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Hi My name is Chris, I am from Queensland Australia. I bought this old Bertram 20 Bahia Mar with an aluminium outboard pod 2 years ago. It was in really bad shape with a wet transom and the floor had lifted from the stringers. The gel coat was pitted like a cheese grater like nothing I had ever seen before,but what a great shaped boat. I did some research after I bought it and found how well they are rated in America. I decided it was worth saving and decided to tackle the project myself. I had replaced a couple of boat floors over the years but never replaced a transom or stringers. I decided to use west system epoxy. So far I have the transom in and glassed, new stringers in and new floor, foam filled and glassed in. I gave the outside a very light sandblast due to the condition of the gel coat. I have completed all of the external glass and sprayed the sides with 2 pac epoxy primer. Then I had to fill with epoxy and micro beads for fairing, fair the sides and epoxy primer again ready for wet rubbing. I started in October and have just started fairing the deck and inside. I have heaps of questions I would like answered from experienced Bertram owners. I will try work out how to add photos. How do I add Jpg images?

Welcome aboard

Instructions on posting photos.
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Welcome, Chris; you've come to the right place. My brother restored a 1969 B-20 Sportsman (center console) with great results. Ian is our resident expert on B-20 restorations, as he has been down that road numerous times.

Thank you for the upload information Peter.This was taken in October. I would like to find out the year it was built. The guy I bought this off was convinced it was mid 1990s (no idea), he knew it was a Bertram and that was it, I tried to tell him I thought it was built somewhere in the late sixties. I found the ID plate on the bulk head, I will list the numbers when I come back from the shed today.

Chris W,
Welcome to the board, judging by the condition of the hull sides, bottom and transom I would say the boat is in the late 1960's vintage. If you find any numbers they are usually fiber glassed near the inside transom to starboard, if not look up under the port V berth bunk seat on the outer hull. If the boat was made after November of 1972 there should be a number engraved into the starboard transom. Check out Ian Upton's project Bahia Mar pictures are on this page under the heading got color.
Pete Fallon

Thanks for the information Pete, there were no numbers on the original transom or on the inner hull.





I hope the proposed lay out for weight distribution is correct with the extra flotation from the outboard pod. When I bought it there was a 220 litre fuel tank aft where the inboard was mounted, and storage mid ships. I have set it up with the original size flotation forward then a storage box a 500 litre fuel tank and batteries mounted behind rear bulk head.

Battery Holders

Chris

Thanks for posting. Ian knows better, but I think the 20s were only made for a few years, with 1969 being the last year of production. Best riding 20 made. They're great boats.

John

Moving the fuel forward is the right thing to do. 500 litres is alot of fuel, so if the tank can be centred over the centre of balance, then your trim will be unaffected by your fuel load, which is desirable. I set my 400 litre tank with the aft end approximately where the aft end of the original 200 litre tank was. I think I could have moved it forward another 30 to 45 cm to improve the trim at rest, although I like the way she re-enters if launched off a large wave, the aft end always strikes the water first, making for a gentle landing. Looking great, it is very satisfying to rip out all that wet foam!

Do you plan on re-foaming her?

Welcome. You have come to the right place.

Looks like you have a lot of new wood in there. Before you close her up, make sure you seal it well. Mixing about 10% of denatured alcohol with the west epoxy, will allow the wood to soak up the epoxy.

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 I mentioned I don't know what to tell you, any paperwork from previous owners with hull numbers on it? The last year of the 20' Bertram production was in early 1970. Also does anyone out there have a lead on where one of my clients can get a windshield for a 1969 Bahia Mar or just the frame will work? Capt. Patrick or Tommy Drake do you know if Richard Sabatini is still alive he was in North Carolina somewhere, I had his telephone number but miss placed it, another guy is looking for the original Bertram eagle emblems, name plates and numbers.
Pete Fallon

I see the space you left under the battery box cross member but I don't see any similar space or limber holes in the "white compartment". That will prevent you from dewatering that compartment...

Chris, hi and welcome,

I don't know how tall you are or if you ever plan to take occasional naps in the cabin, but I think now is the moment to expand the v-berth so that you can fit without having to take that "8" shape while you sleep !

Yannis.

Chris - looking good. I fondly remember that same transom shot where it looks like it was hit with a shotgun.

I have been through this boat... any questions I will try to help.

Ian.

Thank you for the views and feed back. I don't plan on sleeping in the cabin it will be used for gear storage, Its very warm here in sunny Queensland Australia and we usually sleep on the floor. The stringers and bulk heads were soaked with everdure and glassed before installation, I then glassed the lot in (taxing on the body).The white box is storage and has a bung in the bottom and there is drainage under from front to back. I have re-foamed and have the new floor in and glassed, committed to the lay out before joining this site (pity). I am thinking now I should have moved the tank a lot further forward. With the added flotation of the outboard pod, I thought if I put fuel in the original position and where the weight of the original engine was it should sit with the same trim. The boat has moved along a fair way since October, I am currently fairing deck and cabin top, sides and transom are in primer ready to wet rub. I have the ID plate from the helm position and will post numbers to see if any one can identify the year of manufacture. Interesting they were only manufactured for a few years, There must not have been many exported to Australia. I almost sold her before I started the restoration, weighing up should I just buy something ready to go fishing, now I am almost finished with the itchy stuff and very happy I didn't. The pictures of Ian's boat have given me the final amount of inspiration required to push on hard. Rub Rub and Rub some more.