bertram31.com

Micky
Ito am like Carl in that i have enjoyed reading your posts and the journey. Your dedication to the project has been unbelievable. I think many would have given up . I know i would have as I would not have tackled the project in the beginning. My boat has been a project in itself but nothing like yours. I hope one day on a trip to Puerto Rico i can meet you in person. Enjoy the ride and enjoy a Medalia along with the ride. It has been well earned. I hope you enjoy many years of creating memories along the way.

The most well documented technical journey.
I wish you many years of enjoyment.
Congratulations!

Awesome

Bought a new Highfield UL-260 dinghy and today I had the base for the front of the boat done.

How do you plan to be launching it from the bow?
I'm asking bc it is mighty heavy with the engine on.
Otherwise, you could store the engine in the rear deck and just toss the dinghy overboard, bring it around and lower the engine from the swim platform.
Which might also be a good idea, as the already mounted engine stresses the dinghy that far forward.

The engine is a 6hp so I'll remove it and launch the dinghy over the side and install the engine on the swim platform. The dinghy is only 77 pounds.

Bad news once again. Was going to the new marina this morning ans as I push the throttle, the same engine’s rpm started to go down and the engine died, I wasn’t able to get it restarted. Checked the racor and it was full of water up to the top lid (900). Drained it, flushed the lines and still wouldn’t start. Injection pump is dead, injectors are also dead. The injectors fuel lines, injectors and injection pump outlets were clogged with a white hard substance. Have to send everything to be repaird once again. Emptied the fuel tank and cleaned it as best as I could. The tank’s overflow is around 6”-8” inches from the water line but it has a 12”-14” loop on the inside. Just pressure tested the new fuel cooler but no bubbles.

This is the second time of this BS and don’t know what else to check.

Here you can see the original vent (low) and the new one (high)

Water in the fuel is not good. Dad was having issues with that for a long time till he tracked it down to the fill hose. The hose that connects to the fill at the gunnel, that hose must have turned hard from age or ethanal. Being in such a great spot he could barely get a 1/4" drive rachet on the hose clamps and they were tight assuming the connection was tight.
You know what they say about when you ass- u- me. I forget the details, but the deck fitting was just sitting inside the hose that had expanded and turned hard...so what he had was a funnel collecting water going into his one tank, the clamps were doing nothing. He has electric fuel pumps on his Steyrs, no rebuilding those, just hand over $950 for a new one. No rebuild, but at $950 he did try to loosen the pumps up soaking in fresh diesel, penetrating oil and I'm not sure what else. He'd get them to work for a little while, but not long or reliable.

Sorry for the long story, it was a long drawn-out way to say, check the hose fittings.

Friend in the club with a Foutier, had to put a clamshell over the vent to stop spray from making its way into the tank. He fought having to put that clamshell on for a few years as he didn't like the look...but hated water in the fuel tank more.

Sorry Micky, seems your boat is reluctant to being done.

I'm going to change the whole Racor 900 system and add water sensors to the new ones. Also inspect them after every trip.

Mickey

Make sure the fuel cap is sealing tight. I could not tell from the picture if the vent is vented pointing aft and down or not.

This is the one I had installed.
https://gemlux.com/collections/boat-vents/products/908

This is the one I just installed higher.
https://gemlux.com/collections/boat-vents/products/901

I just realized the vent tube goes up and not down inside the boat, so the hose comes in from the top. That would put the vent hole down so that would keep out the water.

Ran her yesterday for 4 hrs. In the videos I was doing 14 knots as the port temp gauge/alarm stopped working so didn't want to run her at high rpm. She ran flawlessly.





https://imgur.com/Ujj3IUv

https://imgur.com/iGzoA0r

Congratulations--
Been a long journey for you and we have enjoyed following your posts and keeping us informed of your progress.
now enjoy and its Medalla time.

Mickey

Great news. Hope she brings you years of enjoyment.

Prime example of well thought out, professionally executed, expertly documented rebuilt.
My congratulations.

Awesome news Micky !!

I'm so glad to hear you have reached that finish mark where you get to enjoy all the work and effort you put in over the past couple of years. I'd say finished working on her, but it's a boat so there will always be something needing to be done... but it is so much nicer when you can enjoy being able to use the boat as little peeves and maintenance items are addressed.

Enjoy and thanks for the ride.

Carl

https://imgur.com/maTDSFZ

https://imgur.com/HRD6QFN

https://imgur.com/6JVFRqG

Yes yes yes !!


That is what I was waiting for, the end of the rainbow where you get to enjoy the endeavors of all that work.
You deserve it! Many would have tossed in the towel with your...shall we call it bumpy ride to the finish line.

Nice job, what a great-looking boat you built!

Enjoy

Where's the LIKE button?

Micky

Wow, she looks great. Looks like she gives you a nice ride. Big Congratulations

Very nice

Very nice glad you got it sorted out. Bet it feels great! Enjoy the fruits of your labor!!

Congratulations Mickey; your persistance has been inspiring for all of us who run into obstacles in life. Here's wishing you and your family a wonderful summer on that classic Hatt!

Thank you all.

First "long" cruise.













https://imgur.com/Xk1nO7D

https://imgur.com/59tF0uM

Mickey

She looks great. Looks like she gives you a nice ride.

Good Luck with her.

Great. Really happy for you.

Awesome. 5 years quite an accomplishment.

May it be the 1st of many!


Well deserved! Your build was a tough one, but you made it through.

Thanks for sharing.

Carl

Good to see that smile after all that work. Enjoy.

Looks like a great trip!! Congratulations

Thank you all!!

Finally the enclosures were finished. Front and half of the sides. Now we're working on the other half of the sides.

An enclosure,,, what to keep the beautiful warm water off you, sure just rub it in!


Lol,

Looks great !

Carl

It must be for when they are calling for snow. Or perhaps Huesso shoots water balloons at him.

Believe it or not, its the wettest boat I've ever had. I removed the front teak spray rails as they were rotted and it was a huge mistake. On windy days all the spray goes directly towards the captain.

micky wrote: ↑Dec 11th, '23, 07:26 Believe it or not, its the wettest boat I've ever had. I removed the front teak spray rails as they were rotted and it was a huge mistake. On windy days all the spray goes directly towards the captain.

Gee I never experienced that on a 31 Bertram....must be a Hatteras thing.


LOL, I'm quite familiar with sprayback. So much so, I know just when to duck in and always forget about the guy standing next to me...oops. That only works for my helm with an open window...up on the tower, just stand there and take it, no getting away from it.

Went to Culebra with my dad for the weekend. Everything ran great and not 1 thing failed on the whole trip. Cruised at 3000 rpm 16-17 knots until my dad took the helm. 3200-3300 rpm at 20-21 knots. Let me say that I was only at the helm for 30 minutes during the whole weekend.........











https://imgur.com/4t18QKA

Great news. Good to see that you are enjoying all your work.

That's great. Your Hatt looks great. The new windows really set her off.

Micky...had to post those now????

Oh man that hurts...






Of course, I'm kidding (mostly)...we had snow this weekend. Boo Boo!! Eh, its winter in the north-east, it had to happen eventually and it's been mild...Ooops off topic.

Great news!
I'm so glad you're getting to enjoy the fruits of your labor. She sure seems to be running great for you, it was a long tough ride to get there. I do not believe many people would have persevered the way you did.

Keep the pictures coming. I felt a little warm, think I may have heard some tropical music...