Thinking of buying my first Bertram

[SwflBrad]

Hello, my name is Brad, I live in Fort Myers, I’ve been admiring Bertram 31’s for a while now and I am thinking of purchasing a project hull to restore. I’m not shy of tools, wood or foam core, and fiberglass and epoxy. I can get it done and properly. If I can find an affordable candidate I would like to have a flybridge model, or if the hull I find is cheap enough and needs to be gutted down to the stringers I will convert it to a fisharound style with a short tower and outboards similar to daytrips 28 if your familiar.

The only problem is, I’ve never placed a foot on the deck of one to be sure it’s what I want. Is there anyone in swfl who might be willing to take a guy for a ride or even just let me walk the boat dry docked? I’ll bring the beer, buy lunch, fuel, whatever it takes. I just want to be sure it’s what I want before investing. Anywhere from Tampa to Marco island would be within driving distance for me.

Thanks guys.

Also let me know if you know of a cheap hull. I did see the post about the two hulls I believe were in New York, I will try to reach out to the poster for details.

[Carl]

They are great boats…


If I heard you correct you want to pay more for the premium flybridge model, then rip the bridge off to turn it into a walk around with tower.

Maybe open your horizons to any 31, then do what you want with it. All the hulls are pretty much the same with earlier being a bit heavier and different strake designs. It’s just the upper part that changes and your pretty much planning to remove all that off too.

[SwflBrad]

No, sorry, maybe I miss spoke, I prefer a flybridge, but if I can not find one reasonably priced, any hull that can be/needs to be gutted would suffice for my secondary plan of the fish around with tower. So basically I’m open to anything priced right.

I edited/added “or” between my wishes for hulls.

[SwflBrad]

At this stage, I’ve just been drooling over them via photos and from afar when passing one docked while on my way out fishing etc. I need to get on one to feel the size and possible feel the ride.

[Ironworker]

Spend a lot of time reading this forum and look at a lot of pics. Many boats have been heavily modified. When you think you know what you want then make a pilgrimage to Bertram Heaven to see some really fine boats.

Also if you look there is a sticky in this forum with a B31 for sale

[Carl]

Brad - - sorry I dove right in and forgot to welcome you aboard.

Welcome to the sight, lots of great info to be had here as well as a great group of people.


Definitely try to get out on one, it’s a bit of a travel…but if in Staten Island your more than welcome to come out on mine for a ride.


Things you will notice…

They are huge in the cockpit, tight on the creature comforts. Storage isn’t.

The ride is extremely stable with deep vee, but drifting….hold on as it is a deep v…can you say Rock n Roll.

The ride can also be quite wet as there is hardly any bow flare, the bow just parts the waves sending water up and out.

With these hulls and good motors your getting out and back with confidence, the boat can take more then most people can handle.

Pounding in seas…not with a 31.

Being a deep vee…they use more fuel. It’s a trade off, more in the water to be pushed out of the way, more power to get and stay up on plane. But for that you get the Bertram ride…

[SwflBrad]

Thank you for the welcome, with my restoration plan I will hopefully add the comforts of new boats which have, like new trucks, moved away from “working class” to “luxury.” I have already gotten the approval from my wife for a seakeeper, though this will probably be the last part of the budget as a seakeeper2 costs about 25k. The seakeeper 1 is 15k but may not have enough oomph to get the job done. This boat will primarily serve as a family day trip boat so the cabin will be plush and nice seats on top of the motor hoods for my wife to have a nice comfortable ride lounging.

I have been searching on the idea of adding spray rails to help knock down the wet ride a little. I read here someone has done it and said they work well, others are skeptical. I know it’s blasphemy but if I buy a hull without motors, or motors that are scrap, I will most likely build the transom and add an outboard bracket. Here in south Florida, it’s all about big outboards. People skip right over inboard, I/O boats when looking to purchase boats. With outboards comes speed and the bow will raise while running bringing the spray back towards the rear 1/3 of the hull. I also thought about maybe extending the toe kick on the gunnels outward maybe two inches so that any spray riding up the side of the hull will get directed outwards. Lots of ideas, more searching to do.

Don’t hate me for loving outboards lol, can’t beat the efficiency.

[SwflBrad]

I’d like verification, the hulls are solid glass correct? bottoms and side? Only wood was used for stringers, bulkheads, decks?

[Tony Meola]

I’d like verification, the hulls are solid glass correct? bottoms and side? Only wood was used for stringers, bulkheads, decks?

That is correct. Hulls are solid glass. The stringers are covered in glass and even if the wood inside is shot, the design of the stringer still makes the stringer solid.

All bulkheads are wood and usually you find that usually there are two bulkheads that might need some work. The one behind the engines tends to rot, and then on the Fly Bridge cruiser there may be some rot in the door area.

By now, the majority of the old plywood decks have either been glassed over or replaced with a Fiberglass deck.

[mike ohlstein]

You should go see Targeted Spices. Look up Kip Creed on this site and PM him.

[SwflBrad]

Wow, 1 mpg fuel burn on that boat, ouch. To get to deep water on the gulf side, it’s about 100 miles to pulley ridge. This would only be a once or twice a year trip, but that’s a lot of coin in fuel.

Who has the most economic fuel burn and can cruise at at least 26 knots?

[mike ohlstein]

Bob Lico

[SwflBrad]

Hmm seems the boat I found with outboards at 1mpg was not “Targeted species” anyone know of his fuel burn? I saw pics on Google.

[Tony Meola]

http://bertram31.com/newbb/memberlist.p ... file&u=134

Send Kipp a PM. If he is still around he will answer you.

[Tony Meola]

If you want good fuel burn and 26 knots then think diesels to get that guaranteed. Kipp lightened up that boat so it should fly and get good fuel mileage.