Well it is official I am the proud owner of a 1972 31 Bertram with Cummin 330's.
Here is a Picture:
My question is the size of the fuel tank. I bought the boat from a broker who took it on trade, they where under the assumption that it was a 220 gallon tank. My boat surveyor knew who the original owner, indicated that it was a 165 gallon tank. How can I tell the tank size? It also has 2 33 gallon saddle tanks.
Also I am currently cruising at 27 knots and wot at 32 knots. With this power do you think I could get more speed (more economic) with different wheels.
Welcome aboard, very pretty boat. The 1972 and newer B31s came with a 222 gallon tank. Look on top of the fuel tank just behind the fuel pickup fitting and you should see a typed tag glassed in the tank with the capacity and date the tank was made.
Can't help with the fuel tank size...sounds like UV took care of that, but I did want to congradulate you on the 31.
Personally I can't own a 31. It would be the end of my 25 year marriage. I would spend too much time at the marina. Therefore I have to settle for my 25 Bertram (the trailer-able little brother). That way it can come home with me after each outting and everyones happy.
That's one beautiful boat.
Scot
Scot
1969 Bertram 25 "Roly Poly"
she'll float one of these days.. no really it will :-0
With all the Cummins 300+ hp B engines the trick is to have them propped where they will exceed rated rpm by 100 rpm at WOT. On the 250s by 50. You sound about right.
As Vic stated, the tank size was increased in the 1972 production year, primarily by increasing the height of the tank (Bertram raised the cockpit floor several inches to accommodate the larger volume tank). So you could determine one of two ways: run your main tank as close to empty as possible without sucking air and causing an airlock in your diesels, then fill her up and see if she takes over 170 gallons. The second way is to measure the height of your tank and have some of the guys on the Board measure the height of their 170 gal tanks and 220 gal tanks. I'll try to post my tank measurements tomorrrow (I have the 220 gal tank in my '73 SF).
The glassed in tag is usually covered by years of dirt and you have to scrub to see it. Take a scrub brush and some Soft Scrub and scrub the area just behind the fuel pickup on the aft top of the tank and it should become visible. If not, I can measure my 222 gal. tank and you can compare, but it's gonna be a week or so since FLL is right here......
The 2850 WOT sounds pretty good to me, but Tony Athens of boatdiesel.com likes to see the 300 and 315s propped to about 2900+. His advice for long life on those engines is to run them like you would a 250, i.e. cruise at 2400.
That's an awful pretty tank for stock. Ours is a 77 with the 222 and the tank looks nothing like that. Don't remember seeing the ribbing on the tanks. That and the fact yours has been finished. The pickup and return fittings look stock.
You can do as others suggested by measuring or try and find the old owner through the brokerage firm and ask. The bottom line is if its got 165 in her belly and 66 in the wings you've probably got 185-190 useable. From Cape May to the close canyons you will probably not have to go to the saddles on day trips.
I forgot to say it before but congrats she looks really nice. Like the green.
what year are the engines.there is alot of confusion on sae,metric hp.in the 300hp bracket.if they are storm block 2003 or newer nothing that has been said refering to the 300hp APPLIES.the only part in the entire engine that matches is the harmonic balancer.the storm block is fatory set at 3000 and will run easy at 2600.totaly loaded boat should see 2850.
For what it's worth, my brother went down and measured our 222 gallon original Bertram tank this afternoon, and it measures as follows: 25" high, 32" wide and 78" long. Hope this helps. As others have stated, you have a mighty pretty B-31....congratulations.
Thank you for the measurements, I will definitley compare.
I just had her out on Sunday and I loved every minute. I have been fishing on my buddy's 26 Bertram for over 10 years and have been looking for the right 31 for some time.
