Collecting Commendations

Carver's C52 Coupe continues to impress

Published in the December 2017 Issue November 2017 Feature Heather Magda Serrano

“Luxurious and rich,” described Steven Hausherr, “smells of wood and leather.”

Simple and to the point, Hausherr related the quintessence of the brand that continues to raise the bar for luxury on the water: Carver Yachts. A stunning example of Carver’s elegant style can be found in the new C52 Coupe, a boat that radiates sophistication.

Matthew Vetzner, Carver Yachts’ vice president of marketing, said the C52 Coupe first made its debut appearance last year at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show and since then has only gained popularity.

The C52 Coupe reflects an apparent love for space, one of Carver’s more defining characteristics in the company and brand. From top to bottom, there isn’t a cramped area on the boat. All the way from the wide, comfortable walk-around deck to the three generous staterooms, this boat leaves nothing wanting and offers comfortable, flowing transitions from room to room.

The entire salon level is connected from swim deck to foredeck, creating a sizable free-flowing entertainment space between the cockpit, aft galley and salon. No matter where you are on this level, you will always be connected to your friends and family.

Another feature that sets this boat apart from others is the private stairwell down from the galley to the full-beam, mid-ship master stateroom, which is not typically found on other boats in the 50-foot range.

Glass Dimmer

To add to the feeling of freedom and openness, the salon level on the C52 Coupe contains large, full-length glass ceiling panels and a generous sunroof, bathing the entire level with natural light. Additionally, should the day prove a little too sunny, there is a switch that dims the glass so that you won’t have to wear sunglasses while inside. This further proves the engineers at Carver Yachts really did think of everything.

The broad range of vision not only serves for the viewing pleasure of the passengers but transfers toward easy visibility for the captain guiding the boat. Martin Kelsey, the sales manager of Centerpointe Yacht Sales in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., said that he particularly admires the sightlines of the C52 Coupe.

“You have great visibility looking forward,” said Kelsey. “Especially having that forward helm station as opposed to some of the other boats where you’ve got a lot more boat in front of you. I feel like that’s really advantageous.”

Kelsey has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to boating because of his family’s enthusiasm for their favorite pastime. He has been boating pretty much since he was born and has experience on smaller dinghies all the way up to 210-foot boats. Having spent plenty of time on the C52 Coupe, Kelsey praised it as “a good running hull.”

Built To Glide

Comfy and pleasing to the eye, the yacht boasts a structurally impressive design that makes the most of interior space while maintaining full functionality. Kelsey admires the way the C52 Coupe moves on the water.

“You can tell that its placement is built properly into the boat,” added Kelsey. “It moves very laterally, as opposed to bobbing up and down due to the hull shape up in front.”

In addition to a smooth ride, Carver Yachts crafted the hull, deck and superstructure of the C52 Coupe with the latest fiberglass technology, enabling it to withstand some of the harshest conditions on the water. For this boat, luxury and safety go hand in hand. Carver extends the same level of attention to safety and elegance in all of its different models.

View From Above

The model Hausherr, the boat enthusiast, finds himself singularly smitten with is the C52 Command Bridge that he drives past everyday in the Kemah Marina in Texas. Similar to the Coupe, Vetzner pointed out that the main difference between the Coupe and the Command Bridge is that the Command Bridge contains an upper helm bridge area whereas the Coupe does not.

Hausherr shared that the C52 Command Bridge at the Kemah Marina gets him “all mushy” when he drives by it. “I sometimes drive through the parking lot and stop to look at it,” said Hausherr. “One day it was gone and I was gutted. The next day it was back!”

When he’s not spending time with his wife, Anette, and his daughter Melissa, Hausherr’s time is taken up with cars and boats. He’s a proud owner of his own Carver 400 yacht, and he does all the work on it himself. It’s a hobby fueled by passion.

No Bad Days

He said that if you’ve ever had a bad day, boating is a sure cure.

“You will not have the capacity to think about anything that has happened prior,” said Hausherr. “Just focus on where you are going, what your gauges are reading and somewhere in between look around and enjoy the water.”

This is one of his favorite things about boating.

Carver Yachts strives to implement the most natural docking systems to promote confidence and ease when steering your boat on the open water and in closer quarters. The C52 Coupe and Command Bridge use a Cummins joystick piloting system.

“It’s very easy to use,” said Kelsey. “I find it a little more intuitive.”

Recently, Hausherr went on a tour of the C52 Command Bridge he has had his eye on for the last year, and he only had good things to say about it. Like the Coupe, the salon level of the Command Bridge is fluent and connected. Hausherr noted that when the double glass doors are open, the galley and salon open completely to the deck.

Added Touches

Something that stood out to Hausherr was the beautiful stone, wood and leather present in the boat’s furniture and features. He said the “distressed dark hardwood floors and all the cabinetry had an amazing shine.” Another feature that impressed Hausherr was how all the TV screens were subtly recessed, making them less noticeable when not in use.

All the small touches set the C52 Command Bridge apart and made it all the more appealing. The model Hausherr looked at had a black hull with chrome accents, which he felt made a strong statement, particularly when viewed from the front.

“It’s bold and very refined,” he shared.

Solid History

Carver Yachts has certainly come a long way since it began over 60 years ago. What started out as a garage hobby for Charles Carter and George Verhagen soon grew into a thriving business, creating the most homelike and durable boats. These two talented craftsmen came up with a name for their company with the same spirit they used when constructing their luxury boats: by putting a little piece of themselves into the title. Carter and Verhagen combined the first three letters of their last names and the “CarVer” brand was born.

Today Carver Yachts continues to build luxury yachts in Wisconsin, presenting grand examples of opulence such as the C52 Coupe and Command Bridge. Just recently, it announced the successful sea testing of its newest boat, the C34 Coupe.

People everywhere, like Hausherr, enjoy and follow Carver Yachts on their journey as they continue to improve what seemingly could not get any better. It’s easy to see that their boats carry quite a lasting impression on boaters. When asked about the effect Carver’s C52 Command Bridge had on him, Hausherr responded, “It’s one of the few boats that can speak to you.”

C52 Coupe Specifications:

LOA (w/ swim platform): 51’ 10” , 15.79 m

Beam: 15’ 8” , 4.78 m

Draft: 48” , 1.22 m

Weight: 42,000 lbs. , 19,051 kg

Fuel Capacity: 550 gal. , 2082 L

Water: 150 gal. , 568 L

Holding Tank Capacity: 80 gal. , 303 L

Cabin Headroom: 6’ 6” , 1.98 m

Staterooms: 3

Heads: 2

Sleeps: 6