Interior setup

[ClarenceCraig]

Hello everybody!

How do you set up your Bertram interior? What style are you chasing after? I’m planning on customizing the interior of mine so I want to reach out for more ideas and inspiration. Looking forward to seeing some wonderful options here.

[Ironworker]

Clarence,

Welcome to the B31 forum!



I'm in the process, hopefully the end process of rebuilding my 31. My renovation is from the hull up, bow to stern. My boat is a purpose built boat. It will live in S. Florida and the Bahamas primarily for offshore fishing. We originally had planned on just a day boat but decided to design her for extended overnights in rather remote areas. I widened my flybridge by 16" or so and all my electrical distribution and electronics will live above the cabin ceiling and underneath the flybridge, now known as the Electrical Closet.

Regarding my interior, I replaced and relocated both my engine bulkhead and the forward cabin bulkhead. I currently have 9'-0" clear bulkhead to bulkhead in the cabin. On the port side, I'm installing a combination two drawer freezer/fridge (adjacent to the engine BH), a built-in sofa with lockable rod storage. The seating wraps around the opening of the V-berth to the STB side. The middle section of the seating is removable to access the V berth. The seat on the STB side is fairly good sized (my GF refers to that as the make out corner).

Also on the starboard side is a sink with an Air conditioning underneath, then a 48" stainless tool chest for storage located adjacent to the engine bulkhead. We primed portions of the cabin this morning but I'll get you a a couple of pics when we get it cleaned up.

I needed a large fish box so we built one under the floor of the cabin. There is a pic posted here on the B31 forum.

I pushed the chain locker BH forward as well so the V berth will sleep two and there is room to sleep two in the cabin maybe three with an extension to the sofa to make it into a double bed. I"m 6' 2" so I needed the extra room to sleep comfortably.

All my furniture is constructed of Coosa BW26 with epoxy putty and tabbing (NO screws). I expect to have final paint in the cabin in the next two weeks and the trim mahogany completed shortly thereafter.

[PeterPalmieri]

My boat does not have a make out corner, sounds essential.

[Bruce]

I've done a bunch of 31's and the interiors from resurrecting stock interiors to complete custom.

Depending on if you are doing family stuff and trips and need sleeping arrangements or a couple some have done:

The elimination of dinette table and seating to a bench type seating and storage underneath.
Elimination of front window and install cabinets.
Elimination of vberth lockers and bulkheads down to berthe level for a more open plan. This depends on weather you have a lower station or not as to what you do.

Curved door on head if you have seperate head from vberth.

Relocate electrical panel over head cabin with storage.

It all depends on which model 31 you have and what is your usage.

[SteveM]

The more time that goes by, the more I appreciate all the stock interior layouts that were well thought out by the original designers. These were likely long term professionals in the field that had many more hours dreaming this stuff up than I ever will. Admittedly, I am a purist and my 31 is still somewhat all original. I enjoy the dinette table and use it regularly as well as the option to lower it into a bed for overnight trips. I have a 2nd helm below and no stand up head (stand up head may be nice at times, especially for guests). I have the small kitchen countertop with sink and a fridge under the counter, all original and still working. However, I don't use the fridge simply because you have to be plugged into shore power to use it. I have recently looked into the newer fridges that can operate on both AC and DC power, yet I still wonder if I'll use it much. If anyone has used these dual powered fridges, I'd like to hear your experience and if they work well.

[Snipe]

I change my layout to open it up some and love it. Removed the starboard side closet.Moved the head forward on starboard side made it smaller. The aft windows were made larger and you now can see out to the cockpit without the head in the way. Removed some of the port side forward dash to open up the v berth. Cut down port side hanging cabinet to be used like a side table. Removed table and seats made a bench with fold up back to be used as a bunk. Built in cabinets on starboard side from engine bulked to the head wall. Raised the step down to the v berth so the cabin sole is all level. Raised the forward ceiling height in the cabin up into the flybridge.

