bertram31.com

Pete Fallon

Dan Case, I built my decks out of 80 pound density PVC Foam board 1" thick, 3 layers of 1808 on the bottom and 3 layers on the top. I used white oak boards for the deck supports, but I would used FRP channel from Mc Master Carr inside. The trim piece at the transom was teak but I would go solid core...

Pete Fallon

Tommy,
All the Bertram's had regular FRP resin laid up tanks, the tag on the top says not meant for methanol blended fuels. Ethanol didn't hit the marine market until the early 200'0's.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Al, The hull number for the early 31's were on a piece of paper glassed into the hull up under the Port V berth. Lift up the plywood under the cushion and look just under where the plywood meets the hull side. Piece of paper with Bertram Yacht a Division of Nauta Industries Miami, Fl. on it, should ...

Pete Fallon

Moguls2go, I would check to see if there is pieces of water pump impeller in the transmission cooler, just pull the hose off both ends and back flush with a garden hose. If that doesn't do it, check your sea water intake water pump, see if all the splines are still intact. Did you check the thermost...

Pete Fallon

IR Guy, They also blasted the owner of that boat for the car port style hard top, that boat looks like one of the Tropic Star Lodge boats. I have gotten wetter on some high priced battlewagons I have surveyed over the years, than on a 31 Bertram. If anyone has had an experience of running or riding ...

Pete Fallon

Russ,
The last time I was over there they had a hefty toll going over the bridge, like Bruce says the local cops will give you a ticket in a heart beat, especially with out of state plates.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Bruce, Are you going to call the shop Ass monkey garage like on the Texas reality show Gas Monkey?. My grandfather had a 58 gun metal gray 4 door sedan deville and Marilyn's grandfather had a 55 coupe that was baby blue. As a kid I could hardly open and close those heavy doors, I felt like I was at ...

Pete Fallon

Bruce and Steve,
It looks like the show is going to be about the same dates as the surgery, they still have to build the new implant (4 to 6 weeks). You and Capt Pat can cough for me, Good to here from you guys, I will keep you informed about knee surgery.

Pete Fallon

Faithful, The new Bertram seems to look like a Cabo bottom to me, only around 18 degree dead rise, not the old 24 degree that our battle wagons have, a 40 plus boat is not really that fast. Back in the early 90's I was involved in the building and sales of the 34' Legend a center console that did 60...

Pete Fallon

JohnV8r, I never had a problem taking down the V berth overhead panels in 37 years of ownership. They were the original panels from 1961 3/8" plywood with the old boat cloth vinyl covering. They were in 3 sections , two large on either side of the opening hatch and small almost rectangular piece beh...

Pete Fallon

Navatech, Looks like a custom built hatch modified by one of your previous owners. I ran a 46-6 back in the mid to late 70's and it doesn't look like an original Bertram hatch to me. Most of the hardware for the early Bertram's was supplied by either Perko or Wilcox-Chritten (spelling?). The hatch d...

Pete Fallon

JPRobins, Why don't you look into the New Evinrude 2225-250 range. less weight than the 4 stroke Yamahas( 854 lbs each) plus lots of import taxes. The new Evinrude motors have been completely redone from the old OMC and early Bombarier models. Just a suggestion, from a former boat builder, a pair of...

Pete Fallon

Todd Pearce, The only supplier on the east coast of the US is Taco Metals in Miami-Ft Lauderdale area. You might want to check with some of the Hong Kong boat builders they might be able to get you some, the next time they order supplies, there is another company building boats in Viet Nam that you ...

Pete Fallon

jackryan, I used StarBrite Marine polish since I owned the boat in 1978, she was re-gel coated in 1994-5 from the rub rail to the waterline. I always had people ask when she was last painted. The last 20 years she was in the South Florida sun, still looked good when I sold her last year. Starbrite g...

Pete Fallon

dcasey10, Dan try sanding the tabs before you put the paint on, the paint has to have something to grab on to stainless is slippery. Like a few of the other guys on the board, I don't like tabs on a 31, especially if you fish a lot, just something else to cut you line off on. I have steered with tab...

Pete Fallon

Three years ago, I spoke to him a couple of months before he died, he still had his sense of humor even though he was in pain. I also miss his wit and ability to stir the pot. Have had a good laugh since then.

