bertram31.com

Pete Fallon

bbtiller,
Congratulations She's looking good Came a long way from the original open backed sport fish model. Go get the decks bloody, that's what the boat was meant for.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Giff,
Hire a midget with a universal joint for a fore arm.

Pete Fallon

Faithful, I don't know if anyone looked that close but check out the hull number on the panel board. Hull 2086 or 2089 it does not look like any hull number I've ever seen. Can someone zoom in on that picture and see what the number is. It looks like they took a 20' number and put it on the panel bo...

Pete Fallon

Charlie, The Stryker is supposed to be okay now, Stryker had major issues a few years ago, major law suits, check it out on the web. Since then they have cleaned up their act. I am trying to get to Boston to have mine done, every time I get ready to leave something comes up. I can't wait much longer...

Pete Fallon

Joe/Marlin, The DynaPlates were made of a gold/bronze beading surface material, They were used for earth grounds for the older LORAN A's, LORAN' C's and SSB radios. They were not cheap when I was installing electronics back in the early 80's, over $100.00 back then. I have installed 100's of them, t...

Pete Fallon

Charlie, Make sure that the doctor is not using a Depuy knee product. They told me that they would last 10-15 years, that's if your 80 and are ready for the box. My first one went in at 52 and 14 years later I'm going to have #4. Three different hospitals and 3 different doctors. All three of mine h...

Pete Fallon

Joe, The port side looks like a Dyna Plate and the starboard is a transom zinc with extra screws, the rudder tab zinc is also shot. I would have someone who knows about bonding systems look at your boat. Check out all of your thru hull fittings on the inside if they have a red or orange tint you got...

Pete Fallon

Harry, A couple of suggestions before you start putting her back together again. See if you can find someone in your area that can make you some fiberglass panels. When I was building boats back in the early 2000's I had the guy's lay up 6 sheets of 4'x8x' 3/8" core matt with one side gel coated whi...

Pete Fallon

Ian, The Accon Pull up cleats are what we used when we were building the 34' Legend in the early 2000's. They were well constructed, what ever you do don't use the spring loaded push button cleats, they last about 8 months in salt water conditions, the springs turn to crap real quick. Use only the p...

Pete Fallon

Harry, Sorry to hear about the boat. If you need anything give me a call I can't do much with only one working leg, but the moral support is there. Make sure you call your insurance company as soon as possible, if you have insurance. And get a surveyor that knows what a 31' Bertram is and what it co...

Pete Fallon

Ian, I can't get my ABYC CD standards to open on my computer. If I remember correctly the vent should be placed on the outside of the hull so that no gasoline enters the interior of the vessel. The vent should be higher than the tank top, the hose run should be as smooth as possible, the correct siz...

Pete Fallon

Kevin, The strafing runs with roman candles as ammo, on the local raccoon population on the golf course from the drone, you just invented a new Keys hunting tool, a coon-a -rater, that thing looks big enough to jack a little key deer. Ask around and find my boat a new warm weather home, I keep getti...

Pete Fallon

Ian, Where did you find the original low profile chrome brass transom vents, you should be really proud of the way that the boat is coming out, nice workmanship. Everything is well supported and loomed, all quality materials you won't have to do anything to the boat until your son is old enough to d...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, I just wanted to let you know that I had to postpone my 4th knee replacement surgery until the end of May because of a death in the family. Three days before I was going to go to Boston the last of my aunts died she was in her 90's and had good long life, I had to take care of her affairs ...

Pete Fallon

JohnF,
How about using the type of ladder that Yannis posted about, it's on the next page of posts under 28 Bertram fly bridge ladder. It looks like a pretty good set -up and hinges up out of the way when you have to get into the engine box.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

JimmyG, The large sinc(Zinc) anodes. he should have clarified himself are the zincs , the 6"x 9'' or larger zinc transom mounted anode should be tied into you bonding system. The 31 has one of the better bonding systems if it is still intact, make sure you use a#8 AWG green wire or flat copper strip...

Pete Fallon

Stuart, Dump the old gas, if it smells like varnish it's gone by. I used some non-ethanol old gas in one of my cars years ago when I was laying the boat up. It made my car run like crap. Usually the local marina has a barrel or two that you can pour it into, if they don't the local dump should have ...