[Carl]

However, I don't use the fridge simply because you have to be plugged into shore power to use it. I have recently looked into the newer fridges that can operate on both AC and DC power, yet I still wonder if I'll use it much. If anyone has used these dual powered fridges, I'd like to hear your experience and if they work well.

Dual power work great and has been out on the market for many many moons.


Down side and why I have AC only...

First I needed one ASAP, we bought our boat with the Original Ice Box. My wife wanted a Fridge for when we went away...and that was a couple weeks after we bought the boat.

Second was price...An AC fridge was less than $100 bucks 24 years ago, The AC/DC was easily 4 or 5 times that.

Third the Sears Fridge fit right in...plus made it through the cabin door. The AC/DC needed some alterations to get into the cabin and then to fit in the original space.

LAST was a semi-issue. Fridges take power when they need it if left on.
I've been on a couple of boats that had the batteries drawn down pretty far when at the beach or long hours on the hook or drift. It truly sucks to turn the key and hear a click click as the battery does not have the juice to turn the starter. Yes, house battery, parallel, shut fridge, start motors to charge battery etc... Or keep simple and not have a DC fridge.



Or or...what I did.
I have an inverter. IF and when I want to chill the fridge some, I flip on the inverter with a motor running and give the fridge a re-chill. In truth, if the fridge is well stocked it stays cold at least a good 6 hours. But a half hour or so with inverter on usually brings it close to full chill, but rarely needed. I used put it on when sharking and then trolling back a bit through the grounds before running home or a long day at the beach I like to run the motors a bit to make sure batteries are happy...so flipped the inverter on too.


I bought that fridge 24 years ago for less than a $100 with a 3 year warranty. I figured it would only last that long in a saltwater environment so for $100 bucks I'd get at least 5 years. Its still working just fine.

[SteveM]

Carl, good thoughts on draining the battery. I could see that happening, even on a day trip. ICE ICE BABY for my day trips still seems to be the best thing. And beer tastes so much better while setting in ice.

[Snipe]

I kept the boat as simple as possible. My solution to a fridge was a cooler pullout! We were only in for about a month but it worked great.

[MarkD]

Jason:

Your son camping on the hard makes all that hard work worthwhile!

Mark

[SteveM]

Snipe the idea of putting cooler in that space is a good one. Curious if that slide out hardware will hold the weight, but it's a great idea. Low Tech, no nonsense, easy clean up.

[Ironworker]

Jason,

With posting your pics are you just changing the dl=0 to raw=1? For some reason, I can't get an image in the post.

Iron worker,

Here is a pic from one of your past posts as a link or if you want it to open in a post add the img tag at the beginning and close tag at the end, I posted in your post so you can go into edit and see what I did.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/seuiyk7hrlbk1 ... .jpg?raw=1

[Amberjack]

Clarence-How long have you had the boat? If it’s fairly new to you I’d recommend tuning it up and using it for a while before taking on any major changes. Perceptions change after living the life of a B31 for a season or two.

I’m a big fan of ice boxes. We have a diesel range where most have refrigerators and an ice chest that lives in the cockpit back against the transom. It provides plenty of storage capacity and a load of ice will last five days. And as Steve said, beer tastes better from the ice.

All these decisions depend on how you will be using the boat. There isn’t a lot of fishing around Seattle so my wife and I use the boat for cruising around British Columbia for 3-4 weeks at a time. Our needs are different from someone fishing with the guys or social boating with occasional overnights.

[Carl]

Carl, good thoughts on draining the battery. I could see that happening, even on a day trip. ICE ICE BABY for my day trips still seems to be the best thing. And beer tastes so much better while setting in ice.

I agree ICE can be the best At TIMES, but you have to have the ICE, Bring the Ice, Keep the ICE, and Replenish The ICE.

Fridge with shore Power is great when going down to the boat on short notice and being able to have a cold drink, water, beer or otherwise. AC/DC won't be of much help if your boat is without power.
Now if no shore power and in a SUNNY location I'd consider Solar panels. I'm not sure you could chill a fridge of warm stuff with solar, BUT keeping a fridge cool may be more than possible. Bring chilled stuff would be best, run motors to establish a chill then run fridge off HOUSE DEEP cycle batteries charged with Solar Panels. At best its a small fridge and an ICE Chest for days out may be best...aside from having both.