Pete Fallon

Chum Bucket, Raleigh is correct, bulkheads directly on to the hull will create hard spots and when you look down the sides of some boat brands you can actually see the spots(where bulkheads are placed against the hull itself) from the outside. Some of the newer boat building companies use a foam spa...

Pete Fallon

Navatech, How are you going to tell when each tank is full, unless you put a check valve in the line which will defeat the purpose of the vent. It will also slow down the fill rate with a T in the line. Bite the bullet and plumb each tank separately. Did you ever find a base plate for that fighting ...

Pete Fallon

Tooeez, I lived in Stuart for the last 8 years before moving back to the frozen North ( Peabody, Ma) for medical reasons last September. The Manatee Pocket is about as close as you can get to the inlet, without going over to high priced private Sailfish Point. Bill Macovinia used to keep his 31 at S...

Pete Fallon

BillG, Check your motor mounts, look for any signs of collapsed rubbers in the mounts also check under the mounts for any sign of wood rot in the stringers. Also check your cutless bearings, it could be just a bent prop blade or worse a bent shaft. When was the last time the engine and shaft coupler...

Pete Fallon

EDEC, The flush mounted fuel vents (also can be used for waste and water tanks) were made by either Acorn Marine or Gem marine. These were all stainless steel with a 90 degree goose neck. They were all high quality products, The flush mounts save you from replacing the old style that stuck out about...

Pete Fallon

Tommy, I had the pleasure of meeting Lee Dana and Dave Napier on separate occasions. At the 50th anniversary party held at the in the water boat show on Collins Ave, I talked to Dave for over an hour as well as answering questions from the general public about the old Buddy Boy which was docked at t...

Pete Fallon

Bill Macovina,
You have had almost as many Bertram's as I have had knee surgeries, you are a sick person even after flying jets for all those years you still appreciate a good boat. Waiting to have #18 on my knee next month.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

John Vyn, It's hard to tell, all the records for the 31's were reportedly destroyed back in the late 1980's. The sport fish model was the most popular model for the warm water fishery in Florida and the Caribbean back when they were first introduced in 1961. Over the years a lot of open backed sport...

Pete Fallon

Wursty, The easiest way is to make a template with door skin, then break the old window out and replace it with plexi glass either tinted or clear. Clean out the old felt track and on a hot day put the Plexi in the sun for a few hours, or in your oven on low heat, (check with the wife before putting...

Pete Fallon

BillG, Like Bruce said the old cartridge fuses probably got wet, corroded or blew out. I would either move them to a drier location or get rid of them completely. After all these years the wiring in the boat is starting to break down, I inspected a 38 year old 31 with the original consta-volt system...

Pete Fallon

Vince,
I stated that the grey area was foreign to the bottom, I meant the off white color which looks like some type of epoxy filler, the grey appears to be the barrier coating on the entire bottom.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

John F,
Did you check your motor mounts, worn or collapsed mounts will give you a wicked vibration also. Glad you fixed the problem with the misaligned coupling. Make sure the mounts are still in god shape, no collapsed rubber inserts, broken bolts, or engine shifting.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Vince, It looks like someone did a transducer hole repair. The picture off the bottom shows the bottom paint, the original white gel coat, the boat cloth skin , heavy mat green glass and a grey colored filler which is not original to the boat, When you start grinding go at least 12" from the crack i...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, The #8 Tinned Copper Wire is available at any large marine store, its green color is recognized as a bonding conductor. It 's easier to run the wire to each fitting that you want bonded. Just make sure that you use heat activated epoxy terminal ends, captive lug style when attaching each d...

Pete Fallon

JohnF, I always used a backing block when installing X ducers and thru hulls. I used to use 3/8''to 1/2" flat stock fiberglass that came off the flanges when we pulled the 34' Legend boats out of the molds. The way I look at it, it just gave the nut some more to grab on to and spread the load when i...

Pete Fallon

John,
Try E-tec metals in Riveria Beach Florida. They make a t-top mounted rigger, not bad product and cheaper than Rupp or Taco.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Keith,
With all the high temps you have been having out there, I would make sure you don't have algae blocking the lines, eithet that or you have lost the prime in the fuel system also check to see if the fuel vent is clear, no hornets nests in the line.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

John Browlee, The surveyors name is Nate Spaulding in Marathon tel 305-393-2727 . I am happy that the boat is finally coming together for you, now it's time to get some blood on the decks. The knee is a constant battle but this is the last time I am having it cut on. Every time they cut I loose six ...