Pete Fallon

Bob F,
I got a White Rubber Maid dish rack drain board in Target of Wal Mart. It doesn't have a diamond pattern but has vertical lines cut to fit you will have enough to do a dozen 31's but it's cheap . It's been on my transom for almost 20 years.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Ian, I don't know if Bruce has any CX left if he doesn't, I have bought it a Boat Owners Warehouse in Riviera Beach you might want to call them and see if they have any. I don't know about shipping to Canada I think it's considered a hazardous material. I have used it for years since UV introduced i...

Pete Fallon

Peter P, Keep your spirits up the pain will go away, if it doesn't don't be a hero call the doctor and get stronger med's. My wife went through that type of ordeal with her shoulder 7 years ago, not fun. I had to cancel my knee replacement operation until mid May due to a bunch of things that came u...

Pete Fallon

Troy, Capt. Pat has a easy way of putting in guttered deck hatches, he uses lengths of 3/4" PVC pipe cut in half then glassed into the underside of the decks with hoses that go to a central collection site then get pumped overboard or into the bilge then pumped out. See his post in the building tips...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, I had to cancel my surgery for a couple of weeks due to unforeseen problems. I will let you know when the surgery is going to take place, looks like maybe the middle of May by the looks of things. Nobody has taken me up on the sale of the boat for $25K, I am extending it until she sells. T...

Pete Fallon

JohnF, I've done it will all the mentioned type plugs, nerf ball, rubber plumbing end caps, fenders. I have just let it sit in the soft mud in Juniper Cove in Salem Ma at low tide. You can get the yard to let you hang in the slings while the crew goes to lunch, that way you don't need to be blocked ...

Pete Fallon

IRGuy, Don is Seth's father, he worked at Bertram for years, his son is now Don Jone's right hand man. I always thought that the boat came from Brick, N.J. that's what I was told by the 2nd owner back when I bought her in 1978. I tried to get her documented but I couldn't get the first owners to sig...

Pete Fallon

Guy's, I posted a while ago about some of my rods and reels that I had for sale, Charlie Johnson was going to buy them but he had something come up and he had to cancel out. Well, I still have them, 4 Shamano TLD 20's with custom Chaos aluminum straight butt rods, the rods are roller tips and have a...

Pete Fallon

Mikey, When Richard Kidd was still at Bertram he was able to get me the original Master Carpenters Certificate (builders certificate) this was back in March of 1982. It was pretty interesting reading that the boat was sold thru Dale Yacht Sales, Bay Head New Jersey in 1962 and the name of the master...

Pete Fallon

Steve, I knew Ed Murray for over 30 years before he died in 2003, fished along side him and Frank for years out of Gloucester, they used to spend more time drinking in my cockpit because it was larger than the Merritt's. The only problem was that between all the people, the beer cans and the vodka b...

Pete Fallon

Tom, The width across the outer transom is 120" give or take an 1" for the year of the boat, mold shrinkage from the original 1961 mold to what ever year your boat is. The height from the bottom of the rub rail to the waterline is 28" give or take an 1". The 31 is wider amidships than at the transom...

Pete Fallon

AndresvW, A friend of mine just had his 31 Express shot at Cracker Boy in West Palm (Rivera Beach) last summer, just to do the cockpit, side decks, engine boxes, bridge wings, cabin house, cabin house top and forward deck was over $5,500 and that was just a light sanding, taping off the fittings and...

Pete Fallon

Capt Rex, The forward deck on a 28 is not very beefy, if you put a windlass forward your going to have to put a large backing plate to spread the load. The pull angle via the bow chock makes contact with fiberglass deck cap before it gets to the chock. Not a good set-up without a short pulpit/anchor...

Pete Fallon

John F,
The boat looks great, on the drain plug, the factory put them under the forward cabin hatch, mine never had a drain until I put one in 1978, the boat was always stored inside a building before I got her. Make sure the drain plug is tied into the bonding system.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

AndresvW, These prices are a few years old but figure $100.00 per foot for gel coating, Depends on what your using for paint but figure at least 70 per foot, it also depends on the location of the boat West Palm Beach prices are higher than the prices in Stuart, boat yard here in Stuart are charging...

