bertram31.com

John Brownlee

Thanks UV! TSL is one great spot, the best I've experienced. Here are a few of my photos from various trips. JB http://i573.photobucket.com/albums/ss179/jdbrownlee/TSL/JDB_0012.jpg http://i573.photobucket.com/albums/ss179/jdbrownlee/TSL/JDB_0060.jpg http://i573.photobucket.com/albums/ss179/jdbrownle...

John Brownlee

Just got the pump this morning and I'm attempting my first photo upload. Here goes nuthin. As you can see, the sealed box houses two 1500 gph Rule bilge pumps. It's fed by a single 1 1/2" supply line and the pumps supply the wells through two 1 1/4" hose barbs. It's pressurized and has a relief valv...

John Brownlee

Thanks for all the good advice guys. I'm looking at a rectangular, self-contained chest that is essentially a fiberglass box with a clear acrylic lid. It doesn't get glassed to the hull as in Patrick's diagram but it does the same thing. It is fed by a single large hose from a seacock rather than fr...

John Brownlee

Capt. Patrick (or anyone else): I'm going to install a sea chest in the Bertram to supply my two livewells with raw water. I'm tired of replacing the pumps, which now sit directly on top of the two through-hulls, and burn out after only a month or two. I have seen many of these chests, including the...

John Brownlee

Thanks Patrick! I promise to learn how to post these damn things myself one day.

John Brownlee

Thought you guys might find this interesting. I was a fishing guide in Yellowstone National Park for a couple of summers in the mid 1970s. The ranger boats on Lake Yellowstone were Bertrams: two 25 Flybridge Cruisers and one 20 Moppie. I was just there two weeks ago and one of the 25 FBCs is still i...

John Brownlee

No problem, I hope it works out for your friend. Mel is a retired Marine and THE most thorough surveyor I've run across. I've used him exclusively for 15 years and he pulls no punches: when he's through, you know what you've got, good and bad. Wheatley is also a great mechanic. I've never owned MANs...

John Brownlee

Bob:

Have your buddy contact Mel Allen in Tequesta, he's the best surveyor in the Palm Beach/Stuart area: 561-747-2433.

If he wants an engine survey, he should call John Wheatley at Florida Marine Tech in Riviera Beach, he's the MAN dealer up there: 561-844-7007.

JB

John Brownlee

Thanks Frank.

I'll bet you're right and that was for one motor. Still pretty good efficiency even at that flow.

JB

John Brownlee

Frank:

I can't believe that boat really only burned 31 gph at 30 knots. The math says that at WOT a pair of them would burn in the neighborhood of 145 gph.

JB

John Brownlee

Kevin:

Call me, I have two different anchors you can try: 305-481-4665.

JB

John Brownlee

Kevin:

I've used nothing but a Bruce for years and they are simply great. Is this for your 28? I have an older one here you can have if you want to try it.

JB

John Brownlee

I let a detail guy talk me into Poliglo for my Bertram and it looked good for awhile. But it hardened in the sun and began to look splotchy, and then the whole boat looked like crap. Taking it off was a nightmare. We wet-sanded the brow of the flybridge and a job that should have taken 45 minutes to...

John Brownlee

I will give you a shout when you get down, we will be fishing every day next week and we can get together for a brew at B&Ms. Looking forward to meeting you.

JB

John Brownlee

Through another board (dulltruth.com) I've discovered you're coming to my neighborhood. We need to get together while you're here and at the every least, drink a beer. BUT, we really ought to go fishing. I know you're fishing with Alex, one of the very best by the way, but if you have an extra day, ...

John Brownlee

You'll be right here in the 'hood. I'm in Venetian Shores as well. How long will you be down? I leave town Sunday and return Christmas Eve, if you're still around, I would love to get together with you.

JB

John Brownlee

Bill:

Where are you staying here in Islamorada?

JB

John Brownlee

Well, the Bertram is on the hard, I just got my generator serviced, topped off the propane, and I have enough water and beer to last several months. Bring 'er on.

Unless, of course, it really does arrive as a Cat 4 in which case I'm hauling ass.

John Brownlee

As of the 11 AM update, Ike is now headed directly for my front door as a Cat. 4 storm. I hope it continues trending south, away from all of us. As a side note, I have discovered a great new storm tracking site. Has anyone else seen this?

http://www.stormpulse.com

John Brownlee

Tony: I hear you, although we have PLENTY of shallow water here in the Keys. Six feet of water would be considered a luxury at most Keys marinas at low tide. I guess the difference is that it doesn't shift around too much, and the water is clear so you can see it before you hit it. I'm not saying th...

John Brownlee

I have run several IPS equipped boats, including the Spencer, and most recently, the 39 SeaVee. While I too have had reservations about their ultimate longevity, there are now quite a few of them on the water and there doesn't seem to be any noticeable problem cropping up with them. Yet, anyway. The...

John Brownlee

Kevin:

I'll give you a call, maybe we can do lunch at Lazy Days before you head out for training. A 24" mangrove?! Wo, that's a nice one. We've been catching the yellowtails real good too, let's get together.

JB

John Brownlee

Hey Kevin: Great news, congratulations. You get to stay in the Keys, right? That has to sound better than Ocala. I know you'll miss Bartender's Week up here (the scenery anyway), but these are the sacrifices you have to make. Let's go fishing when you get back, and don't let the no-see-ums carry you...

