A Small Boat With a Big Boat Feel, the Carver 326 Aft Cabin Offers Sound Construction and Unmatched Accommodations for its Size, Perfect for a Small Family

Although I've never heard the term used to describe a powerboat, if there is such a thing as a "pocket cruiser" in the powerboat marketplace, this is it. With a deck length of just a little over 28 feet, this Carver model is one of the smallest double cabin cruisers ever built, yet it has many of the cruising features and accommodations of a 40-footer. That said, fitting all these features and accommodations into such a small package comes with a few drawbacks, such as limited storage and poor access to machinery.

The model was introduced in 1991 as the Carver 28 Aft Cabin and in 1994, through a stroke of marketing genius, the name was changed to the 300 Aft Cabin. In 1996 an integral swim platform was added to the hull mold, and the name was changed again, this time to the 325 Aft Cabin. Not being able to leave well enough alone, in 1999 the Carver Boat Corporation issued a third name change, the 326 Aft Cabin.

Despite frequent name changes during the 10 years it was manufactured, there were almost no changes in the boat's deck length or general configuration. In addition to the aforementioned integral swim platform, a hardtop over the aft deck and a radar arch were added in 1997 to enhance her larger-than-life look. While it did that, and some will like it, to my eye it caused the boat to have an ungainly, top-heavy appearance. The model was discontinued in 2001 when Carver updated their fleet with more "Euro-styled" designs.

Although the growing model name suggests a larger boat, the overall length, with swim platform and bow pulpit, actually got smaller – from 32 feet and 9 inches in 1991 to 32 feet and 2 inches in 2001. For the purpose of useable accommodations, however, the boat remained a 28-footer. Beam is a whopping 11 feet and 10 inches, but it is this feature that permits the rather extraordinary accommodations and provides stability for a rather top-heavy design.

The Carver 28 Aft Cabin has molded fiberglass components in accordance with good boat building practices of production builders. Hull bottoms are solid fiberglass laminate and a vinylester resin barrier coat is used below the waterline to help prevent osmotic blistering. Hull sides, decks and superstructure utilize a composite of fiberglass, polyester resin and various core materials, depending on the application. Structural members are attached with multiple layers of fiberglass, and Carver takes better care than most to ensure neat and secure attachments. One somewhat unusual feature is Carver's use of a fabricated aluminum framework to support the cabin sole, a construction that permits the carpeted panels to be removed and installed with ease.

As might be expected, the deck arrangement is a miniaturized version of a typical aft cabin motoryacht. A small flybridge over the main salon seats three adults comfortably. The aft deck, located over the aft cabin, is enclosed by a stainless steel rail and weather panels. It is large enough to accommodate two deck chairs and a small table but not much else. A port-side ladder provides easy access to the swim platform. Side decks are narrow, but handholds are provided along the flybridge for secure passage to the foredeck.

For a long time, Carver has enjoyed a reputation for offering roomy interiors – a reputation that was certainly not diminished by the 28 Aft Cabin. The nearly 12-foot beam and the aft cabin arrangement of this model ensure spacious accommodations that never feel cramped.

The main salon, which is entered by a sliding door from the aft deck, is completely surrounded by windows, the sight line uninterrupted all the way forward to the anchor locker bulkhead. A settee/sleeper sofa sits below the cabin windows to port, and an optional lower helm station is starboard.

Forward from the main salon and down three steps is a well-equipped galley to port, a head and shower to starboard and, further forward, an elliptically-shaped dinette where you might expect to find a V-berth. The dinette converts to a double berth, and a privacy curtain separates the area when needed. In the aft cabin, there's a small double berth to port and a single berth to starboard. The arrangement provides comfortable sleeping and seating accommodations, but storage space is lacking.

Over the years, Carver offered both Mercury and Crusader gasoline engines ranging from 260 to 310 horsepower. Comfortable cruising speeds are likely to be from 15 to 18 knots, depending upon power and load with a top speed of around 25 knots. Fuel capacity is only 162 gallons, which limits the range to less than 100 nautical miles if you allow for a 10 percent fuel reserve.

The Carver 28 Aft Cabin offers sound construction and accommodations that may be unmatched by any boat of this size. Despite its diminutive length and comparatively high price, it offers good value for two adults or a small family in the market for a comfortable, small boat with a big boat feel and look.

Jack Hornor, NA is the principal surveyor and senior designer for the Annapolis-based Marine Survey & Design Co. Hornor writes for BoatU.S. Magazine and other marine publications.

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