bertram31.com

DanielM

Condolences and prayers to Bob’s family. I know he’s has been around this site forever. Maybe from the beginning. Sad to hear.

DanielM

Sorry I can’t offer much advice as it’s been quite awhile since I’ve worked on an old gasser. One thing you might check in addition to plug wires, sometimes a new distributor cap can make a difference, and they’re cheap. Especially if water got in there. Maybe pull it and spray it liberally with a w...

DanielM

Steve, Glad it made it through the hurricane. I thought I had read that your 31 made it through, but I didn’t remember reading if the B20 did. I’m glad it made it. Given that it’s an original sportsman I wouldn’t modify it with an outboard. It would be a shame to take a sawzall to a Sportsman. The 1...

DanielM

Tony, I had to laugh when I read “God knows how much I spent in screws, nuts and bolts”. When I redid my CC years ago, the little thing that seemed to really bug me more than it should have was my many, many trips to the local fastener company for SS hardware. Not a big thing, but d*mn they were pro...

DanielM

Mike, It can work to hail a commercial airliner. There is a barrier island down here that is undeveloped other than the fishing cabins of the land owners and fairly remote. It’s off grid, only reachable via boat or private plane. Probably 25-30 years ago, before cell phone coverage reached that area...

DanielM

I was trying to get insurance quotes a few weeks ago for boat coverage in Florida and I had several brokers tell me the landscape is changing. I was told that BoatUS/Gieco has stopped writing new policies on any boat over 30’ and 40 years old, and that they stopped working with their agent network a...

DanielM

Don’t forget you can keep the bilge pumps powered up as well. I had my bilge pumps powered up while on stands at my buddies shop. Walked by while it was raining and got hit with a stream when the pump started up. (I’m lucky that way) Where I kept my boat I just kept them powered up even though the d...

DanielM

Congratulations

DanielM

Best Wishes Tony. Take it easy and follow the Dr’s advice. Even once you get to feeling better. Seems like when I had my hernia surgery my doctor told me nothing heavier than a quart of milk. It get’s aggravatingly limiting, but you don’t want to make him go in and make another run at your gut. But ...

DanielM

Outstanding. Glad you’re getting to the shiny work. It looks nice.

DanielM

I talked with our local Houston distributor last week and he didn’t really have a 270hp mechanical repower option. Basically he doesn’t do any business in the 250/270 hp recons. It sounded like he could get them, but they would cost as much or more than the 315/330 option. I think he sells a fair am...

DanielM

Never thought about the cleaner burning motors aspect. And I would be sure fuel burn would be a consideration. I don’t know how the Volvos compare to the other brands in fuel savings. But even a small fuel savings would be significant over 17 boats day in and day out. It’s a fun discussion, but I’m ...

DanielM

Cool video. Thanks for posting. I suspect with 17 boats and 34 motors in the fleet, their shop is going to become quite proficient at routine maintenance and repair. They will quickly learn which parts to warehouse onsite. I would bet that they will be the best running group of Volvos just about any...

DanielM

Sounds like a blast Mike.

If you talk to Trey tell him hi for me. He probably wouldn’t remember me, but I sold him a flybridge for ‘Bad Habit’ off of my B25 when I was getting rid of it many moons ago.

DanielM

Good for your nephew. Most of the folks I know that fly truly have a passion for it.

Mike, how long have you been flying? I gather it’s a new plane. Is flying a relatively new hobby or have you been at it a while. Congratulations on your latest classic.

DanielM

Tony, I’ve always had the bug to learn as well. Flew with a friend in a Cessna 172 a few times when I was younger and thought about making the jump. However, I’ve tried multiple hobbies, and a couple different occupations, and one thing that was constant with me was that while I was generally reason...

DanielM

Jack I used ¾” Coosa board in my boat. It’s not a B31 and the back bulkhead in my boat does not provide any support to the flybridge. So I don’t know about the support needed in a B31, but it sounds like other guys have used it. My cabin is teak so we laminated teak veneer on the inside and decided ...

DanielM

She looks nice. Good looking picture with her at rest by the dock.

Funny thing I didn’t even notice there were a couple other boats in the picture until I scrolled through the pictures a second time.

DanielM

Carl,

He's had them on there with both engines. They've been on the boat as long as I've known him. I'll have to tell him to pop in and give you his impressions on the difference with the hp.

DanielM

EarleyBird, Howdy, No bullets whizzing by, as I don’t have an opinion to add, nor a dog in the race. I haven’t been offshore in John’s boat, just a few booze cruises, so I can’t really comment on how well the spray rails work personally. But I can give you an idea of the type of boating John does. H...

DanielM

Tony I talked with John today. We catch up pretty regularly. He said to tell the gang hi. He hasn’t logged on much the last couple of years. He’s just living the John Cranston life, which for you guys that know him.... ain’t too shabby. He’s still tearing up the fish every chance he gets. Pam switch...

DanielM

Rick,

Reel Cowboy is just as sharp looking today as 5 years ago. John fishes her regularly but keeps her in tip top condition. The bay boat is a Tran Sport XLR8 that John had the Tran’s customize her for his specific fishing needs.

He is defiantly a boat guy.

DanielM

Looking good. Looks like you can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

DanielM

Yannis, Thank you, she is and was a good looking boat, she is kind of forlorn looking now, but I’m looking forward to round 2 on her. Not the iconic lines of the B31 but not a bad looking boat. I don’t have any inside pics handy. Most of what I used to like to do revolved around being in the cockpit...

DanielM

Carl, I should have been more specific when I mentioned my “Frankenstein Cummins 24v 6BTs”. I have Cummins 6BTA engines in my Chris Craft 30’ Tournament Sport Fisherman but they say ‘DODGE’ on the valve covers. They are 2001/2002 24 valve engines out of Dodge trucks. In the early 2000s I had couple ...