My additional .02

[PeterPalmieri]

My opinion, Snipes layout like many of the charter boats. Moving the head forward if you glass in the windows helps take advantage of the remaining windows.

That being said I like the head being in the vberth on a day boat to get 360 degree views. My wife doesn’t agree so I’m comfortable keeping the stock layout. It’s worked well for all these years and seems to be more of a discussion away from the boat (dreaming). When we are actually on the boat nobody ever complains or wishes for a better layout.

As for refrigeration we bring an iced down 5 gallon Gatorade jug with filtered water from home (we are boring and all just drink water). Pack out an Engle soft cooler with prepared food and ice packs. Raw meats and longer term food storage can go in a small yeti that doubles as a step for boarding or to get up on the bridge, we’ve kept raw meat in it for 3-4 days. For fishing trips we can fill a large igloo and large fish bag with ice from the gas dock.

This allows us to throw everything on the boat and go, works for us and with all we are doing. Using valuable storage space for a refrigerator or generator doesn’t make sense for us. I can imagine if you like hanging around the dock tethered to shore power or go on a lot of multi night trips you think we are nuts.

[Carl]

I can imagine if you like hanging around the dock tethered to shore power or go on a lot of multi night trips you think we are nuts.

We have boats, we are ALL NUTS!

That said, I know for me our boat is kinda set up for the way we use it.

Stop down to check the boat can lead to a short ride that morphs into fishing seeing a bunch of birds working and goes into a sunset drift.

Other times, the check out the boat becomes a howdy cruise or last-minute ride to a dock n dine with friends...nice to be able to offer a chilled beverage, be it water, seltzer, glass of wine or... Other times the "check the boat" becomes entangled in being a dock potato yacking with the neighbors.

And then on occasion, I decide the dock power is foolproof leaving a package of bait in the freezer for those last-minute, let's go fish ideas. Nice to have and not try to find an open bait store...


I guess it's like - are you camping in a tent where everything has to be brought and/or kept OR camping in your cabin where some creature comforts and staples can be left till the next visit.



One thought Peter....Head up front...umm, the 360 views sounds nice, but I'd think that can get pretty messy.

[Bruce]

Iron worker,

Here is a pic from one of your past posts as a link or if you want it to open in a post add the img tag at the beginning and close tag at the end,

https://www.dropbox.com/s/seuiyk7hrlbk1 ... .jpg?raw=1

[Snipe]

Mark my son loved to come hang out in the boat while I worked it was cool to see his reaction when we went in he was so excited. Rick I use imguru to post pictures I followed directions of a post on here how to post pictures. Pretty easy once you get the hang of it.

[Ironworker]

Thanks for the pic posting suggestions. I'm doing it the same way but dropbox is adding some different stuff. I'll try to fix tonight.

Thanks. I figured it out. My iphone saves photos in the HEIC format. I had been emailing them to myself then saving to dropbox and posting to B31. The process of emailing changed them to JPG with B31 supports. The latest batch of photos I just sent directly to dropbox via the app which kept them as HEIC.

Now I just need to convert the to JPG and I'm good to go. I hate computers.

[Tony Meola]

If you really are in a bind, an 8 lb bag of ice stuck in the fridge will keep everything cold. In fact you can go smaller for just a day trip.

[Ironworker]

I did a fair amount of research on various Fridge/Freezer units and Air conditioners. The old school though is to have a generator for AC and have AC Fridge/Freezers and air conditioners. I decided to go the all DC route. I bought a Vitrifrigo DRW180A fridge/freezer unit (can run on 12/24 VDC and 120/240 VAC and a Mabru 12volt AC.

They will be connected to the lithium battery bank, which will be charged through the Invertor Charger. It simplifies a lot of wiring, lot less maintenance and quiet. This is something new for our 50 year old boats.