also had to have the windshield removed and both props. It was loaded to a "low boy" trailer and still just made the 14'+ limit.

Love the boat!

Good luck,
Bruce...

A boater in our marina had Santego 30 shipped from Michigan to 1000 Islands and the arch was removed.....nothing worked right after it was reassembled.

He finally had to hire a mechanic that had done this before to fix all the issues. The cost of that was very nigh, he travelled from north Lake Simcoe and stayed about 5 days.

Hiring a delivery captain is the best option in my opinion.

That's why you always want the person who puts it on to be the same one who took it off. Not all the time but I've heard that story enough, and had some 1st person encounters with victim boats.