bertram31.com

Ironworker

This is a great question! I can make a great case either way. My question back to the OP is can you fiberglass? Its not a big deal to cut a couple of layers of fiberglass to remove the deck if needed then re-fiberglass the deck back in. I've thought about something similar myself! A multi tool and 1...

Ironworker

Any details that we can get into the thread will help. Pics, details on the engines, etc. I get asked all the time about available B31's.

Ironworker

Steve,

When you change the plugs change the plug wires. I'm not a gas inboard guy but I spend an inordinate amount of time working on airplane engines. Plug wires go bad all the time

Ironworker

Steve, I can appreciate your traditionalist instincts. But I can also see your son's perspective as well. The 20' Bertram Hull is a great one as is the 25. These boats shine with outboards. Also slightly raising the deck so they will self bail is another "improvement" depending on ones perspective. ...

Ironworker

I've got a friend that repowered his 20' Bertram with a 175 Suzuki Outboard fitted on a bracket. Its a very fine boat but it needs trim tabs for stability due to the deep vee.

Ironworker

I have 30's at the stern postiions and 15 degree everywhere else including my two sword positions. I have a couple of 0 degree holders in the very back mostly for a Dock Bar and Magna cutting boards.

Ironworker

Bob,

That's sage advice but where I live every day is summer!

Ironworker

Airplanes are my other vice. A guy can burn through some dough with a plane. Although I must say a 380 HP Cummins marine recon diesel is more expensive than an IO550B for my Bonanza. Something is seriously FUd with our economy in the US today.

Ironworker

I originally posted the question as a general one that affects all of us. However, in my case, my initial investment in my boat was $0 as it was a project in progress and a gift from a good friend. I've got about $35K in the boat currently along with a alot of manhours, but now facing some substanti...

Ironworker

I know this is the wrong group to ask how much money is TOO much money to put into a rebuilding a B31? I'm very interested in everyone's opinions. I know its a highly variable answer but what it yours? I ask simply because I'm most likely crossing the line in the refurb of my B31. A repower with the...

Ironworker

I think its a great idea but not sure your Database is the best form to contain the data. Maybe an excel spreadsheet that everyone can add to and everyone can benefit from the data. I will say that looking at performance data from other members helped me make my decision on which engines to use repo...

Ironworker

Thank you for all the suggestions. I replaced the heat exchanger gaskets on the port side of the starboard engine (where the rust on the plugs was) and there was a little water getting in the elbow. It didn't steam as much but still struggles to get up on plane, its just like all the power is not t...

Ironworker

Congrats and welcome aboard. If you're going to be running your boat back and forth to the Bahamas then you're going to want to make sure the engines are rock solid. Thats not a place you want where you want to break down.

Are you in Florida?

Ironworker

With the quality of paint these days, I'd have a hard time fooling with gelcoat. Paint it.

Ironworker

Don't forget to enlarge your rudders!

Ironworker

There is rubber then there is the plastic crap sold in China these days. They cheapen the products by not including the plasticizers and stabilizers.

Ironworker

I teach "Fishing School" in the Bahamas periodically for kids. He needs to be just a wee bit older though. I'll save a spot for him.

Ironworker

Well, I'm headed to the Bahamas shortly and plan on loading up on Kaliks!

Ironworker

Yep but I noticed the same breaking wake on the starboard side going both ways in the same conditions which I assume eliminates the natural conditions.

Ironworker

After I made the above post, I went back and checked an older photo. That one looked symmetrical. I'll check the rudder alignment but I don't think anything has been done to effect that.

Here is the older wake photo.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uezv9kijy9xel ... o.jpg?dl=0

Ironworker

I feel for you. I've had back trouble for years. I always think before I lift.

Good luck with your recovery.

Ironworker

Its been a couple of months since my boat left the dock so I took her for a little spin yesterday and noticed that my wake is crooked. I doubled checked EarleyBirds wake and his is perfect. So what would cause mine to not be symmetrical? BTW, I was just going about 18 kts and the load was pretty muc...

Ironworker

I really like the 35 Bertram. I just wish they would build a budget version that eliminated a lot of the fancy wood work in the cabin.

Ironworker

Does it take a special machine to work with the Polycarbonate or will a normal upholstery machine work with the product?

Ironworker

bob lico wrote: ↑May 12th, '21, 10:25 i have had all four choices of clear window material on the bridge of my boat. you really cannot compare the Air Polycabonate to the others, it is like looking out your living room window ! seriously it is as clear as glass.

Thats exactly what I'm looking for.

Ironworker

I'm pretty sure the EarleyBird is running 270's.

Ironworker

That boat is waaay to pretty to put a bloody fish on the deck. That's a cruising boat now. You're going to have to buy another boat to fish out of.

Ironworker

Bob, your chairs look as good as the $7K chairs I saw at the Palm Beach Boat Show! Nice work

Ironworker

Pockets and Tunnel Drives.....I had a bud with a 24 Penyan with tunnel drive. I can't imagine a poorer performing boat. It was a testament to piss poor engineering.

