bertram31.com

Pete Fallon

Bill W & Tommy, I am still waiting for the new prosthesis to be built by Biomet Zimmer & Biomet who merged last fall and nothing is being built at this time. I am going to be in Massachusetts for the next 2 years at least. I am doing very few surveys because I can't climb around very good with the c...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, I got an e-mail from Tommy Thompson at Bertram this AM they are going to build a 58' Bertram based on the old 54 battlewagon. I hope they don't start making too many models right off the bat. I can see them trying to expand the market share to compete with Ocean, Viking and others in the b...

Pete Fallon

Navatech& Yannis, Navatech, I'm glad that the fire was small bur still a pain to clean up, Thanks for posting the mock up pictures for me. I had the original Fire Boy Halon 1301 bottles and auto head discharge (Similar to a sprinkler system head, fusible link set at 165 degrees) in each engine box o...

Pete Fallon

Yannis, I was at the Sabre/Back Cove Factory in Raymond Maine this morning and saw the biggest poly Propylene tank I ever saw. I asked who made it and they said Moller<check out Mollers web site for sizes that they are making, I didn't get the exact amount of gallons the tank held but it was about 6...

Pete Fallon

Navatech, I agree with you about the lack of fire suppression on most boats, as a former professional fire fighter/EMT I have seen a lot of small fires on boats that have turned into major blazes. When I first go my 31 back in 1977 there were only 2 bilge pumps, an old 1500 gph Attwood and a 1500 gp...

Pete Fallon

John, The 31' Bertram takes just over 3/4 of a gallon of Sea Hawk ablative 2 year bottom paint per coat, rolled and brushed on, get 3 gallons and you will have some left over for touching up spots or doing the bottom of your tender/dinghy/pram/ mooring ball etc. As for the barrier coat I never did i...

Pete Fallon

Jack, I agree with Bruce, it looks like the dripless seal has some cracks and is mis-shappened, there shouldn't be any noises coming from the seal when it is turned by hand. Check the water supply hose to see if there are any debris in the hose from old pieces of zinc. I have surveyed a few 31's tha...

Pete Fallon

Yannis,
I found a site in Canada that might be helpful for your tank problem. It is Called DuraTec Products out of Nova Scotia check it out.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Yannis, I thought you had a 31" Bertram not a 28, the size of the tank area under your cockpit sole will dictate the size of tank you can use, I can't remember how the 28's are set up. You could use 2 separate tanks of the same size with a cross over manifold system to run either tank or both. Even ...

Pete Fallon

Yannis, What size is your tank, the original 172 gallon pre 1973 tank or the newer 233 gallon after 1973. Vetus makes a lot of good parts for the marine industry, do they make a tank that is large enough ( I searched their site for 170 gallon tanks and nothing came up ). How about checking flexible ...

Pete Fallon

Yannis, Stainless Steel can be very hard to weld, you need a real good welder and can become brittle over the years, plus it's expensive. If I were you I would go FRP before aluminum for tank material. I think Danny at High Tide in Florida Keys has a connection for FRP tanks also Glass Tech in Miami...

Pete Fallon

Yannis, It looks like the start of Osmosis ( water blistering). Similar to what happens to an un-painted, un- barrier coated bottom of a vessel if left in the water. Did you have to change your fuel filters more than usual last season?. There are areas that look like the styrene has been eaten away ...

Pete Fallon

Ed & Tom,
They seemed to control the local fishery in the area, a lot of ego within the entire family, the only reason I mentioned the show was the 31 Bertram that they were working on.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Navatech,
Send me your e-mail address and I'll send them to you, so you can post them. My e-mail is fal4artbts@aol.com.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Kevin,
How far up or down the coast is the nearest inlet. I don't think my heart would take too many entrances and exits out of that rocky inlet. That makes Boynton Beach and Jupiter Inlets look like a cake walk. Is that the inlet that Coocoo's Nest movie fishing trip scene was filmed at.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Yannis, I have been in touch with Tommy Thompson at Bertram they have already made some changes In the mock up of the new boat, The fly bridge ladder has been moved to the top of the Starboard engine box so as to not obstruct the view from the dinette while your seated at the dinette while looking o...

