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Preston Burrows

Rick,

Where do you visit / fish in the Bahamas?

Preston Burrows

Great to see a post from you Kevin!

Preston Burrows

Tony, indeed.......the times when B28 stewards were roasted by their B31 family are few and far between these days!

Preston Burrows

Bench looks great, only thing missing is a Nascar seatbelt with HANS for when the B28 world famous death rolls start!

Preston Burrows

A sobering post Bruce, all the best for you and your daughter - and please stay Bertram strong.

Preston Burrows

Yannis, Sorry to hear of your loss. I was referring to silicone as opposed to grout by the way. Likely your bigger issue is that the silicone, or whatever caulk, has nothing to adhere to excepting for the edges of the panels themselves, which, if fibreglass based, are a hard ask adhesion wise. Perha...

Preston Burrows

Yannis, Your easiest fix might be to find a line of the appropriate caulk / silicone offered by your local suppliers off the shelf and mix say a white with a tan to get the colour you are looking for. Mapei on this side of the pond offer 3 or 4 grout lines that they custom match to their grout colou...

Preston Burrows

Looks like you are trying to use side mount bases in a top mount configuration! Have a look at Taco's top mount bases such as their 'Grandslam' line, you'll achieve what you need with a through top arrangement.......... as is you will have height/spread issues, not to mention deployment/stowage issu...

Preston Burrows

Likely those boats were locally built there, they are very similar in appearance to Hemingway's 'Pilar.'

That young at the time Captain is likely a grouchy old bastard by now, hopefully he's still around!

Preston Burrows

Tony: A few B31's specifically outfitted went to Israel for military use there, and a few other countries too.

Preston Burrows

Fake news, excuse me Dug! I see on Lee's website that their inserts are different for all 3 rod holder angles, 0o, 15o and 30o.....so that the top of the insert lies flush with the holder at its opening according to what degree the rod tube is at!

Preston Burrows

If I remember correctly for the Lees rod holders the replacement rubber sleeves for whatever degree rod holder would be the same, it's the holder's diameter that dictates which would be needed so no need to verify what angle rod holders you have you just need to know what size the holders are!

Preston Burrows

My experience with cork versus rubber gaskets on my engines' Perko raw water strainers is that the rubber type do last longer as they are more tolerant when the strainers are cleaned as they hold up better than cork when the strainer assembly is taken apart. The cork gaskets usually disintegrate whe...

Preston Burrows

In the Bahamas this is known as a 'Kalik' wake, only cured by more Kalik.

Preston Burrows

Gotta cover this one...........is the boat on land or in the water? Careful pulling any plugs if in the water!

Preston Burrows

Try Beachcomber, I think they were an O.E.M. supplier of the swim platforms and the ladders you refer to. https://beachfiber.com/marine-products/swim-platforms/ I did away with my similar over the transom ladder and the swim platform mounted ladder as you have in favour of an undermount ladder for a...

Preston Burrows

Good info / views here, don't forget bonding of the through hull valves as well, I've not noticed any mentions of bonding in this discussion unless I skimmed over reading any comments of bonding too.

Preston Burrows

Happy Easter folks, Just to post what's probably common knowledge amongst the faithful.........Danny Piedra at High Tide Marine had Perko do a custom run of the lenses some time back and hopefully has some left, or has had another run made........I don't think there's another O.E.M. option aside fro...

Preston Burrows

Steve,

You missed the most important tool - Kalik.............

Preston Burrows

ktm, Yes, that'll do it with sharks - they get no closer to any boat I am Captain of than to see what they are and then we cut them short or get them closer and de-rig if safe enough. Hopefully someone did hold your beer at least when you took the photo. Swivel inserts in the rod holders work better...

Preston Burrows

For what it's worth my thinking is much ado about nothing, I installed 3 x Lees 0o holders in my transom gunnel due to width not allowing fully angled 30o or 60o holders and used 1/4" aluminum as a reinforcing backer against the underside of the gunnel along with plywood, both templated / profiled b...

Preston Burrows

I think we've just voted Matt as being the first annual member of the year 2020?

Preston Burrows

Yannis, Dunno...........my thinking is primarily making overly sure now than wish you had later - bear in mind all the weight of the flybridge, the cap and the persons / equipment etc. on it, are basically supported by a [very old aluminum] window frame and two pilasters port and starboard aft... An...

Preston Burrows

Matt,

THANK YOU !

Preston Burrows

Yannis,

Sounds like you have a plan as to some reinforcement at least.

For whatever the reason our Bahamian colloquial expression is 5 cents not 2 cents..........probably to account for our third world added cost of living!!!!

Preston Burrows

Whilst I don't think the forward bulkhead adds much structural value support wise in true "while you're at it" style I would add at least a couple of supports in the form of simple stanchion like posts each spaced about 1/3 the way along the dimensional width of that bulkhead area.....or, probably s...

Preston Burrows

Good one Marshall, that's what today's disposable world drives common sense people to! Keep us posted as to what with the 3 different chargers!

Preston Burrows

JR, Think those gas struts would be a tricky engineering feat with operational space given the shallow setback.........you'd be best to either use thicker starboard, say 1/2", for the main panels and rebate the edges for a flush fitting opening panel section out of 1/4" starboard.......you can engin...

