Carver Yachts C50 and C52 Command Bridge, Review and Used Guide

The plumb-bowed flagship that debuted as a 49 ft 10 in C50 in Miami and grew into the 51 ft 10 in C52 a few months later.

2016 to present Discontinued Updated October 2026

Photo: Power & Motoryacht, press image, source

Length: 51.8 ft15.8 m
Beam: 15.7 ft4.78 m
Cruise: 22.1 kn
Cabins: 3 guest staterooms (full-beam master, bow VIP, twin) plus crew cabin aft
Used price: $800K to $1.25M

On this page

Overview
From C50 to C52 in one season, a Carver yachts flagship that grew
The plumb-bow rethink that started in 2011
Infused hull, encapsulated balsa and a fiberglass grid
High bulwarks, a sheltered aft deck and a bridge kitchen
Galley aft, spiral stair to a full-beam master
Power & Motoryacht's test, 22 knots at 37.8 gph
The C52 Coupe and the older 50 ft Carvers
Buying a used C50 or C52
Specifications
Price and value
Strengths and weaknesses
Used buyer checklist
Rivals
Our verdict
FAQ

The Carver C50 Command Bridge debuted at Yachts Miami Beach in February 2016 and was soon renamed C52 when a larger swim platform became standard. Built in Pulaski, Wisconsin, it has three staterooms, a crew cabin and twin Cummins diesels, and used boats ask about $825,000 to $1.2 million.

Best for

Owner-operators moving up from a 40 ft express
Great Lakes and Chesapeake cruising families
Buyers who want flybridge volume without a 60 ft slip
Owners who host guests on the aft deck

Carver C50 / C52 Command Bridge by the numbers

Plan view drawn to scale from the published length and beam.

Speed to length ratio at cruise: 3.29A planing cruise. Fast passages in exchange for much higher fuel burn per mile.
Estimated range at cruise: 289 nmUsing 90 percent of tank capacity at the cruise speed and fuel burn listed on this page.
Fuel economy at cruise: 0.58 nmpgNautical miles per gallon at cruise, both engines combined.
Horsepower per ton: 68 hpStrong power to weight for a planing hull.
Length to beam ratio: 3.31 : 1Moderate proportions.

Length compared with the 128 motor yachts we cover

Carver C50 / C52 Command Bridge

32 ft89 ft

From C50 to C52 in one season, a Carver yachts flagship that grew

Among Carver yachts, few models caused as much confusion in listings as this one. Carver premiered the C50 Command Bridge at Yachts Miami Beach in February 2016 as its new flagship, 49 ft 10 in overall with a 15 ft 8 in beam, three staterooms and twin 480 hp Cummins diesels. By the time Power & Motoryacht tested it that autumn, it was the C52 Command Bridge.

Nothing major changed in between. Josh Delforge, Carver's vice president of design and engineering, explained that the first couple of hulls had a small fixed swim platform, and that the optional hydraulic platform added two feet. Naval architects at Donald J. Blount and Associates recommended making the larger platform standard because it would be more robust and could take hydraulics and a tender later without new structure. Overall length became 51 ft 10 in, and the name followed. If you are searching for a Carver 50, this is almost certainly the boat, although Carver also built older 50-footers covered below.

The plumb-bow rethink that started in 2011

Delforge told PMY that Carver began exploring concepts in 2011 to set its designs apart from older motor yachts and from everything else on the market. Internal designer Paul Miller drew new lines with a plumb stem, raised sheer and high topsides, and Carver committed first to a 34 and a 37 footer. Customer feedback on the extra volume forward was strong enough that the same language was scaled up for the flagship.

The hull was developed with historical performance data from earlier Carvers: a deep-V forward, flatter planing sections aft, optimized chine width and tunnels shaped to keep draft to 4 ft. Carver has built boats in Pulaski, Wisconsin, since 1957, and this model was meant to show the next generation of buyers that the brand could do more than boxy aft cabins.

Carver C52 Command Bridge running at speed with its flybridge and wide hull windows. Photo: Power & Motoryacht, press image, source

Infused hull, encapsulated balsa and a fiberglass grid

To get weight out and allow smaller engines, Carver moved to vacuum-assisted resin infusion. Hull bottoms are cored with end-grain balsa that is completely encapsulated in resin, with solid fiberglass at every through-hull. The decks are hand-laid because their shapes are too complex to infuse. The structural grid uses multiple transverse stiffeners from chine to chine and four full-length longitudinals that run right into the bow, laminated in fiberglass rather than supported by wood, with extra laminate under the engines, generator and drive gear.

Blount's office reviewed Carver's 3D models, stringers, bulkheads and performance projections against CE and other requirements, down to tunnel shape and component placement. Carver backed the boat with a two-year stem-to-stern warranty, five-year blister warranty and ten-year structural warranty on hull and deck.