John Brownlee

Down here in the Keys, it was business as usual... Memorial Day Mayhem, BUT, to get to the sandbar where the massive party takes place, you must only travel about 1/2 mile each way, so who cares what fuel costs? I do know this... I fueled my boat about a month ago and diesel was $4.39 per gallon. La...

John Brownlee

Thanks Guys! Andre, I asked about the Buffett slam and can't find anyone who knows anything about it, but suffice it to say it's safe to renew your subscription to SWS. There will be no more of such blasphemy under my watch. Kipp, Have him get in touch, we always need good writers! john.brownlee@bon...

John Brownlee

Patrick;

Those 22 years flew off somewhere, I'm not sure where! And Walter, it was probably 15 years ago that you and I fished together with Bobby Bodden on Grand Cayman.

I guess all you can hope for is that the next 20 are as good as the last.

JB

John Brownlee

Thanks Walter!

I appreciate the kind words. We've got a new crew aboard and are doing some redesign work, and I hope what we come up with lives up to the standards of the originals, Hal Lyman and Frank Woolner.

JB

John Brownlee

Bill:

i'm in Venetian Shores too, eight streets back, on Milano.

John Brownlee

Ocala? Say it ain't so! Half the Keys are moving there, and it is beautiful country ,close to where I grew up. But to paraphrase Lou Gossett Jr., "Ocala? Ain't but two things come from Ocala! Steers, and...." Well, never mind. I hope it works out great for you, the Keys will miss your dedication. Yo...

John Brownlee

Kevin:

You jumping to the FHP like we talked about?

JB

John Brownlee

Oh yeah, and I do believe Florida's coastline is the longest.

John Brownlee

Mike: I'm surprised Texas doesn't automatically align with federal rules as a matter of course. That's standard procedure for most states, for the very reasons you state. Lack of uniformity creates enforcement nightmares. Unfortunately, the stock information on red snapper is bleak, and will be unti...

John Brownlee

I'll second Trosset. I've fished with him for many years, and he's the best. 305-294-5801

John Brownlee

It's worth it. The only other way you would ever get helicopter shots of your boat is to hire a chopper and photographer on your own, and that would cost you a LOT more. And they do take great shots. I have two of them hanging right here on my wall above my desk.

John Brownlee

I've bought several pictures from them and it's a pretty straightforward deal. They own the copyrighted photos so you have to pay them, but if you don't like them, just send them back and don't pay. They've been doing this a long time and have always been easy to deal with in my book.

John Brownlee

I had the pleasure of spending a weekend with both Dave and Kevin during our hastily organized (but still fun) Bertram owners "event" last May at Hawks Cay. I can tell you from our brief time together that he loved the time spent with friends aboard his Bertram, and we had a super weekend of fellows...

John Brownlee

Thanks Guys:

Got this from John Clemans too;

Elite Marine
Carl Humbert
(727) 823-5240 (FAX SAME)
(727) 656-8718 mobile
Email: elitemarinewgb@msn.com.

Address:

101 16TH AVE SOUTH, NUMBER 9 ST. PETERSBURG FL 33701

Gonna call Carl today, thanks again for the help.

JB

John Brownlee

Patrick (or anybody): What's the name of the boat yard on the west coast of Florida that has been doing the 31 rehab work? John Clemans wrote about them in MotorBoating a while back, but I can't recall the name. My memory ain't what it used to be.. it never was. Doing something similar for Marlin an...

John Brownlee

Jon is right. JL Audio is the way to go.

http://marine.jlaudio.com/

John Brownlee

I wish you the very best Dave, and with a such a positive outlook, you WILL beat this thing.

JB

John Brownlee

Great photos Dave! Two Bertrams squeezed in between a dozen Sea Rays on a Marine Max cruise!

John Brownlee

Patrick:

Yeah, I think we'll get a few more next time. And the fish did bite on Sunday, just a weird day on Saturday. Maybe you could help Dave post a couple of pics?

JB

John Brownlee

Well, we did it! Dave Kosh, Kevin, and I got together at Hawks Cay for the first annual Florida Keys Bertram Rendezvous and we had a great time! We met up Friday night and had a dockside cookout, then later, George from the "Can Do It" gave nine ladies dancing lessons aat the bar. nine at once. What...

John Brownlee

I'm both too married and too old to care.

John Brownlee

I don't think ventilation will be an issue. The IPS props may be slightly forward from where conventionally shafted props would be, but not much. And if the props were airborn before the bow came down in steep waves, it seems to me you'd be driving the boat way too hard for the conditions.

John Brownlee

Pretty sure they're doing structural and drive damage inspections. They had a ton of engineers down here and are coming back soon for round 2.

John Brownlee

The Cummins/MerCruise people have been testing the Zeus drives here in Islamorada. They welded up a huge steel frame that sits just beneath the surface and ran over it a few times with a Zeus-equipped Sea Ray. They definitely tore some stuff up but they have been pleased with the results, by all acc...

John Brownlee

Dug:

See the main thread.

JB

John Brownlee

You're right, of course, but it's pretty much a circus out there every weekend with conventional drive systems anyway. I count two a week aground in Snake creek.

It will be interesting to see if these things hold up.

John Brownlee

If seals are the issue, then why are these types of drives OK on tugboats?

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Keys Rendezvous Recap