Preston Burrows

Did you you unwaxed or waxed gelcoat?

Preston Burrows

Tommy: Indeed, the brochures seem to indicate dry weights including engine package options sometimes.......and sometimes not! The brochure I saw 8400# listed was printed in 1969 and seemed to be dry weight including the gas engine package............it would be nice to have a section of this B31 web...

Preston Burrows

Tommy, Check that brochure for the Bahia Mar's weight again, I think it was listed as 8,400 lbs late 60's / early 70''s [ie: pre 1973.]

Preston Burrows

Mikey,

For what it's worth all specs I have ever seen on your B30 as OEM state 3 blade 18x17 props. Good luck, I'd rule out the easy checks first especially tach accuracy, throttle mechanical linkage, carb. operation and hull bottom condition.

Preston Burrows

https://www.suncorstainless.com/railing-bimini

Preston Burrows

B28's OEM railings have separate fittings that connect each upright stanchion to the horizontal rail, as well as a 'vee' fitting at the bow and end fittings aft and base fittings for the stanchions themselves. Visit Suncor Stainless website and peruse their fittings, if I recall correctly the OEM fi...

Preston Burrows

Another thing often over-looked are engine mounts, make sure all are solid! And check your shift cable is fully engaging with no hesitation. Reminds me that my counter-rotating engine has always made more noise going in to reverse than the standard rotation engine.

Preston Burrows

I've seen with my own eyes at least six B28's with the same 'issue', all those hulls were '70's vintage - what JH describes with his '73 is what I've seen and what you seem to have and are describing. Mine 'ripples' on the hullsides from about the v-berth to the deck step up area, very slightly more...

Preston Burrows

Fairly common amongst older B28's,story being that's how they came 'hot' out of the moulds so I understand, sides as you say look slightly 'rippled' at about the deck / hull liner joint line - my B28 FBC is a '76 and has been like that since I took over its stewardship in 2001.

Preston Burrows

On the gunnels with 18' poles, if mounted high on the flybridge house will create 'usability' issues such as getting the riggers deployed and will also likely hold your trolling lines at a pretty steep/high angle and a pretty stiff release tension would be needed to keep the lines from snapping out....

Preston Burrows

Yannis, On the engine heat side of things remember once shut off the engines will actually heat up as they 'radiate' residual heat after their running operation, with the cooling system no longer circulating that heat radiates through the engine block until its apex is reached and the engine starts ...

Preston Burrows

Tony, I can only think that with these boats being built in pre-OSHA / EPA 'big brother' times that all Bertram had to do was comply with whatever USCG regs at the time......or maybe not......original gas B28's were plumbed with copper fuel lines including the fuel vent which had no anti-siphon valv...

Preston Burrows

Tony, Bear in mind the age of the boats versus regs etc. enactment, no doubt your information is accurate but if you look at B28 photos of the '70's vintage you will see no engine compartment 'ventilation' in the form of vents,louvres etc. was included as a Bertram factory standard either in deck or...

Preston Burrows

And just to be clear the gas engine equipped B28's came with a clamshell vent for exhausting located on the exterior port side of the hull, just forward of the raised deck area and a few inches below the rub-rail.

Preston Burrows

Yannis, Your toe stubbing vents must be an added upgrade? Far as I know our decks at the engine area came without vents per Bertram, excepting for the blower arrangement for those with gas engines [besides the hatches / deck seams provide more than adequate ventilation and irrigation for the engine ...

Preston Burrows

It's horrific that so many healthcare workers the world over are falling victim to this Coronavirus, aside from the toll on the elderly and those in nursing / care homes [of which horror stories are emerging worldwide.] Here in the Bahamas we have been subject to strict curfew rules since March 20th...

Preston Burrows

Tony,

Cheers, that looks like an interesting option to consider...…...a belt sander on steroids if you will!

Preston Burrows

Carl, All agreed, I either use an angle grinder or metal files or both for the yard gear sharpening and a cheap electric knife sharpener and/or a diamond grit type sharpening stone for the kitchen knives. Like I said I'm looking for a one trick bench grinding pony that has the capability to do these...

Preston Burrows

Looking to buy a simple electric bench grinder mostly for sharpening work, yard tools such as machetes,hedge shears, lawnmower blades and some occasional knife sharpening, cheap fishing and kitchen knives. Any first hand recommendations would be appreciated, I've looked on Amazon and see options fro...

Preston Burrows

And looking at the tab photos Jeff those backers are probably 'glassed on to the transoms exterior and look to be in good condition? The 'cracking' looks more like shrinkage of the anti-fouling paint than degradation of the backers? Maybe a close inspection of the backers, removal of the tabs and a ...

Preston Burrows

The B28's transom is relatively 'plumb' at the tab mounting areas, not 'cambered' as the B31...……….mounting backers of mahogany for the tabs and cylinder attachment to the transom sealed with epoxy/fiberglass resin and bedded to the transom with 5200 or Boatlife caulk would suffice so as to hold the...

Preston Burrows

Yannis, Just to add to others comments, and if not already, now's the time to check both shaft logs, shaft couplings and shaft stuffing boxes carefully with respect to their wear and maintenance. [ In my experience, and to reassure you somewhat,usually if you simply replace the shafts cutlass bearin...

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