A Vintage collectible and proven fish getter, the Bertram 31, gets a modern day make over.Original article by Jan FogtFirst published in Florida Sportsman's Popular "One Man's Dreamboat" Series, (December 1995), in which they spotlight highly Individualized fishing boats that are designed or outfitted to meet the Owner's particular needs and fishing style. Jan Fogt is the author and has kindly granted permission to reprint this great article. Thank you Jan!! Classic Lines
Moppie, for those not privy to the culture of big boat and tournament anglers, has been the standard moniker for the 31 Bertram since the hull first appeared in 1961. The first 31 built was named Moppie, which was Richard Bertram's wife's nickname. The name soon became synonymous with the 31 in particular and in general, with Bertram Express boats, those models without fly ridges and with the helm in the cockpit. The boat represented a major step forward in design when it appeared. "The soft way it rode in heavy seas was really miraculous," explains Richard Bertram, praising designer Ray Hunt's trend-setting, deep-vee design. Hunt's concept of carrying the vee and dead rise all the way to the transom to eliminate pounding, along with the unusual addition of longitudinal strakes for lift and to deflect spray out and away from the boat, made the hull revolutionary for its time. "By every test we gave her, it was obvious he had achieved a major break-through in hull design," said Bertram. Famed for its fish-raising characteristics and seaworthiness, the 31's layout is what sold Murray. This too is the legacy of genius. While Bertram and Hunt were tweaking the hull design, bluewater fishing legend Capt. Tommy Gifford, who had one of the first 31s, was offering input on fishing features. "There aren't many boats around with a helm and cockpit like the 31," Murray says. "It's one of the few boats you can run and fish at the same time, eliminating the need for others to help you crew. The Moppie always seemed like it would be the perfect day-fishing boat." As well, with his days as a "chamois captain" long past, he liked the fact that the 31 was one of the great wash-and-wear boats. After building the successful and well-known Murray Brothers tackle business, then turning his charter operation over to his sons, Murray didn't intend to spend his free time maintaining a boat. He intended to do what he was known for-hands on fishing. Wanting a 31 is one thing, locating one for sale proved to be a bigger challenge than he anticipated. In the last (ten) years the 31-foot Bertram has become as collectible as a 67 Corvette and just about as pricey. A cult boat with an international fan club of 1,100, the 31 foot Bertram recently turned 35 years old, and if anything is more popular now than when it first came out. It took Murray two months to find a Moppie in good condition. Then it took five more to get it ready. "The first thing we did was to gut the boat, removing decks, hardware, glass, all hatches and doors, engines, you name it," he said. Even the old cockpit sole was chucked and replaced with a contoured design that drains through new scuppers that empty under water, preventing seepage when the boat is backing. Between the new scuppers and a crown in the sole, water now flushes from the cockpit in a matter of seconds. The boat came with a pair of new fresh-water cooled, 350-horsepower gas 454 Crusaders, with 1 1/2 to 1 reduction and new steering. Rudders, struts, stuffing boxes and mufflers and exhausts were mechanically perfect, so they were retained. But cosmetically, "she was awful." Dull fiberglass was ground to a chalky patina; patched and painted with custom blended Awigrip by Eagle Eye Yacht Finishers, until the entire boat, with the exception of interior appointments, was "varnished" white. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the Moppie has always been a simple elevated helm station atop the starboard engine box, and a curved windshield. But what the helm lacked was storage. Murray wanted space for electronics such as GPS, loran, plotters and digital depth and water temperature gauges that are so necessary for locating breaks that marlin and tuna are likely to occupy.
To accommodate all that equipment he designed a mini-command bridge from which he can easily monitor his electronics while trolling. He settled on a Rybovich-style helm station to incorporate the changes he wanted to make. "It's similar to what I enjoyed on the 45-foot Rybovich I last ran," says Murray, who also chose a Rvbovich machined Steering wheel and Panish controls and gauges as much for their stylish looks as their reputation for flawless operation. The adjustable helm chair, which was painted to match the blue of the hull, has everything to do with function as well as comfort. "The chair puts me eye-level with the Port-to-starboard dash," explains Murray. Behind the Lexan sliding doors rest not only his electronics, but charts and extra terminal tackle. There also is an overhead electronics box beneath an oversize Bimini top. "Not being as young as I once was, I just can't ride the tuna tower all day. The helm station, however, is high enough off the water so I can easily spot fish and shallow spots I might go aground over, yet it's stable, so it doesn't beat me up. "With the elevated helm he's one step From the cockpit, an arrangement he says is superior in every way to a fly-bridge, especially for a boat this size. "Lacking the weight of a fly-bridge, the boat is from the cockpit, an arrangement he says is not as top heavy and handles better in rough seas," he adds. "Though designed as a day-boat, we tried to incorporate as many features of a big sportfisherman as we could," explains Murray, "including a full-size fighting chair and tuna door." Other improvements include Hynautic steering, air conditioning and an electrical panel as sophisticated as anything on a 65-footer. The old 175-gallon fuel tank was replaced with a 272-gallon tank that extends the boat's range for fishing the Out Islands of the Bahamas chain. But more than just adding range, Murray says he also got improved handling and dryness with the extra weight.
Wahoo and kingfish action can be almost as good off the Palm Beaches in the early to mid-spring, especially deep baits run off a Z-wing or downrigger. Murray prefers the Z-wing, "because it's a cleaner application than a downrigger and easier to use." The Z-wing, which can be used with two baited lines, hangs overboard on a parachute cord with a release clip. He also likes the fact the Z-wing can be fished closer to the boat than a traditional downrigger ball, "which makes my Exterminator plug all the more deadly for wahoo."
The spreader bar, which looks like a coat hanger with a bar in the middle, is black spring steel so it has an action of its own. He normally rigs the teaser with two small flying fish four or five down the middle. With the overhead teaser reel he situates the spreader bar so the baits are laying on the water, just clipping the surface. "It's an irresistible rig for marlin, yellow fin tuna and dolphin" says Murray. The Finest Kind may have everything a large boat does, but the feel of running a smaller boat, at least to Murray, took some getting used to. " In a following sea the boat runs beautifully. But our first crossing to Bimini, the seas were quartering on my starboard bow and it was wet and rough, but the boat more than took it. It's a great sea boat. It's easy to fish and clean and it raises fish. This boat is like a small scorpion with a very big stinger."
A sport fishing pioneer and innovator, Ed touched the lives of fishermen around the world. Whether for kids on a bridge fishing with a shrimp, or the countless adults whom he helped catch their first Blue Marlin, he lived to share his passion. So for all of the things he taught us about fishing, we really learned that he loved people and he loved life. And in this life there is no purer joy than that of a 'father and son just fishing off a bridge with a shrimp'. We loved him and we've only begun to know how much we will miss him. Frank, Cookie, Jeff, Paul, Vincent, Lynn, Mike, Lauren, Matthew, Paulie, Brandon, Rosemarie, Linda, Melanie |
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