Pete Fallon

Kevin, Nigel Calders Books are a very good source of info on boat wiring, Boat/US catalog used to have a few good reference pages on basic boat wiring and battery connections. I misunderstood you I thought you had a 31FBC not a 33, I have surveyed a couple of 33's that were newer boats in the early ...

Pete Fallon

Kevin, I suggest that you get a qualified marine electrician, the original 120 volt shore power on out 31's leaves a lot to be desired, that also goes for the 12 volt side too. The rules for 120volt inlets require that there be a 30 or 50 amp shore power breaker (what ever your using) must have a br...

Pete Fallon

Bob, After being on the water for over 55 years I never liked docking lights, especially in heavy seas, I see them be pushed into the V berth of manyboats. If your going to put FLIR forget the docking lights. Just my 2 cents worth. The hull where your docking lights go is about 5/8" thick on your 31...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, Anyone see the new TV show Big Fish, Texas it looks like the fish house owner is redoing a 31' Bertram on land in the Galveston boat yard. Another reality show about commercial red snapper fishing and brokering fish. I just caught the first part of the show but it looked like a FBC painted...

Pete Fallon

Matlos, How about running your discharge line up the back side of the head compartment into the anchor locker area, then add a vented loop, there should be enough room to keep the line from interfering with your anchor chain or line. If not add a check valve in the line like Tony suggested. Pete Fal...

Pete Fallon

Frank B, Scott Clark lived right across the street from me on Juniper Point and I've know Peter & Diane since that time also, I kept my 31 Bertram in his boat yard before he over priced him self. Jim Cahill's( N.E. Divers)son Mike was a tenant of mine for years. I moved to West Palm in 1995 after th...

Pete Fallon

Stephan, My 31' Express had 2 Group 31 batteries in her for most of her life, with no problems. The last 10 years I added an extra group 31'for the 12v kite reels and live well pumps. I would recommend either making a new battery box for the area between the engine boxes and making it so it is not d...

Pete Fallon

IRGuy, Frank, I've known Billy for a long time. he's always been a good fisherman. I lived across the harbor on Juniper Point in the Willows for years before moving to Florida in 1996. I just came back from MGH after being retested for the allergy to the bone cement that holds the implant to the bon...

Pete Fallon

IRGuy, Another case of bastardizing the language by a fool, wicked awesome. The wicked tuna show is such a farce. If you look at the trailers for the show, there is one shot of Hard Mechanize throwing a harpoon, that picture is inside of the breakwater at Eastern Point, other shots have the back sho...

Pete Fallon

Bob, Welcome to the sand box, if you need to know anything about the 31 Express call or e-mail me I owned mine for 37 years and know just about every nut and bolt in the boat. I have replaced almost every system in my boat before I sold her in June of 2014. Like I said your getting a good boat from ...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, When my 31 Express was built in 1961(Hull 85) it sold for $15,900 with FWC 413 Chryslers and direct drive Borg Warners (1:!) It came with a soft top, electric flush Groco head, 18 gallon water tank and helm and companion chairs, an ice box and a 2 burner alcohol stove, a dolphin FRP fish b...

Pete Fallon

Capt Pat,
Did you get the e-mail I sent you last week re: pictures from TThomspon he sent me of mock ups.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Steve, Sorry for the communication problem, I had the Formica come loose around the entrance door (express) I was able to peel it back enough to access the old glue under the formica. Then I took a rag soaked in acetone jammed it under both to loosen the old glue on both pieces. Then I took a paint ...

Pete Fallon

Stephan. If you are talking about the side and transom panels in the cockpit area of a 31' Bertram, try to get one of the local boat building companies,to lay up 3 pieces of 4'x10' sheets of 3/8" core mat with white gel coat on one side, the transom section has to be 10' x4' because its longer and w...

Pete Fallon

Steve, I had 454 Throttle body fuel injection engines in my old 31, no secondary filters , but if the boat sat for a long time without being used I would get the white powder you mentioned. It would show up in the base of the throttle body, I had a fiberglass tank. I think it was caused by the fuel ...

