bertram31.com

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, I am installing a heading sensor on the Lightningshack so I can overlay radar on my chart plotter. I cannot find a great place to put this sensor. I would like to just put it above the headliner but I don't have easy access to this area on the Lightningshack. The sensor has a few buttons on it...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Diamond Earings?????

I bought her a box of small Tyvex overalls and a sleeve of 400 grit discs!

MikeD@Lightningshack

I have seen that boat in the Metedeconk for years. I don't know the owner. I also don't know how to gauge what anything is worth in these times. My guess is the selling price is based on the owners situation. If you have to sell today your gonna get hurt. So if your in the market to buy, you have to...

MikeD@Lightningshack

I married the boat 3 years before I met the wife, 5 years later (this past September) she married both of us... I can't imagine long term boat ownership working out any other way... well maybe the independently wealthy route, unfortunately neither of us have figured that out yet!

MikeD@Lightningshack

I followed Capt. Pat's advice and was very happy with the results. To economize the work I made a complete 4'x8' marine grade laminate board. I used 2 1/2" sheets of marine plywood with expoxy and roven fiberglass core. The picture below is the board in production. If you look close you can see hund...

MikeD@Lightningshack

I removed the shelving in the head and placed a 12,000 BTU Ocean Breeze Unit in there. One vent in Birth, One on top of galley. Of course I needed to put a big return vent in the bathroom door. I think it is 12x12 teak. Fits great, works great... Keeps it as cool as I want at night, on 90 plus days ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

My hardtop price included the fiberglass. I believe it was ~7400. This price did not include mounting or wiring. I did all of the backing plate hardware and wiring. I went with the "thin line" fiberglass top which saved me $2500. They were quoting 10K with the standard fiberglass top that is thicker...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Did you try the mechanical tap! A couple light blows with the back of a screw driver on the bezel of the gauge has fixed problems I had before. Of, coures if it works, I immediatly replace the gauge, but it is a quick way with out all kinds of wiring work to determine if there is a mechanical issue ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

I too had the same question about 2 years ago. I cannot not exactly recall my full rational, but I remember that no one could explain adequately the reason for the 2 bilge covers or gulley that run under the tank. My tubes were in bad shape. They had lots of cracks. They are basically just a thin la...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Folks, Closed / Freshwater cooled Merc 454's w/ center risers I've change risers several times but can't recall ever knowing a marine mechanics tried true and best practice for gasket installation. First: Sealant, Use it or not? RTV? The gaskets I bought are OEM Merc or quicksilver and have a heavy ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

If you are using a Pulley or wheel puller arrangement, it will it not give you anymore mechanical advantage then attainable from the helical thread. This may not be enough. There are prop pullers on the market that can give you a lot more. Appoximatly 10 times what the screw can do. These pullers po...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, I am looking for the best internet pricing on outriggers poles and bases for the Lightningshack. I came across some very agressive pricing at a place called Crook&Crook ?????? which is on the website Tackletogo.com. They seem to be located in Miami. Has anyone heard or, purchased from or had a...

MikeD@Lightningshack

I did my new tank a couple of years ago. I don't remember all of the paticulars, but I know I did my homework and ended with a product called Alumiprep and Alodine for the tank. They clean and chemically etch the surface to create a better bond for the coating you use. I used Devoe Coating's Devtar ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

I just bought some replacement Faria gauges. You can find them in a lot of places, but Bass Pro had the selection I needed. I am going to scrap my old Professional Red Faria's and replace with the Cheasapeake SS style. Thus I will probably have the parts you need in NJ. I will not change them for se...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Although I believe you are doing the right thing by being proactive and noticing this... I'd turn my head. If you are not burning or losing oil frequently enough to have to add between changes, then you have every right to not even notice the smudge in the bilge. It's a bilge, not a kitchen sink.......

MikeD@Lightningshack

I only use NOAA for my forecasts too. One thing I find is that you can never rely on just one of their forecasts. Usually it is best to monitor all of the adjacent forecast areas. This is especially true here in the Northeast where we run 100 miles sometimes. Also marine text forecasts are very good...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Yes that's right.

Inside but also the outside.

Not all of the 31's had them on the inside. This maybe why there is some confusion. They do not need to be cut off, they are fastened in place with screws and are easily removable.

hope this explains what your looking at.