High bulwarks, a sheltered aft deck and a bridge kitchen

On deck, the C52 has higher-than-usual bulwarks and plenty of stainless handrails, including grab points at the boarding gates and molded steps to the side decks. The foredeck carries a large sunpad with chaise-style seating. The full-width aft deck sits under the overhang of the flybridge, and molded stairs with handrails lead up to starboard.

Aloft, there is a seating area with table, bench seating opposite the helm and a built-in locker for an optional open-air kitchen; the 2017 boat Yachting featured had a hardtop, enclosure, Garmin electronics, Cummins joystick, grill and sink station and a U-settee that converts to a sunpad. The engine room, reached from the cockpit, is nearly standing height with space around both engines and good access to the steering gear.

Galley aft, spiral stair to a full-beam master

A three-panel glass bulkhead opens the aft deck to the galley, which sits aft on the same level so the cook serves both the saloon and the outdoor space. Up two steps forward are a dinette to port and a long lounge to starboard; a lower helm option uses the forward part of that lounge and still leaves room for a love seat. Test boats carried wood plank soles, a Fisher and Paykel dishwasher and a second NovaKool drawer fridge.

A private spiral staircase leads down to the full-beam master amidships, with an island queen pillow-top berth, a woven-look wooden headboard and a frameless glass shower with teak seat. The VIP in the bow has fixed hull windows, and a twin guest stateroom to starboard shares the second head. Aft, accessed from the cockpit, a crew cabin has its own head and small galley; Tom George Yacht Group noted it can serve as a fourth guest stateroom.

Power & Motoryacht's test, 22 knots at 37.8 gph

PMY's Capt. John Wooldridge tested a C52 on Chesapeake Bay with the twin 600 hp Cummins QSC 8.3 option, three people aboard and 1 to 2 ft seas. The boat planed at about 1,700 rpm and just over 9 knots in roughly 9 seconds. At 2,400 rpm it made 22.1 knots burning 37.8 gph combined; at 3,000 rpm, 30.4 knots on 59.9 gph; and top speed was 31.1 knots at 3,080 rpm.

Wooldridge highlighted the flat efficiency curve: between 0.58 and 0.50 nautical miles per gallon above 2,400 rpm, which made the 600s a good balance for owners cruising between 20 and 30 knots. Turns were slightly inboard-banking with no prop cavitation, spray stayed wide, and sound levels were about 70 dB(A) on the flybridge at 22 knots. Buyers with the standard 480s should expect less top end.

The C52 Coupe and the older 50 ft Carvers

Carver also built a bridge-less C52 Coupe on the same platform. Yachting reported a 4 ft 4 in draft, 31-knot speed, a 160 sq ft cockpit, a retractable sunroof over a split-level saloon with galley aft and U-shaped dinette, and construction mixing vacuum-infused and hand-laid fiberglass. A 2020 Coupe was listed at $1.199 million and a 2017 Coupe at $825,000.

Older Carver 50-footers are a very different, much cheaper market. The 500 Cockpit Motor Yacht of the late 1990s lists around $145,000 to $185,000, and the 506 Motor Yacht of 2000 to 2002, 51 ft 7 in with a raised pilothouse and enclosed aft deck, asks roughly $240,000 to $320,000. Yachting's test of the 506 quoted a base price of $600,000 with twin 450 hp Cummins and 510 gallons of fuel for a claimed 230 miles at 20 knots.

Buying a used C50 or C52

Because production was short and the boats are young, the C50 and C52 have held value far better than older Carvers. Expect roughly $800,000 to $1.25 million depending on year, Coupe or Command Bridge, engines and options. PMY's 2016 option list is a useful checklist: Cummins joystick ($31,845), air conditioning ($24,400), 23 kW Kohler generator in place of the standard 13 kW ($43,730), flybridge bimini and enclosure ($13,950), oil change system ($6,370) and Raymarine autopilot ($8,360).

Annual costs of $60,000 to $120,000 cover a 55 ft slip, insurance, twin Cummins service, generator and air conditioning service, bottom work and canvas. Confirm parts and warranty support through a Carver-experienced dealer before you buy.

Carver C50 / C52 Command Bridge specifications

Length overall	51.8 ft15.8 m
Beam	15.7 ft4.78 m
Draft	4 ft1.22 m
Displacement	42, lbs19,051 kg
Fuel capacity	55 gal2,082 L
Fresh water	15 gal568 L
Cabins	3 guest staterooms (full-beam master, bow VIP, twin) plus crew cabin aft
Berths	6 guests plus 1 crew
Heads	2 guest heads plus crew head
Standard engines	2 x Cummins 6.7 liter diesels, 480 hp each
Optional engines	2 x Cummins QSC 8.3 at 600 hp, or 2 x Cummins 715 hp
Maximum power	1,430 hp
Cruise speed	22.1 knots
Top speed	31.1 knots
Range	289 nm
Hull type	Modified-V planing hull with plumb bow, deep-V entry, flatter aft sections and prop tunnels
Hull construction	Vacuum-infused fiberglass with fully encapsulated end-grain balsa core in the bottom; hand-laid decks
Builder	Carver Yachts (Pulaski, Wisconsin), United States
Naval architect	Carver in-house team (Paul Miller, designer), with structural analysis by Donald J. Blount and Associates
Other design credits	Josh Delforge, Carver vice president of design and engineering
Production	2016 to present
Status	Discontinued

Figures come from builder documentation and independent tests where available. Displacement is usually quoted light, so a loaded cruising boat will weigh more. Compare these specs with another model.

