Carroll Yachts Review

Summary

Carroll Marine Ltd. of Bristol, Rhode Island was founded by Janice and Barry Carroll in 1984 and sold in June of 2003 to the Outerlimits powerboat company, also of Rhode Island. Carroll Marine focused on off-shore-built, high performance sailing vessels and custom-designed racing vessels during its tenure in the yachting industry. One of their final boats was also their largest ever, the Reichel/Pugh 75, entitled Titan VII. Carroll Marine Ltd. built more than 700 sailboats and powerboats with Barry Carroll at the helm.

Over the years, Carroll Marine built many memorable sailing ships which owners remember fondly. The Frers series, from 30 to 45 feet in length is one of the most well thought of group from Carroll. In the early 1990s, the builder introduced the Tripp line which ranged in size from 26 to 47 feet. 1995 saw the debut of Carroll Marine’s Concordia 47 and Nelson/Marek 45; 1997 introduced the Farr 40 One-Design model, and Carroll brought out its Farr 395 in 2000.

The Frers series is a limited-production group of racer/cruisers that Carroll Marine Ltd. built over the period from1986-1992. Designer German Frers visualized these boats with a dual-purpose design which blends racing yacht performance with cruising yacht amenities in order to cater to both racing and cruising enthusiasts. The hulls and decks of the Frers series are formed of a fiberglass composite material which provides lightweight strength overall. Owners of Carroll Marine Ltd’s racer/cruiser vessels generally appreciate their customization packages which make each vessel unique. Although one racer complained of cracks in his hull after hitting a breaker, the general consensus of Carroll Marine yacht owners is that the vessels are stable, strong, handle well and race well.

Pricing

Pros

• Built for racing and cruising
• Strong, stable fiberglass hull
• Customizable interior

Cons

• Because they are built for racing and cruising, they may not be stripped down for ultimate speed, or might be too spare for luxury cruising
• One owner reported a material weakness which caused cracking
• Because of customization, some used models for sale may be less opulent than others.

Featured Models

Some of the best-known Carroll Marine Ltd. models are the Frers 33 and 41, the Farr series, the Tripp series, the Concordia, the Mumm, and the Nelson/Marek.

Conclusion

Citing a slowdown in custom orders and a sluggish economy overall, Barry and Janice Carroll announced the sale of their business of 15 years, Carroll Marine Ltd. of Bristol, Rhode Island to the Outerlimits power boat company. Carroll Marine produced sailboat sport cruisers up to 75 feet in length, as well as custom racing sailboats. Those fortunate enough to own a yacht made by Carroll Marine praise the lightweight stability and responsiveness of their luxury sport cruising vessels.