Eta Beta

[franzmerenda]

Here we are...let the journey begin.
It will be a looooooong one!

[Carl]

Congratulations, this will be one of the best days ever...the other will be when you sell it. LOL

Seriously, she looks great! What are the particulars, what's the direction you intend? Use n tackle a project as you go or an all-out attack?

[franzmerenda]

Congratulations, this will be one of the best days ever...the other will be when you sell it. LOL

Seriously, she looks great! What are the particulars, what's the direction you intend? Use n tackle a project as you go or an all-out attack?

Thank you Carl!

"Eta Beta" is a gasser SportFish, with two 2015 6.2 MPI Mercruisers 320hp, with less than 200 hours.
I'm going for a "down to the stringers" project, including genset, air-conditioning/heating, head w/stall-shower.
My only doubt is if keeping the same configuration (my favorite) or adding a bulkhead between cockpit and cabin.
An EZ2CY enclosure would be fine; the lack of a true door the downside

francesco

[Yannis]

Francesco,

How do you consider AC and heating without a bulkhead? Even a plastic partition wouldn't provide any insulation I think.

[franzmerenda]

Francesco,

How do you consider AC and heating without a bulkhead? Even a plastic partition wouldn't provide any insulation I think.

Yannis,

if enclosures are made using EZ2CY or SeaCrylic (which is the very same material marketed when EZ2CY patent expired), they're like plexiglass; coupling those materials with Stamoid and proper zippers, would make cabin sealed almost as fixtures grant.
These kind of enclosures have been used often on air-conditioned flybridges (as shown in the picture).
The tricky point is achieving a practical way-in/way-out, without a true door, while I don't like a hinged plexiglass door, as on "Legit II" (nice 31, with head positioned forward, on starboard side)

[Tony Meola]

The sport fish model. Nice. Adding a full head should be interesting.

I assume there is a lower station that is coming out.

[franzmerenda]

Tony,

I've been looking for some affordable 31, preferably a FBC, for a long time, while I've been thinking that SFs, beside the nice seamless between cockpit and cabin, meant lower stations.
The funny thing, is that the other 31 I've been dealing with, which is by the way a boat that was renowned to CaptPatrick, is an FBC with the lower station!
This make me incline to keep it, even though it will be quite hard to have both, full head and lower station, above all due I would like not shortening room, between dinette benches.
We use to say: " You can't have drunk wife, wine in the cask and bunch of grapes in the vineyard"

[Amberjack]

even though it will be quite hard to have both, full head and lower station,

Remove the lower steering and go with an autopilot remote. Flip the engine controls upside down and mount to the overhead as in a commercial airliner. The engine controls should be right above the overhead forward and to the right, so it should be easy. Eliminate any lower helm seat and use that space for your other needs. You will rarely use the lower helm due to visibility limitations. When I do use it I just stand in the forwardcomp anion way.

[Tony Meola]

Doug is correct. Tough to see over the nose when you are running at planning speed. Can get a little nerve wracking.

[franzmerenda]

Doug is correct. Tough to see over the nose when you are running at planning speed. Can get a little nerve wracking.

...not to mention the lack of visibility, due to full head volume against front window.
It was kind of romantic saving the second wheel, also because it's the vintage large 6 spokes; but everybody is wisely suggesting me to get rid of lower station...

[JoeBro]

I have a 1980 31 Sportfish. Hull number 1700. It has the upper and lower helms and the original layout except for a clear 1/2” thick polycarbonate rear bulkhead that has a “real” door made of the same material. It even has the original Bertram door hardware. I bought the boat with it like that and I really do love it. As for the lower station, I never pilot from there except when trolling or otherwise tooling around slowly. That view over the bow is bad and I like to see what I’m going to run over when traveling at speed.

[franzmerenda]

...and the beat goes on...

I'll be chasing on internet to find some decent engine cover, to get rid of those scant grey pieces of plastic and some shining SS raisers/manifolds

[Ironworker]

Those pics evokes some memories!

[Bruce]

I get nightmares from those pics........

[franzmerenda]

Well, it seems this is the 861st 31 manufactured after hull #101, which is the first fiberglass hull made in 1961.
I'm quite confused when I read that production number is obtained subtracting 101 to glassed printed number.
IMHO #961 means this is the 861st fiberglass hull manufactured, assuming #101 was the first one