Another Coonass 31

jackryan · Post by **jackryan** » Mar 31st, '09, 22:48

After years of harassing brokers, out of town junkets and trying to run down every obscure lead on a 31' Bertram, I finally bought one. Hard to believe, I actually bought it right here in New Orleans at an auction a couple of weeks ago. Here are the details: 1978 31' Sportfisherman with a retrofit bulkhead. 2005 240 hp 4LHA-STP Yanmars with 156 Hours. 4.0 KW MASE generator with 80 hours. 16,000 BTU reverse cycle A/C Heat. Garmin 2010 Plotter/Bottom finder. Simrad Autopilot. Furuno Radar and lots more. To put it mildly, I'm extremely fired up. My wife was fired up at first, but now that I have spent 3 to 4 hours on the boat every day that I'm not at work, she's not quite as fired up as she was.

I want to thank Uncle Vic for all of the help he has given me over the years. He's answered lots of questions about lots of boats without hesitation. I've already done a lot to the boat, and I have lots of questions for the experts on the site, but I'll wait and ask those one at time. I'll try to post a few pictures.

John Ryan

[img]http://picasaweb.google.com/billegood/3 ... 5577901698[/img][img]http://picasaweb.google.com/billegood/3 ... 6008525378[/img][img]http://picasaweb.google.com/billegood/3 ... 3181291778[/img]

jackryan · Post by **jackryan** » Mar 31st, '09, 22:53

Looks like my images did not post. Here's a link to a slide show of photos that a buddy of mine and his son took on the boat:

http://picasaweb.google.com/billegood/3 ... #slideshow

Hope that works.

John Ryan

mike ohlstein · Post by **mike ohlstein** » Mar 31st, '09, 23:49

Nice!

Buju · Post by **Buju** » Apr 1st, '09, 03:16

Wow, really clean looking John. Congratulations!

She's a beauty, of course the wife is jealous... Just get her out on the boat and she'll be back on your side.

Charlie J · Post by **Charlie J** » Apr 1st, '09, 05:48

very nice john, best of luck with her

jspiezio · Post by **jspiezio** » Apr 1st, '09, 06:11

Best of luck, she looks great

Brewster Minton · Post by **Brewster Minton** » Apr 1st, '09, 06:32

The boy looks happy with his new boat.

Harry Babb · Post by **Harry Babb** » Apr 1st, '09, 07:22

You did good.......real good! ! !

I have always liked the front shots from across the marina.......looks like a Low, Sleek, Battlewagon ! ! !

Congratulations

Harry

randall · Post by **randall** » Apr 1st, '09, 08:22

my favorite configuration of a 31....good luck!!

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Apr 1st, '09, 08:29

really great way to start bertram ownership but the best part of the purchase is to have a son to share it with.i could not think of a better way for a boy to grow up than to have him say "my dad has a 31 bertram"to his friends.!!!

AndreF · Post by **AndreF** » Apr 1st, '09, 08:32

Looks great, John, congratulations. Hope to see you on the water.

Capt. DQ · Post by **Capt. DQ** » Apr 1st, '09, 09:37

Congrats John, You and the family are going to enjoy it. Looks great.

DQ

jackryan · Post by **jackryan** » Apr 1st, '09, 10:10

Thanks Guy's. I plan on keeping SNAFU slipped here in New Orleans for a couple of months while I do some work on her, then go down to Venice/Port Eads this summer for some billfishing. I'll keep you posted on the progress. I'm trying to decide if I fish her for a season or two with the current paint or haul and paint now.

JR

Kevin · Post by **Kevin** » Apr 1st, '09, 10:45

Congrats on the new boat.
I did some work on mine before I actually used it. I wished I had used it for a few months before starting the projects. I spent 6 months at the boat yard wishing I knew what I had. Use it first just in case the paint takes longer than expected. Thats what I would do if I were doing it all over again. Just my .02

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Apr 1st, '09, 11:14

I fully understand the reasoning behind getting the boat 100% before you get to using it.

But my thought is the best part about a Bertram is using it. Get the family out on it as much as possible, use it whenever you can and then start to knock off items on that upgrade list in the off seasons.

Plus you get to learn the ins and outs of her without having to worry about that flawless paint job.

Just my two cents.

Looks real good, welcome to the club and best of luck with her!

Buju · Post by **Buju** » Apr 1st, '09, 11:17

Agree.
The paint looks fair in the pics... get some nicks in the finsh first, let a few blue suit bills smack the hull, maybe a stray gaff scrape...have a whole first summer of enjoyment outta her before you get into all that.
The memories of the first summer/autumn alone will keep you all that much more motivated to get her done, once you do strip her down and paint.

John F. · Post by **John F.** » Apr 1st, '09, 11:52

Congrats. She looks great to me--nice power. Enjoy. My B31 is presentable, but could also use paint. I like it that way--makes it alot easier when my kid or when of their friends drops a sinker/bucktail,soda can, or smacks the sinker, etc. into the side of the hull.

kipp · Post by **kipp** » Apr 1st, '09, 14:51

John,
Congratulations and welcome to the coonass 31 family.
I would fish a season or two,and then paint, as you might decide there are other fishing related projects that are priorities. I keep my boat in Venice at my camp. Call me and we'll do some bluesuit caravans this summer.
kipp 225 268-5617 cell

jackryan · Post by **jackryan** » Apr 1st, '09, 20:07

Thanks for the advice. I took the boat out on Lake Pontchartrain tonight and she ran great. I was getting 29 mph at 3000 rpm. The engines run up to 3500 rpm on the pins getting 34.9 MPH. Not sure what the cruising RPM is on the 4LHA-STP's. I'm guessing around 3000 to 3100 RPM.

I talked it over with my brother tonight, and I'm with you guy's, I'm going to use the boat for a while before I do anything major. My brother and I are going to restore the mahogany fighting chair. Kipp, thanks for the invite. I have your # and I would love to go out and chase the blues with you guy's this summer. I have one friend that has a camp at Port Eads that survived Katrina, and another friend that has just finished putting his his camp back together. Not the same without the Big Game Club, but I think it's going to be pretty nice down there this summer.

John Ryan

randall · Post by **randall** » Apr 2nd, '09, 08:20

have fun...i hope to one day return to port eades.

Eddy G · Post by **Eddy G** » Apr 2nd, '09, 10:12

John: If you had a decent load in the boat during your ride, it looks like you are propped perfectly. 3450 rpm WOT fully loaded is considered the minimum for the 240 Yanmars. As for cruise rpm, you can run them 3000, but for long life, 2750 - 2850 is recommended. I have a B28 in Madisonville, just north of you and my numbers are exactly what you posted. I normally run mine at 2750 -2800 which gives me 25 - 26 mph.

Take a ride to the north shore and come visit some time.

Eddy G.

jackryan · Post by **jackryan** » Apr 4th, '09, 08:17

Eddy,

Thanks for the invite, I plan on taking the kids on some overnight trips to Madisonville this summer, so I'll drop you a line before I head up that way. Thanks for the cruise RPM info on the 4LHA-STP's. I've talked to Laborde Products on the North Shore a couple of times about the engines and they seem to be very helpful. I may have to make a drive over to buy some spare parts soon.

John Ryan

Bob H. · Post by **Bob H.** » Apr 5th, '09, 18:27

John, Great boat...run it and have fun with it then, plan your projects. Wish I got to use mine before I tore into it. Your boy looks as happy as you must be...good luck getting him off the boat. BH

bertram31.com

Another Coonass 31

Another Coonass 31

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