Pete Fallon

Randall,
Happy and Prosperous New Year to you and everyone else on the board. Randall there was an article in the Boston paper about a fellow that does similar work with wood carvings, but your still number 1.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

IRGuy, I like the Johnson 2200 pumps over the Rules, use the Ultma( Ultra) brand auto switches although the Johnson brand switches are not that bad, get the ones with the cage built around to keep debris from hanging up the auto safety switches. I had used the Rules for years, however the last 2 Rul...

Pete Fallon

Hueso, The cost of shipping from HI to PR will offset any savings. You have to remove them from the old boat, make shipping crates, etc. You should be able to find Yanmars in Florida or the Bahamas cheaper. Seller says the legs? (motor mounts) are not in the best shape, plus they have 3000 hours . J...

Pete Fallon

Raybo Marine NY, There was a 31 racer in Stuart off of Route 76 west going towards Indiantown a few years back. The fellows knick name was Cadillac( think) he always had some sort of classic for sale just inside his fence. He had a lapstreak Garvey. a couple of gutted 25 Bertram's a 20 Bertram that ...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, On the subject of stoves or propane grills on a boat, I had a 2 burner alcohol stove that came with the boat when I bought her in 1978. The first time I used it almost burned the galley area up. Both valves leaked and I had flowing fire on the countertop. I put the fire out, fixed the valv...

Pete Fallon

Moguls2go, Like Bruce said you are more likely to have a problem with boat wiring than a gas grill. I have used the Magma grill on my 31 for 20 years without any issues. I had it hooked to an aluminum tank 3 gallon size made for the Magma grill. I always used it in a rod holder at the transom, away ...

Pete Fallon

Giff, I agree with the sentimental value of certain boats, especially if it was your dad's boat and you have first hand knowledge and lots of man hours invested. The two boats are about as far apart performance wise as you can get, a 8 knot trawler and a potentially 40 knot sport fish. The black iro...

Pete Fallon

Giff, I have surveyed a bunch of DeFever's over the years, some were good some were real bad, all had rot in the deck core especially on the aft deck area. Bruce and I did a job on a 43' trawler in Jacksonville, Fl. a few years ago, it had rat's living in the engine room, a wiring nightmare in the 1...

Pete Fallon

Faithfull, I have been in contact with Capt. Tommy Thompson at Bertram. He sent me some pictures of the mock up of the cabin interior of the new 35 Bertram. Lot's head room and dinette is 7' long, converts into a berth that's got more room than the Queen in the forward cabin, head compartment is ful...

Pete Fallon

Tony,
About the only other thing I can think of is the new packing the correct size for the shaft log and all of the old package is out of the packing nut and gland area .
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

tony,
you should not be going thru packing that quickly. I would check your engine alignment, strut for true and check shaft for straightness.Also check coupler flange for loose bolts or missing keyway. Not too many places to go out of whack.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Tony, From past discussions with the faithful, the Gortex packing heats up very quickly and doesn't absorb sea water as good as the flax material,hence cooling properties is reduced. I tried the gorged packing when back in the early 80's and found that I only got 1 season out of it, compared to the ...

Pete Fallon

Use only new flax packing material only. The Gortex stuff doesn't work well.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Capt Pat,
You have come a long way from the 2 bay shop in Riviera Beach, Happy Birthday

Pete Fallon

Todd,
Contact Rupp Out Riggers 4761 Anchor Ave Port Salerno Fl 34992 (Stuart Fl) ask for Ron Karpanty He should be able to help you. And yes they are Rupp out rigger parts that came with your boat.
Pete fallon

Pete Fallon

Bruce & Capt Pat,
How was the show? any earth shattering news from the New Bertram people, did they settle on a price for the new 35?. How many of the faithful showed up at the show?

Pete Fallon

Faithful,
If I ever get this knee straightened out I might buy just one, but I am a purest no prop pockets for me. Enjoy the Bertram party, it was 75 degrees in the Boston area this afternoon.

Pete Fallon

Faithful, The design is wonderful, classic lines like it should be. Mike Peters hit a home run on this one.congratulations to him. I wonder if it will have a flat pad at the keel cupped chines and a down angle on the lifting strakes, when we built the 34' Legend back in 1999 it had all those items p...

Pete Fallon

Mark,
I wouldn't worry about moving the boat for a short distance, if your going a long way I would put some cross bracing at the rear of the fly bridge overhang just for safety factor.
Pete

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