bertram31.com

Scott and Patrick,

Great options. Thanks so much for the information!

Bill

Hi Gents, I am refurbishing the aluminum windshield frame in my B31. As many of you know, there is an internal frame over the curved plexiglass. That internal frame is kept in place by dozens of T-head bolts that apply pressure between the internal and external frames, essentially sandwiching the pl...

Thanks everyone! This is great info and gives me a bunch of option. Now, I need to decide which way to go.... :shock:

Hi Guys, I think it is time to replace my windshield and side windows. The old aluminum is showing its age. Two questions. First, is American Marine still the "go to" shop for replacement windshields (frame + glass + curved plexi). Second, are there any boatyard recommendations in SE Florida where I...

Sim, Tommy, Tony and Brewster,

Thanks all for your input. It is great. I think I will try out the 60" boat brake, by Paratech. I have their 12' sea anchor, and it works great. But as I fish alone often, something on the lighter side is always my preference.

You guys are great!

Bill

Hi there, Well, of all the complex questions one comes across in restoring and maintaining a B31, this ranks well down the list. But for the life of me, I can't seem to find anyone that can give me an accurate answer as to the appropriate size drift sock for a B31. I have tried two different sizes, ...

Thanks Andre. Is the centerline resting on the lateral beams? Or, is all the weight on the two bunks right over inside stringers?

Bill

Thanks Dick.

Were you using the fore/aft bunks like the ones pictured or the 4 pad system?

Bill

Gents, I have just purchased a home with a four point boat lift. Soon, gone are the days when I spend 1 hour/month beneath the boat, cleaning and scrubbing! The house came with a four point lift similar to this one... http://www.hi-tide.com/images/productimages/products/t2topless%281%29.gif The manu...

Hi Dick, I have the same trannies but the 2.0 ratio. Running Yanmar 6LPs on my B31. I too had the same symptom - rapa tap at dead idle, and if I advanced 100 rpms it was gone. No rapping all the way up the scale. No slipping. I had a ZF Hurth tech out to the boat and he said "nothing wrong". He thou...

Thanks Frank. I will give it a try.

Bill

Gents, For the first time ever - not even as a 10 year old pushing around a tin boat - have I run out of fuel. Today it happened, and I am officially put back on JV. So now the task of re-priming my Yanmar 6lps. I imagine I can disconnect just prior to the Racors and hook up an oil change pump - let...

Bruce - thanks for the offer and rest assured I will be posting some questions. Patrick - Damn sorry to hear the news about the windscreen. I bought one two and a half years ago, and I gotta tell you it is one of the highest quality pieces of equipment on the boat. Looks as though it just came out o...

Thanks Bruce. I started with Marc at Mastry, who pointed me toward Mavex and Austral. Calls, emails and faxes into both have gotten me one return phone call saying "I'll talk to the techs and get back to you". Which they haven't. Guess I gotta suck it up and do the Self Serv Customer Service thing -...

Gents, I recently moved to Coral Gables and am having a whale of a time finding a Yanmar-certified tech to work on my 6-LPs (in a B31, natch). Neither of the local Yanmar service dealers seem interested (no return calls, no rely from emails, no response from faxes!). Any recommendations? Many thanks...

Otter is my B31. Thanks for the updates - I was not on the board during the move, so sorry I did not respond earlier. All is true about the soap - it went on, and as far as I can tell, came off before the boat left Salem (rain started about 3 hours prior to loading). In Miami, it was covered with di...

Hey everyone,

Thanks so much for your recommendations. I have a number of quotes coming in from many of the sources you pointed me to.

Bill

Gents, I need to move my B31 from Boston to Miami within the next few weeks. I know this question has been asked a million times on this site, but can you provide me with your trusted sources for boat hauling? I did a quick search on this site, and the info I came up with was dated. Wish I had time ...

Thank you Patrick!

Bill B

This guy would rather stay with aluminum.

Thanks - Bill B

Windshields and frames. I have a friend who is dead set on replacing his alum window frames. He is certain the frames are beyond recovery. Also, he needs the port and starboard curved plexi windows. Any recommendations on suppliers for curved plexi and suppliers of alum replacement frames is most ap...

Thanks for the info Mike. Do you think the Rupp Top Guns would work any better? I know they don't have internally rigged lines, but I am kind of intrigued with mounting where you have them mounted, and the Rupps would allow the handle to be within (somewhat) easy reach. http://www.ruppmarine.com/z30...

Thanks Patrick and Randall. I think I will look into the Top Guns. Lee Juniors - while a nice package - may be an inferior approach without a half tower.

Bill B.

JP,

Those look great! The only issue is that I do not have a tower, so minimal attachment points. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Bill

Thanks Timmy. I just emailed him.

Bill B.

Well, it is time I get serious about this fishing thing. Toyed around last year dragging around umbrellas and propellers looking for tuna. Now, I am ready to put on a pair of outriggers. I would appreciate the Faithful's input on what outriggers I should purchase. '62 B31, Yanmars, no tower. I want ...

The Congress wears a skirt. Gonzales has a knife to his throat held by every Senator and Congressman. George W. needs to be told when to pee. Is this really going to happen in the US?

Dug,

Count me in.

bill b

Gents, I have a 1962 Sportfish, hull 205, Yanmar 315s, Hurth/ZF trannies, rudders that are not as small as the originals but not as big as Patrick's. The boat has the original steering - about 45' of 1-1/4 rod, 10 or so U joints, two sprockets, a bicycle chain and a gear box. 44 years, and it has ha...

Hueso, John F. has the right line of thought (in my opinion) - do the math, and I think you will be hard pressed to make the decision now to switch to diesel. IF you have your heart set on repoweing to diesel, go with one of the simpler engines - DDs or Cummins. I have Yanmar 6LPs. The engines are g...

Ditto on what Tommy said. Only difference is I have my props pitched for 3850 WOT, not 3950. Other numbers are exactly the same. I have hull 205, 31SF with the 315s, no "stuff", no bimini, not even skinny women (note to self: get skinny women for 2007). 20x23 is probably a good starting point, but y...

Bob,

Try Marysville Marine http://www.marysvillemarine.com/. Call the Michigan operation. They always had the part I was looking for when I had 440s in my B31.

Bill B.