Performance data

RPM	Speed (kn)	Fuel (gph)	Range (nm)
1000	7.7	3.6	1059
1400	9.7	10.4	462
2000	16.4	26.7	304
2400	22.1	37.8	289
3000	30.4	59.9	251
3080	31.1	63.2	244

Power & Motoryacht test of a 2016 C52 Command Bridge with twin 600 hp Cummins QSC 8.3, three people and 200 lb gear, 1 to 2 ft seas. Fuel is total for both engines; range as calculated by the magazine from 550 gal capacity.

How much does a Carver C50 / C52 Command Bridge cost?

New, typical sail-awayNo longer built

Used, typical asking$800K to $1.25M

Yearly running costs$60K to $120K

Power & Motoryacht listed a base price of $950,000 in 2016 and tested a boat with 600 hp engines at $1,211,485. Used examples have held value well: a 2017 C52 Command Bridge asked $1.2 million in 2018, a 2017 boat in Texas asked $1,195,500 recently, a 2017 C52 Coupe in Chicago asked $825,000, and a 2020 Coupe was listed at $1.199 million. Engine size, joystick, generator upgrade and flybridge enclosure drive the spread.

Estimated used asking prices by model year, US market, 2026

Estimate your yearly cost

Purchase price Engine hours per year Slip rate per foot per month Fuel price per gallon

A planning estimate using common rules of thumb: insurance near 1.5 percent of value, maintenance near 3 percent, haul out and bottom paint by length. Your marina, region and use will move these numbers. Open the full cost calculator.

Versions and options

C50 Command Bridge (early 2016): First hulls at 49 ft 10 in with a small fixed swim platform.
C52 Command Bridge: Larger fixed platform standard, 51 ft 10 in LOA, 480, 600 or 715 hp Cummins options.
C52 Coupe: Bridge-less version with sunroof, 4 ft 4 in draft and about 31 knots.

Carver C50 / C52 Command Bridge timeline

2011Carver begins exploring plumb-bow concepts drawn by Paul Miller
2015Carver 50 renderings shown around a Carver Marquis dealer meeting
2016C50 Command Bridge debuts at Yachts Miami Beach in February; tested as the C52 by PMY in October
2017C52 Command Bridge and Coupe boats delivered
2020Model year of the latest C52 Coupe we found on the brokerage market

Strengths and weaknesses

What owners like

Full-beam master with private spiral stair
Galley-aft layout links saloon and aft deck
Efficient 0.5 to 0.58 nmpg from 22 to 30 knots with 600 hp engines
Infused hull with encapsulated balsa and no wood in the grid
Crew cabin that doubles as a fourth stateroom

What to weigh up

Short production run and a brand now harder to support
Plumb-bow styling divides opinion
Standard 480 hp engines give modest top speed
Desirable options like joystick and bigger generator were extra

Used Carver C50 / C52 Command Bridge buyer checklist

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Confirm which engines are fitted and review Cummins service and hours
Check whether the hull has the early small platform or the standard larger one, and any hydraulic platform service
Inspect hull bottom through-hull areas and the balsa-cored bottom for moisture
Test joystick, thrusters and steering
Run the generator, all air conditioning and the oil change system
Inspect flybridge enclosure, hardtop and canvas
Check the spiral stair, sole and joinery for squeaks or movement
Verify warranty transfer status and parts sources

Always commission an independent marine survey and an engine survey before you buy. How a marine survey works.

Rivals to consider

Cruisers Yachts 50 Cantius

Wisconsin-built rival with a similar galley-aft, owner-operator focus.

Compare side by side

Galeon 500 Fly

Polish-built European flybridge with a more modern interior style.

Compare side by side

Sea Ray 480 Sedan Bridge

Older, cheaper U.S. sedan bridge with a big used fleet.

Compare side by side

Prestige 520

French flybridge alternative of similar size with a full-beam master.

Compare side by side

Our verdict on the Carver C50 / C52 Command Bridge

The Carver C50, quickly renamed C52, was the boldest boat Carver ever built: a plumb-bowed, infused flybridge with a galley-aft saloon and a full-beam master that feels like a 55 footer. With the 600 hp Cummins it cruises efficiently in the low 20s and tops 30 knots. It is the best reason to shop Carver yachts above 50 feet, provided you check engine choice, options and parts support, and accept that the brand's future is less certain than the boat's construction.