Story time

[TwoCoconuts]

I was reading through some posts trying to figure out how the b31 could get up on plane easier and came across some people telling stories about their b31 in heavy seas. Was really cool to read. One guy said he hit a wave so hard it broke the strike plate on the cabin door. Anyone have cool stories of driving their Bertram 31 in heavy seas?

[Carl]

I've only launched my boat once...

Small tuna were not far offshore and my buddy wanted to go as did my wife, we talked his wife into coming as well. The report called for 2-3's which didn't bother me but as we went across the bay we were already in a good chop. The spacing was right to keep the boat going at a good clip and I did.

Sandy Hook is where the Raritan Bay meets the ocean and is also the mouth of a small river, at times the seas can get a bit interesting there, this time was no exception. I'm running at a good clip, my friend is standing next to me and our wives are sitting in deck chairs right behind the motors talking away. I guess we both missed seeing a swell as it was too late to motor down and the boat just flew...seeing the trough way down we braced expecting to pound but the boat just parted the seas as it landed. Huge walls of water were put out to the sides...my buddy looked at me, I looked at him as I brought down the speed to a slower pace and said wow. The ladies never missed a beat, never noticed we launched and how we landed.

We continued out, got some nice fish and the ride back was long and tough having to tack the swell back and forth to make headway. Going up the backs was getting me nowhere, plus dangerous as all I could see was sky...not good in ship lanes or with other boats.

[neil]

Carl we came one day v is the sound from greenport needless to say crossing over roamers shovels was no fun two yrs ago be came home on the outside it was say six foot,only in a bertram

[Rocket]

I was in my 25' Sportfish coming out of English Bay in Vancouver. My wife and I were heading to Saltspring Island across Georgia Straight about 25 miles away. The big high was building and it was BLOWING from the west, hot sunny and steep seas. We came into the westerly in big seas and had to throttle right back. Coco said "are you sure we should be doing this?" I replied that we had a number of options, the North Arm, the South Arm, Porlier Pass, Active Pass - we can back out any time we stop having fun. Well, we pretty much had no fun until we made the Bellbouy , said Hi to my dad whose ashes are spread there and headed south. As the sea came on the beam we were able to throttle up and make some decent way, probably 2,600 rpm on the Chrysler 318s . We surf/slewed our way past Spanish Banks and as we came to the North Arm Jetty I asked her if we should turn into the river or keep going, the next option is 10 miles away and we are running on a lee shore. She said," no, I'm good." So we carried on and the wind and waves became more abeam and even backing to the starboard quarter, we bumped up the RPM and started surfing. It is then we noticed that there was no other traffic. The Cruise ships had stopped, the freighters had stopped, there we no crab boats or fish boats, we were really on our own. As we rounded the South Arm Fraser River Lightship buoy I again asked if she had had enough. "No, I am good, this feels okay" . Our next option was Porlier or Active Pass, due to the wind and wave direction, I opted for Active, even though it was quite a bit farther. The next 45 minutes were about as much fun as a guy can have while driving a boat. We cranked it up to 4,200 Rpm, doing around 34 Knots in a giant following sea, blasting off waves, the boat riding off the crests and landing on the back of the wave ahead shooting spray abeam - amazing how much more buoyant the bow becomes the deeper you stuff it into a wave. Once we got to Active Pass and into the Gulf Islands the ride was simple and we were at Ganges Harbour, exhausted and exhilarated and ready for a drink! I have been addicted to Bertram/Hunt hulls ever since!

[Tony Meola]

Two cov donuts

That strike plate story might have been me. Actually it was starting the second year we owned the boat. The boat wasn't even a year old. It was going out Barnagat inlet back in the day when we should have known better. Our friend was ahead of us and he went through with his 31.

I decided to close the cabin door in case things went south anff we took on any water I figured I could contain to a given area until we could right the ship.

We hit the breaker coming in on the outer bar and the boat must have taken such a twist the strike plate cracked.

I should have kept the dam thing to remind me in the future to turn around and go back to bed.

Dam inlet never calmed down and we had to deal with it coming in, but that was easy compared to going out.

[EarleyBird]

Here’s one of several after 35 years of ownership. Coming home from the Hudson Canyon 67 Togo to Manasquan, with a bunch of Yellowfins in my cabin port side fish box. Blowing 20-25 NE. My two best buddies (brothers) running the boat, I’m sitting on fish box drinking a Heineken. We come off the top of one doing around 18 knots and there was nothing on the backside of this wave. Buried the bow, blew out the enclosure, cracked the bridge windshield and deflector. The one behind us comes over the transom and puts 6-8” of water up into the “V” Berth. I jump up, throw the bottle out the door, put all 3 bilge pumps on manual. I yell to to Jimmy slow her down and try to stay on the backside of the wave. Get a roll of duct tape out. Tape both windshields together as best as possible. Remove the center eisenglass piece and tape the two outboard pieces to the hard top legs. Check the bilges, shut off pumps and continue on. I say to both my buddies next time you might want to pull em’ back a couple hundred if it happens again. Away we go a tad slower and grab another Heineken.

Another trip after a Hurricane launched her heading Offshore in a big easterly swell, and she landed on the starboard outer chine. She snapped back, cracked the starboard antennae extension. Duct tape again and away we went.

There are others but don’t want to bore ya! EarleyBird

[Yannis]

Bottom line: Always carry enough duct tape and Heinekens! Lol!

[Carl]

Bottom line: Always carry enough duct tape and Heinekens! Lol!

add bungee cords and tie wraps to that list.