In 1954 in a Milwaukee garage, Charlie Carter and George Verhagen
began building mahogany-planked, high-speed runabouts. What started
as a hobby soon turned into a business as word quickly spread, and
the two fledgling boat builders began selling boats to friends.
By combining the first three letters of their last names, the Carver
Boat Corporation was born, and the Carver Yacht
Group witnessed its humble beginnings.
In 1956, the two entrepreneurs moved their growing business to
Pulaski, Wisconsin, to take advantage of the area’s dedicated
work force and excellent transportation facilities. They built mahogany
boats throughout the 1960s, adding cabin cruisers to an expanding
lineup. In the 1970s, the switch was made to fiberglass hulls, with
additional advances that included larger cabin designs and the introduction
of the popular 32 Mariner.
By the 1980s, Carver had expanded sales beyond
the Great Lakes region to truly become a recognized leader in the
luxury motor yacht market. In fact, the motor yacht became synonymous
with the Carver brand in the early 1990s. In 1991,
Carver was acquired by Genmar Holdings, Inc. The
1990s also witnessed the introduction of the elegant frameless window
system and the refinement of the upscale Voyager series. By the
late 1990s, all Carver Yachts included no structural
wood below the waterline, fiberglass stringers, and a seven-year
limited warranty on hull and deck. In 2000, the largest Carver
Yacht was introduced—the 57 Voyager Pilothouse.
In 2003, the company acquired manufacturing facilities in Fano,
Italy, to build its new line of Nuvari Yachts,
partnering with the respected naval architecture firm Nuvolari-Lenard.
The year also marked the debut of the Wisconsin-built Marquis Class.