Congratulations! You will not be sorry. All your numbers are in the ballpark as far as I'm concerned. I have the 165 tank on a 64 Sportsfisherman. The difference is in the amount of freeboard you'll have in the cockpit. Given you have saddle tanks, you should be fine for your waters. Figure out your GPH and your MPG and you'll know your range. Figure on the smaller tank+saddles and you'll be safe...although I'm pretty sure you have the 220 tank based on the age of your boat. Walter
le3--- 1999 was a good year for cummins must likely cpl-1975 .the main revisions would be air crossover-3918310,turbo 3536620andaftercooler40119971.with this aftercooler any issues of maint.are null and void except the zinc at the bottom of the aftercooler there is a auto drain that compensates for condensation starting in 2003. yours will have to be look at once a year.1999 is REAL 315bhp,330mhp or sometimes rated 330hp at fuel 25 degrees c crankshaftpower. at 1280 lbs it is the perfect weight for a fbc.compatable with the 454 gasser with b/w 71c almost exact same weight.the reverse chine at the stern should just be level with water at rest.----------------beautiful boat------best of luck
I am new to maintaining diesel engines, not running them. I am having the boat winterized and stored by Holtz Boatworksin a couple of weeks. What do you add to the fuel tanks to treat the fuel for the winter (brand please) and do you top off your tank? I was always under the impression that you always top off the tank(s) for the winter to prevent condensation, but now I have heard that it really doesn't matter.
Generally speaking I find winterizing diesels easier than gassers. In both cases change your oil and oil filters before hauling. Fill your tanks and add Stabil in the amount prescribed for your tank size. Check the strength of your ant- freeze and run non-toxic anti freeze through the engine till it comes through the exhausts. In the Spring, change your Racors and secondary fuel filters. That's basically it. Cleaning up, spraying with CX and engine paint touch-up is up to your fussiness. Walter
Thank you Walter for the information. I was not sure if Holtz would change the oil in their winterization process. The person I bought it from is paying for Holtz to haul the boat and block it, winter storage and winterization of the engines and water system.
Anybody know of a good place in South Jersey to buy parts (maintence related parts and fluids, such as anitfreeze, oil, belts, filters, zincs, etc) for my cummins.
every single nut bolt and screw or anything else for that engine available within 6hours fed x red or 24 hours ups --cummins metro power ny - tel 718-892 2400.for small parts use cummins - authorized service locator for your area-----------bob
I have found Costco has the best prices for Rotella T 15-40 oil by the case. I can't speak for your specific engines but If you can find a local truck supply place that has Cummins parts, I got the same engine paint for half the price my marina sells it for as well as the serpentine belts my 6bt's use. Walter
So I measured the tank and looks like it is 21.5" in height 33 inches wide and 78" long. If I figured the square footage to be about 32 cubic feet which would lead me to believe that it is the 222 gallon tank(taking into account the fiberglass mass, but it is 7.48 gallons per square foot). The only thing is that my height measurement is not 25" in height. Do I have something wrong here?
The quick way to determine which tank you have is by the construction. The old 173 gallon tank is capped with a flange all the way around the top perimiter. The newer 223 gallon tank is a "shoe box" construction, so has no flange.
A few of the newer size tanks, late 71s, were also shoe box construction, but had a notched out section for the fuel fill manifold so that the street L was not higher than the tank top. These tanks were a little less than than 220 gallons.
Of course, Capt. Patrick is the go-to guy on any technical questions on these boats. With that said, since the width and length of my 223 gallon tank and your tank are the same, but your tank is almost 4" less in heighth, makes me think you have the smaller tank.
The top of the tank also has the lip or (flange). Just curious why I have a 1972 with a 165 gallon tank. At least I have the saddle tanks which adds 66 gallons (33 each).
1972 was the changeover year transitioning from the 170 to the 220 capacity fuel tanks. Unlike the auto industry, Bertram did not institute "model year changes"; rather, they would use up the existing stock of components and then transition to the new components. Yours is probably an early '72 model that was laid up when they still had some of the smaller tanks in stock. A lot of people prefer the earlier models with the smaller tanks because the lower cockpit decks are deemed safer to fish from (the gunwale is higher and catches your leg at a higher "pivot" point when you are wiring a fish, etc).
