a buddy just bought a 97 232 islander and the alternator gauge wont hardly move above 12 checked voltage at the alternator and it is 14.6 or close to it checked at the battery and it was same as the alternator it has stock faria gauges bad gauge or is there something else i should be looking at thanks

Check the voltage at the guage. You will most likely find it is low. That is due to low quality thin guage wire. If it reads 14 volts at the battery terminals, then I would say carry on with no worries.