Mike

MikeD@Lightningshack

Thanks John, That fly bridge sure did look good! ...and I spotted it from miles away... I think the sparckly Lightningshack bridge, and the ability to spot that bridge style from miles away... maybe worthwhile benefits of spending a month getting overwhelmingly intimate with a sander and all of the ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Thanks Charlie,

I haven't forgot, just haven't had much occassion to come get it, and certainly won't need it for a couple more months.

I will sign up for Atlantic City this year.

very hopeful to wear that Rendevous mat out this summer.

thanks for the reminder.

Mike

MikeD@Lightningshack

Frank, thanks, Which pieces under the brow are you asking about? The aluminum piece of trim that surrounded the brow was completely removed. In some positions this required filler. The rivet holes were all filled. In places where there was a gap between the lower and upper bow seem, I filled with re...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, I finally got some pictures of the Gelcoat work I did on my bridge, and the new hardtop and enclosure project that stole last summer from me. Gelcoat, despite a few small burn thru's turned out really well. Some minor touch up's this spring and it is absolutely perfect. Lot's of sanding, but w...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Just when you think you've seen it all. Someone please tell me what happened here? Recognized pieces of this catasrophe after a fishing trip in Acapulco last week. 1 for 2 with the Sails, Saw a couple free jumpers and some on the surface. Beautiful water and weather. Buisness trip with 1 free day, a...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Small Lights in ceiling of Salon... They are for illumination... I use the boat at night. Chunking trips and just hanging around the marina in the evening. The small halogens really make the teak sole stand out too. Nothing more then aesthetics I guess. Thanks for your comments, I will get some new ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, Thanks again for all of the help. I think I am going to ditch the 8' extensions. I will pull some more cable through the hardtop frame and will install 1 6db, 1 3db, and 1 AM/FM antenna on the hardtop. The extensions poles would only push the 6db antenna up 2 or 3' higher then mounting directl...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, I was getting ready to install a new VHF antenna on the Lightningshack this weekend and got talked into re-thinking by a fellow betram 31 owner. I have a freshly gelcoated bridge and new hardtop with a full enclosure. I was going to use the standard 8' extension poles, and 6' antennas from Sha...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Thats terrific, I'm glad you have pictures, even though you won't ever forget that day with out them.

Thanks for sharing!

MikeD@Lightningshack

JJJ, I talked with Jay and he gave me some suggestions. Working with those guys has been a little bit of a challenge for me so far. They promised to have the top done in May, and they are still not finished. They constantly blame all of their delays on a customer who they couldn't get to vacate thei...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Dug and Phil,

Did you guys mount them gunnel height or on the flybridge?

and if either you has a picture of the install, I would really appreciate a copy.

My email is
MikeD@Lightningshack.com

Thanks
Mike

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, I am purchasing new outriggers for the lightningshack. Lee has and 8' and 6' outrigger base's. I would like the outriggers to be mounted at the gunnel elevation as opposed to the bridge mount. Should I go with the 8' or 6' base, and what length poles are right for the boat. I just put a hard t...

MikeD@Lightningshack

It wasn't the Lightningshack, and I don't recall seeing one around with a name like Coconut. No shortage of boats around here however, you could never keep track of them all. I bet there is at least 50 (maybe double that) of them between manasquan and barnegat inlets, roughly ~25 miles between the t...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, I finished gelcoating the bridge on Lightningshack. It looks terrific and the finish exceeded my expectations. A handful of sanding burn throughs mostly by the day laborers is the only thing I'm not happy about. These won't get fixed this season, as it's time to stop work and start use. I stil...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Dick,

I can't recall what you did or do for a living, but you missed your calling if you weren't an accountant.

A place like ENRON would have made you the CFO with that kind of out of the box thinking!

I like it... LOL

MikeD@Lightningshack

Rawleigh, Terrific, All yours!... just let me know when your coming to get it. I have a new email address now, or at least the one registered with this site no longer works. I am switching jobs Friday so I will no longer be MikeD@Biach.com MikeD@Lightningshack.com is the best way to get me now. Mike

MikeD@Lightningshack

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, I will be scrapping a perfectly good radar mast soon. If anyone is interested, all you need to do is make a $100 donation to the site and come pick it up. You should be able to find some pictures on my website. It is about 5 seasons old, and has worked quite well, allowing me to have a profess...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Doug, Just noticed your location next to your picture. Annapolis, maybe to far for them. Do you have any other pictures of your top / boat. It looks very similiar to what I designed. How do you like having all of those rod holders? Do they get in the way? I would like to see a side view picture of y...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Noticed some problems with my link, 3 of the images weren't appearing.