Pete Fallon

John, I have used Yeti coolers since they came out, very expensive but they do keep ice longer than anything else on the market. How did your survey turn out on the 37 Bertram. I am in Massachusetts getting ready for another knee replacement # 4 since 1999. If it don't work I am going to have Capt. ...

Pete Fallon

Bruce, You should have known better than get on that Jets (Jet Blue)plane, especially when it came from Boston, it probably had a ton of snow in the cargo hold and a former NE Patriot defensive player that is not worth the money the Jets are going to pay him . Just be glad you made it back from Texa...

Pete Fallon

Carl, For some reason I thought you had a knee replacement, too many of us are having replacements to keep track. Glad to hear that the shop is back up and running. I always thought about adding a half tower to my express but never got to do it. I remember when I did the survey on Ed Murray's old Fi...

Pete Fallon

John,
Try some FLITZ metal polish works great on the hull also.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Carl, In the Salem/ Beverly/Marblehead harbors the lobster pots are every where even in the marked channels. I have wrapped up a lot of them over the years but a sharp knife and a mate that didn't mind cold water took care of the line in the props. When I repowered the trannies in 1997 they were 1:5...

Pete Fallon

Bob Lico, I have told others about the performance of 31's with shallow shaft angles, they don't believe me either. I nevr got the 45 degree angle slam but she probably got 25 degrees and that was just for a very short time. Like I said I'm almost 6'4" and never had a problem with sight lines over t...

Pete Fallon

IR GUY, Another case of electronic control failure? or just too much to drink. Either way it's not going to be pretty, DUI, OUI or failure to maintain safe speed. Insurance premiums going way up. Still freezing my butt off up here in the Northeast 10 degrees at this time going to go down to minus 8 ...

Pete Fallon

Dave Casey, Did you ever contact Dana Sponagle at Dion's in Salem. He did my boat(gel coat above the waterline to rub rail and Imron on decks,house sides, engine boxes, cockpit sole and side panels. It was done in 1995 and when I sold it last summer the gel looked as good as the day it was done, the...

Pete Fallon

Bob Lico, I agree with what your saying about wheel restrictions, they did extend the engine boxes and cut into the cockpit sole. Also look at the wear marking on the top of the exhaust, it looks like it's been rubbing on the engine box, a built in vibrator when you sit on that box. I wonder if they...

Pete Fallon

Guy's,
You want to talk about a vessel that has been rode hard and put away wet this is it. Like Dug said they should be giving that wreck away for free.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Faithful, The Bertram name being bought by the Italian investor sounds like what happened the last time. The big sportfishermen are only for the big bucks guys. Remember when the 31' Bertram's came on the market in 1961 they cost less than $16,000. with big block gassers. My Express was sold at the ...

Pete Fallon

Ray,
Hopefully I'll see you soon, have a good show for the next few weeks, don't look to good for customers at the Home Show this week end. I was going to try to get to the Boston Boat Show but it looks like it's going to be to hard to get around on crutches.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Guys, After living in Florida for the past 19 years I picked the wrong year to come back. If my wife and I didn't have medical issues I would still be down south. Like Bob H said we have 80 inches of the white stuff on the ground since January 26 and another 12 to 18 inches coming for Saturday night...

Pete Fallon

Kevin, The Yamaha OX engines are simple but you have to carry a blow torch with you to burn off all the carbon build up on the oxygen sensor at 50 or so hours. I was thinking of you the other night when the blizzard hit they showed the breach in the sea wall in Situate and Marshfield, the weather is...

Pete Fallon

Tuna Wish,
Ray are you still at the shop on Walnut St or where are you . I would like to stop by and say hello now that am back in Peabody, my cell is 5612-310-7179 If it every stops snowing I can't get around very well on the ice with crutches.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

John F, No offense taken at all, I have very thick skin and some have said I have a thick head also. Bill Machovina, The snow is the worse I can remember Boston as of this evening has 79 inches on the ground. it is so bad that the T and the commuter trains haven't run since Sunday night and when the...

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