Pete Fallon

Steve,
My cell number is 561-310-7179 Have him call me.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Steve,
Thank you, It is an ideal boat for someone with bad knees that's why I have owned her for all these years. I hate to let her go but I have to, haven't been able to use her and it's not good having a boat sit for a long time, everything goes to pot real quick.
Pete

Pete Fallon

Faithful,
I have not got a bite on the boat. I've got less than 2weeks until I get my knee replaced, I really need the boat to be sold. Here is a one time offer good until this Sunday at 8:00PM. I am reducing the price to 25K, no broker involvement contract is over. Deal with me directly.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Faithful, The engine boxes are now the single piece style from Marlins 31', 3 new group31 lead acid batteries in January 2014, all the sea cocks have been replaced last year with Groco bronze ball valves and under water strainers and new hoses, 110v and 12v panels are new 4 years ago all breakers Bl...

Pete Fallon

Faithful, Someone out there must want a 31 express, I have to make her go away, as most of you know I am having my 4th knee replacement in a few weeks and I am not going to be able to use the boat for at least 6 months. The boat is listed at 3OK with a broker, call me and any reasonable offer will b...

Pete Fallon

Guy's,
I saw that creature going West of 95 on Kanner Highway in Stuart yesterday afternoon. It looked better on a trailer out of the water than the picture that was posted above. I have to agree the color combo looks good, but 3 rice burners is just not my bag.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Yannis, All I know is it can be a shocking experience, whether it's 120 volts or a million volts, you don't want anything with electricity to come in contact with unprotected metals on a boat. The old fashioned marinas were the worst culprits when it came to bad wiring, the electric supply lines wer...

Pete Fallon

Cam,
Thanks, I have been trying to find someone with some free cash, I need to sell her. having the knee surgery on April 18 if all goes well.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Yannis, If your bonding system is still intact and all the drops are connected to the copper strips that are glassed into your stringers, I would stick with the original zinc anodes, use the factory Yanmar zincs for the engine and Camp zincs for your shafts, rudders, transom and trim tabs. My 1961 3...

Pete Fallon

Guy's,
The aluminum anodes are being used on the large out board engines such as Yamaha and Mercury. If the tree huggers in CA have there way we won't be able to buy zinc anodes in the near future. If you need zinc's buy only the good quality Camp zincs, the others are not worth buying.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Cam,
My boat is still for sale, I just got back from Boston for pre-op tests scheduled for 4th knee replacement on April 18 th Good Friday. Let me know if your interested she's just about ready for the water.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Bruce, When I was on the fire department back in the early 70's we had a chemical manufacturer that made all kinds of Red Label stuff, we got the alarm about 10AM on a beautifully clear day , as we were responding I was driving the tiller of the ladder truck I had a perfect view of 55 gallon drums g...

Pete Fallon

Bruce,
Mike made it to Nassau today at noon, nothing broke on the way , he's tired, but happy with the boat. He's got a polarity problem at his dock, he's calling the electrician tomorrow other than that it went fine.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Faithful, Why anyone would put 3 rice burners on the transom of a sport fishing boat is beyond me, 2635 pounds on a bracket, I hope they made the stringers go all the way to the back of the bracket, so they had something to push against besides the transom. Granted it's now a walk a round but at 31....

Pete Fallon

Chris W, The Bertram Plate is 206-848 The O is double struck making it look like a 6. My 1968 20' Bertram was hull 201-1006 built in 1968 so I would think that 848 would be around late 1966 to 1967 vintage. My boat was a open runabout version, made by Whittaker Corp. it had an aluminum wind shield a...

Pete Fallon

Faithful,
Thanks for the encouraging words. This will be the last operation to repair the knee, if it don't work its coming off and Patrick can whittle a new peg leg out of teak, can't find a good piece of whale bone anymore.
Pete Fallon

Pete Fallon

Tommy, Thanks for the info, I have a couple of people that were looking for some of the old eagles, not the flat plastic ones but the original raised cast ones, also the Bertram letters and numbers. I haven't sold my boat yet so if you know anyone looking for an express that's ready to go send them ...

Pete Fallon

Chris, Look under the port V berth seat near where the supports meet the hull about a foot back from the bow,(under the hatch), did you ever see a metal tag about 3"x3" that was attached to the dash board in the middle of the cross span where the steering wheel would have been. Other than the places...

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