It is fixed now.

I find that the 3D Viewer is only working in internet explorer.

There are others available that will work with Mozilla, I may add that link later.

http://www.lightningshack.com/hard_top_page/index.html
Mike

MikeD@Lightningshack

I found that you could spend anywhere from 5 to 10k to get it done. Probably a little more with the molded spreaders. The molded divinicyl fiberglass is expensive. 5k for the top alone. I went for a thinner version of the same top which was half the price ~$2500. Just about everyone that quoted me w...

MikeD@Lightningshack

JP, I purchased a thinner top then yours. Same contruction but 1/2 the price, and not as thick. The only real compromise for half the price is that you cannot fit large cable runs through the slimmer top. Since I needed hardware up there for Anchor Light, GPS antenna, SG Rigger etc... I figured this...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, Gulf Stream is installing my Hardtop this week. The only component they have not manufactured yet is the rod rails for the rod holders. I designed the top myself and have drawings and an actual 3D model that you can open and manipulate on your computer screen. TWO things, I wanted to share/ sh...

MikeD@Lightningshack

http://www.stollenwerk.com/ I selected these guys over S&P and two others in NJ. They fabricated both of my tanks. Their pricing was good, and they made exactly what I asked for, as opposed to others who didn't seem to be capable of reading a set of engineering drawings for a simple tank. I had one ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Not a lot of head room anywhere in the 31. Births, Bunks, head and galley must have been designed by a vertically challenged person. Being 5'10" I'm ok, but I always wished the birth was 3 inches longer. My feet hit the bulkhead and I can't truly stretch out while sleeping. Plenty of room left and r...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Guys, Thanks, Oyster White is as close as I'll ever get by color matching. Infact, It almost seems to be exactly the color. Minicraft says their Bertram Oyster white gelcoat is identical to the Awlgrip color. 5 gallon for $302 lots to do, and summer started early this year (weather wise), at least u...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Dick, I matched my color very well un-catalyzed also. Took many hours... upwards of 10. I sprayed my patches with an air brush, thinned with acetone. When it first went on, it looked really good for a day or two. Then it started to lighten up. Much whiter then surrounding area now. not sure why that...

MikeD@Lightningshack

guys, I am re-gelcoating the bridge on the lightningshack. I tried to match the colors with tints. I thought i came very close but after a couple days the patches I tested, ended up curing and being much lighter then surrounding area. I will try some more samples with patch booster, I used acetone t...

MikeD@Lightningshack

On my 69 31' FB, (after 7 years of ownership) I found the number on a tag the was glassed into the transom, at the very base on the inside of the boat. Basically as close as you can get to the keel at the transom inside the boat. Right behind aft bilge pump. The label appeared to be on a paper like ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

A couple of weeks ago I noticed some eddies pushing in our direction. Hopefully these are signs of good things to come for these canyons. FYI read a good article about Big Eye in Marlin Magazine this week. Never new they feed at depths of 400-600 meters. It is theorized that their eyes have evolved ...

MikeD@Lightningshack

John, I was thinking about the bubble I get in my laminate once in a while, and want to make one more suggestion. Laminate's comes in varying thicknesses. I believe I had an option for counter top or vertical surface grades when I bought my formica. For some of the obscure primarily cosmetic locatio...

MikeD@Lightningshack

John, I did a lot of laminate work in my boat. Everyone says you can re-laminate over the top of the old laminate. I was afraid I wouldn't get a good enough bond without bare wood. With my birth bulkheads I removed the old laminate and repaired the plywood that got damage in the process with wood pu...

MikeD@Lightningshack

Do you carry a spare switch, my bet is that if something has a likelihood of failing, it is probably the contacts in the switch, will you lose both units if there is a failure at the switch? Or were you able to wire it in such away that that can't happen. I'm thinking that maybe it would make as muc...

bertram31.com

Search found 123 matches

Furuno Heading Sensor

A/C Location

Lightningshack Hardtop

Bilge Flow.

Riser Gasket Gas

Tackletogo.com / Crook & Crook

New Gelcoat and Hardtop

Bertram 31? Your guess///

VHF and Other Antennas

Nice!

Outriggers

Gelcoat Non-skid help

Radar Mast

Bertram 31 Hardtop

Aluminum Fabicators

color matching

Gelcoat color

Hull Number Location

Laminate Gauge

Laminate

just a thought,