DanielM

Yannis, I understood that it wasn’t your call, you were just stating the current direction in the EU. It’s the same here. The preference of most of society is being driven by the hard agenda of the few. Just my opinion. I think most if not all people want to be good stewards of this beautiful globe ...

DanielM

Pete, I’ve been looking as well and I can’t remember how many times I’ve seen adds that state a boat had NEW Cummins or Yanmars installed in 2001 or 2003…and they listed that as a selling point…..well OK… I understand the reliability of good quality diesels, but 20 years in a boat is 20 years in a b...

DanielM

The inlets you guys in the NE have to run are intense. I forget how spoiled I am. I went to Google earth and measured my local jetties and they stick out past the beach 2/3 a mile and are a little over 1100 ft between the jetties. And they spill out into the GOM. The benefit of working in a large in...

DanielM

Carl, I understand your point and it opens up the options. But there is something to be said for new motors with warranties and knowing the history and the upkeep of those motors. There is a good chance they’ll outlast Pete and his boys will be running them one day. No matter how clean the used ‘alr...

DanielM

Yannis, Thanks for the heads up. I work in the petro chemical industry. In the segment I work in it seems to me that the US regulations seemed to lag the European regulations by a few years, but the US would typically follow the EU. (This is a casual observation by a worker, not an environmental nor...

DanielM

Rick you could sell the chock to me. I could put it on my Chris Craft and fool my Chris Craft friends. Lol.

DanielM

Beautiful country. I took my kids through some of that area when they were in Elementary School 20-25 years ago, Every American should see Mount Rushmore. Awe inspiring. Sharp pictures of Devil’s Tower. It is impressive in person. I had heard through the grapevine you were roaming around out west in...

DanielM

Cool looking idea. You do a good job customizing your boat to your boating needs.

And good for you keeping your ageing friends boating. Enjoy your summer.

DanielM

Mike, Yes, the salt hurts them down here on the Gulf Coast as well, but not the issues you guys face in the winter I think. Ford could have done better there. That and the electric locks and window switches are pretty poor. But for a work truck I can’t really complain. The plan you laid out is what ...

DanielM

Todd

Epic slide show. That is one beautiful B42. Glad to see you enjoying it after all that work.

Good luck on the boat search.

DanielM

Mike, Was that F-250 yours? That truck looks just like my daily driver except mine is not 4 wheel drive and has about 170k more miles. I’ve owned it about 7 or 8 years, put 130k on it, and have been pretty happy with it. I had a lady in the neighborhood tell me that her daughter said “That man’s tru...

DanielM

Sounds like we have a lot of road trip folks here. Yannis, I live on the Texas coast (SE part of the state) and I grew up in the Texas panhandle (NW part of the state). When the kids were little we’d routinely drive 12 hours straight through one way to see the grandparents….and never leave the state...

DanielM

Kind of a little late, I’ve been away from the computer for several days which is a great thing.

A belated Merry Christmas and here’s wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

DanielM

Matt, Thank you for your efforts and expertise. It looks great and works well. I know you mentioned no need for cash reimbursement. Thanks, we can send that Bruce’s way for past and future costs. However, if you are ever down in Texas and want to spend some time on the water, you have an open invita...

DanielM

Rick, I think someone has mentioned it above, but could you hinge them with on the outboard side with the quick release pinned hinges? I have a a CC30 like Greg’s and mine pivots on the outboard edge. The couple Blackfin boats I’ve been on do as well. I don’t know if that would work on a B31. You ha...

DanielM

Congratulations. She turned out exceptional. Thanks for letting us follow along.

DanielM

I was able to meet Walter at one of the Greenport Rendezvous & he sent me a signed copy later. It’s one of the coolest things I’ve wound up with from hanging around the sandbox. It’s a heck of a cook book. Now I just need to learn to cook!

DanielM

Never forget!

DanielM

Rawleigh, Us Houston area folks dodged a bullet. I had some high tides at my shop on the creek and I think the barrier island had some flooding but by and large we did ok. I checked on Cranston before the storm and he was doing well. I’m pretty sure Scott is over in Port Arthur and they would have g...

DanielM

Hydroracer, Sorry if I hit a nerve, was not my intent, just offering my thoughts. You make a point, and we can all use a little redirection on occasion. Even though this is the ‘mean team’ it’s usually a pretty civil place. Like you mentioned, there are bigger worries in the world and this is just a...

DanielM

Beautiful pictures.

DanielM

HydroRacer, Other than some posts on this website I wouldn’t know Bob from Adam, and I‘m sure he’d be hard pressed to pick me out of a crowd. But I sat at the dinette on his boat Phoenix at the Greenport Rendezvous several years ago and he told me in detail about the wood work on his boat and went t...

DanielM

Yep Tony, you’re right. It’s all about where their food is. I’m a diver and have spent a fair amount of time in the water over the years, I get a little uncomfortable when there is a lot of bait present, or a bleeding red snapper on the end of my spear. Other than that, not too much. Peter glad you ...

DanielM

Tony I don’t know how shallow is too shallow for a shark but we have had one come into a cut we were wade fishing in Matagorda bay that was probably only about 12” deep. The top of his back was out of the water and my buddy was pretty sure his belly was close to dragging. He didn’t stay long, he was...

DanielM

She used to stay down in Key Colony Beach in the Keys for a few years. The boat was called Gator Ray back then. I kayaked by it a couple times on the canal where it was berthed, she was (and still is) a beautiful boat. Bruce you and Capt. Pat knocked it out of the park on that one. The ad said the r...

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