B25, B26 or B28 is the question

[Todd Pearce]

HI, thanks for reading this and for all answers and advice given
Iam thinking about adding a day boat to my boat collection,( don`t tell the wife she will shoot me!!) < but i know very little about the evolution of the 25/26 boats, A 28 is a possibility but i think i`am more a 25/26 guy, so can anyone please give me the the back story to these models , there ups n downs ,pros n cons,i ve read somewhere early 25s had F/glass stringers and bearers, is this the model to pick on because it wont have gone rotten?,all these questions and more i suspect!! I really want a fly bridge model, i love the look of the riva 25, but suspect they are hard to find and expensive, i would love some advice around power, ,balance and speed of the outboard conversion verses the inboard etc, if i stayed inboard id probably go high performance diesel, and if outboard is a single 300/350 enough? id trade speed for money if it made sense in the big picture, I know its all been done before, and i know you are the guys that did it, and to those who followed my B42 project, the answer is yes, i am going all in and it will be a full resto, but very much a classic feel, not trying to modernize, more going for the Riva look with lots of mahogany and chrome
I look forward to your thoughts and comments

[Yannis]

Todd,

You're right. Limit the discussion to the 25/26. The 28 is a much bigger boat and, to me at least, it would be too much of a hassle as a day boat. Good luck.

[Rocket]

Todd, the 25 and 26 are quite different boats. I don't know too much about the 26' hulls except that I have seen them with both straight shafts and with factory outboards. Sexy looking boats with very clean lines.

The 25 is a Ray Hunt design and the 26 I believe was by Napier who also penned the 28. The 25 Fly bridge sportfish came in two configurations in North America - stern drive and V-drive as well as an open boat (Moppie) , a hard top(Sedan) a Bahia Mar (cuddy cabin) and an Express . I have both an Express and a V-Drive FBSF in "unrestored" condition (read major project boats).

I ran the V-drive with twin 318s for quite a few years before I sold it to a friend who also ran it until the original motors and transmissions gave up the ghost. Fantastic boats particularly in a following sea. The boat feels bigger than it is in part due to the wide (10'6") beam but also because the boats a really solid. With the 318s she cruised beautifully at 36 Knots and more economically at 28 Knots, still moving right along.

My intention is to restore one of them with a high horsepower V-8 mid-mounted running a jack shaft to a duo-prop stern drive. I plan to do a fairly custom deck layout so I will likely use the express as it is not the prettiest boat that Bertram ever produced.

I don't know how the sizes translate to the Australian built under license Bertrams, the way to recognize the Hunt hulls is that the "v" is fairly rounded at the stern in the innermost strakes end well before the transom. I can send you pictures if you like, the boats are on the hard nearby.

[Yannis]

Todd, attention attention,

These are Hunt guys, they are not Napier people, they are not the people of the BERTRAM MOST SOLD, the 28.
A better boat the 28 in general, but these are Hunt guys....

[Rocket]

Yannis, guilty as charged! I even own a Hunt 18 (built by O’Day) and a Hunt 14 (also by O’Day) as well as a Bertram 20’ and a 16’ Hunt designed Grampian. So my bias is disclosed for all to see! Even worse, I am also a sailor, but certainly not in the league of the great C. Raymond Hunt!

Yo fren’

Rod

[Tony Meola]

Yannis

You are too funny.

Todd

I cannot speak to the 26, never seen one up close or known anyone who owned one. I can tell you the 25 is a tank and due to the design, it is open to a multitude of customizations. Shame Joe just sold his Fly Bridge not too long ago when he moved south.

I agree with Yannis (shocker) the 28 is too big for a day boat. Depending on what you want to do with it, you may want something more open like the express or Bahis Mar style. I have seen some great conversions with a center console and the Cuddy Cabin.

If I were doing one, I would ditch the outdrive if it comes with one and stick outboards on one using a bracket or go with Rockets idea. A small diesel would work in one also. Again, depends on what you want and how much you want to take on.

In case your wife finds out, who are going to leave the 42 too? I am sure someone here would help you out on that one. LOL

[Yannis]

A well taken care-of 25, next to my 28 this summer.
A Riva version, a Ray Hunt design, the 26 is a Napier design.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/191620136 ... res/5g6hsS

Rod,

There should exist some medicine for that disease,right? LOL!!!

[Joseph Fikentscher]

Well, I loved my 25. 318 Chryslers with V-Drives. Great sea boat. Never used the lower station so I removed it. Sad that I had to sell it. I'll get another someday.