As already stated make sure you perform a through sea trial.

Ironworker

Yes that are! Almost makes me want teak gunnels but then I'd have to hire a boat girl to keep them sanded and oiled.

Ironworker

Are you talking about a transducer for a fish finder?

I installed a Airmar 599 LH 3 KW unit in my boat. I had it pocket mounted in the keel Its a nice installation and I expect to catch some sword fish with its assistance.

Ironworker

Thank, I'll look into it. Having mixed results with Eisenglass over the years, I'm ready to try something different

Ironworker

I need new spray curtains on my B31. Are there good alternatives to Eisenglass? I ask because I saw one of the youtube sailing channels that used some sort of semi rigid thin plastic for a dodger which I believe the product came from Canada.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Ironworker

gpl916 wrote: ↑Apr 30th, '21, 21:44 Ok but, you will have to pay for the fuel!

I will.

Ironworker

I've bought 4 of the Seaflo 2000 gph pumps and they work fine. I've only had them for about 6 months and I double up my pumps but for $49 for a 2000 gph pump, I can afford to double them up.

https://www.amazon.com/seaflo-12v-water ... water+pump

Ironworker

If you can wait about 6 months, I'll drive the boat south through the canal and up the west coast for you.

Ironworker

Its hard not to love a teak deck unless you live in Florida or the Bahamas!

Ironworker

What size engine and what size shafts?

Ironworker

My 1.5" shafts will just meet the specs for the 380's

Ironworker

I painted bottom yesterday, blue boot top today, Brightside Sapphire Blue. Fire Red boot stripe after the weather. List is getting smaller and the tuna are Northbound...WooHoo. EarleyBird They may be northbound but my plan is to waylay them in the Bahamas this week. I will let a few pass through fo...

Ironworker

Tavis, Thanks for the instructions. I'll practice it. I use dropbox and for some reason, I still haven't figured it out. In the meantime just click on this link https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5v7ec4rr1qz81s4/AABq1Bvg_D5-Oa7IG3-XYKAta?dl=0 Jim maybe able to provide some additional guidance as to how he m...

Ironworker

Here are the Rudder Board photos https://www.dropbox.com/s/zpv9ksi64kdp2m6/Carolina%20Reaper%20Rudder%20Board.jpg?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/jjdqh2bygdpru6d/EarleyBird%20Rudder%20board%201.jpg?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/7syufcrv8ybv95h/EarleyBird%20Rudder%20board%202.jpg?dl=0 Please tell me ...

Ironworker

I don't have a flapper on my exhaust but some of the experts can speak to it better than me. One thing that I did want to mention is your rudder board replacement. I had mine replaced and it was a beautiful job but Jim Earley's on EarleyBird is the best rudder installation I've seen on a B31. You ca...

Ironworker

Yes they are! 27 kts at 10.3 gph is pretty dang good. Or loaf along at 2100 rpm 25 kts at 9.3 gph. Jimmy is running at 20 x 26 prop with 1.75 gears. I've currently got 1.5" shafts along 4 blade 20 x 22 with #4 cup props on my boat and 1.54 to 1 gears. I have some room to increase the size of my prop...

Ironworker

After 45 years running offshore my advice it to pick one, use it frequently.

https://www.amazon.com/inversion-table/b?node=3408421

Ironworker

This is Jimmys performance with a QSB 380. Sorry for the formatting but you get the idea. 600 1-ENGINE 4.6. 600 2-ENGINE 5.7. Thats pretty frisky around the dock. RPM LOAD THROTTLE FUEL SPEED 1700 50 45 6.1 19.1 1800 48 53 6.8 21 1900 49 53 7.3 22.5 2000 50 57 8.5 24.4 2100 54 61 9.3 25.5 2200 59 65...

Ironworker

That's it. ATCO, I should have remembered that one. Rick Try calling he shop and see if you can reach Jimmy. His last name is Gato. The shop number is (856) 767-3849 Jimmy responded to a PM and gave me some great info on the performance of QSB 380. I like everything about it EXCEPT the speed at 600...

Ironworker

Rick Talk with a dealer. The Cummins dealer that had done mine, told me that they can get the idle speed on the electronics down so that they will idle slower. But I still think you might need stay with a 3 blade prop to help get the speed down on one engine for slow trolling. Otherwise you will ne...

Ironworker

One other thought on mission and fuel efficiency. My 26' CC in the Bahamas had twin 200 carb'd Yamahas. I put thousands of trouble free hours on these engines. When it came time to repower I did the math on going to 4 strokes vs buying new carbed two strokes (yes we can still buy them in the Bahamas...

Ironworker

In the airplane world we always say define your mission to determine what plane to buy as they are all a compromise. I guess the same is true with boats! And in my specific case buying an engine for a boat. So here is my mission for my B31. the boat is going to be primarily based in N. Palm Beach, F...

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