thanks again capt.patrick

[bob lico]

quick story ; the south shore along fire island ny has been blessed with no hurricane /north easterners or any terrible weather. the annual migration of bass has stopped outside of fire island to feed on sand eels ,this has produced a amanda of boats going out fire island inlet . i took my son and a friend out two weeks ago .waves were terrible not only 5 to 7 wave height there were cross winds it was like a washing machine. i slow down to 19mph and just happen to turn vhf to local channel. wow!!!! 60' party boats doing 5mph along with a P.O.S 25' parker that had to turn back . all kinds of calamities going on.the trip was about 12 miles east of inlet i waited a long time before fleet show up .by that time we already had two in box . without this site i probably would have not built my 31 bertram and without the help from the capt. and others on this site i would be white knuckle on the controls of a egg harbor.

[CaptPatrick]

Bob,

You're welcome and glad to hear you feel obliged...

Best regards,

Patrick

[PeterPalmieri]

Bob,

A bit harder to find right now. I've done quite a few trips in the past few weeks. The best day was 50 fish between 15 & 25 lbs south of the water tower, we only stopped catching because we were to tired to fish anymore. Got a few fish over 30lbs on other days nothing approaching 40 but a few weeks left. Yesterday I ran to the Pines for lock and load bluefish with very few bass, but jigging is fun all the same. They're knocking them dead out of debbs and well to our east, we should get another round of fish.

I'd say I've had close to 100 bass over 20lbs on a 6 oz gold hammered jig, it outfished everything else on the boat every time out.

What's better is the big smile I get from the Bertram all sorts of boats pass me on the run to the inlet, I blow right by them when we hit the inlet and I'm a few miles down the beach before they catch up again if it's calm out. The CC guys run by me chasing fish but when the wind picks up I drive right by on the way home. Back down into the breakers yesterday to get some plugs into the wash with an occassion breaker coming at me. 3 boats attempted it all quickly left.

32' or 35' Carolina Classic stopped as he entered the inlet to follow me out, at the end of the day he was getting his butt kicked coming in the inlet as I blew by him and everyone else. Best one was watching a 36' yellowfin with all the guys decked out in their rubbers take a massive shower as I passed by drinking my coffee in a sweat shirt and jeans on the bridge. It's not such a wet boat when the canvas is up and the crew is sitting inside having lunch.

I've never owned a boat that has me wishing it wasn't so calm out, the bigger the waves the bigger the smiles. Even the day I had buckets coming over the top on the bridge. It's especially good when I pass a few hundred thousand dollar boat in my mostly original 44 year old boat with almost 30 year old motors.

This has been a tremendous fall bass season, even if it was over tomorrow. What has made it special for me is I've got a bit of confidence in the boat and she's running good thanks to my friends here.

Thank Capt Pat!

[bob lico]

Peter I almost purchase a 35' egg harbor 12 years ago and by chance I found this site and realize these guys are a brotherhood built on the love of a 31' Bertram. The owner of oakdale Yacth said be patient I will have one coming in in a. Few weeks from Jupiter FL. The rest is history. Look everybody has a opinion but I pilot at least 300 or more boat larger then 28' in the 10 years I have my boat so my opinion is based on a hell of a lot of running that inlet.other then a 32' Blackfin that I drop 385hp cats in no other boat can come close to a 31 Bert in real rough water.only a nut job would go OUT the inlet in gale warnings. I have new polymer front and quarter curtains with 3" strip with Plastic U Chanel that accepts the this canvas similar to what JP illustrated on another post. I have a special synthetic rubber strip under under this strip that prevent the water that runs up the F/G windshield and entering the dash board area of bridge.with this being said I have no problem in 7' seas not by choice but if I am only a few miles east and I know seas will calm by mid day then I do it.needless to say when I pilot 36' yellowfin with triple 275 hp veradoes that does 60plus in calm water cannot come close to my boat in those conditions. The worst I have ever seen is a 36' contender with triple 350hp Yamaha could not exceed 7 mph out there because once stop could not get back on plane with on coming waves.i smile as I watch this circus in the last month as I said " how fast does your $300,000 center console go" yea man 60mph ( using 90 GPH in gas) how fast does it go out there today---------- about 8mph!!! ----------kiss you bertram. btw I am using a home made dredge that mimic a school of sand ells coming up from bottom. I troll then stop letting the dredge sink then go forward again I troll on one engine of course .went 92 miles to offshore wreck and back at 28 knots burn 51 gallons total. ------- 45 Centane commercial account at point of woods ferry at $4.10 a gal with valve tech. Additive together with ice cold fuel,intake air crazy man.

[Bob H.]

A wise old salt once told me that those 31s will take more of a beating than the guy at the helm can. I only have 125 hours in 118 days so far but never a doubt..been in steep six footers at block islands north rip, 30-35 northeast 4-6' , went right through still doing 20-23 knots..that wheelhouse sure keeps the salt off ya...BH

[bob lico]

Personally bob I would much rather be in your wheelhouse in unavoidable 12' seas . No matter what even if you submarine it with your bilge design / cockpit you just slow down to a crawl and let water out of scuppers for a FBC you are likely to rip that tower off.then I would be in a heap of big trouble!.like a Seen from a movie with a sailboat in a storm at the wheel with rain pouring on you ( till the electronic get wet).

[JohnCranston]

Thanks to Capt Patrick from us also. He's been here for us every step of the way. Thanks to everyone else on the board for all of the great help. To both Bobs...I think that your 7' to 12' seas might be a little different from what we have here in the southern gulf...we're pinned to the dock at anything bigger than 3 to 5's...might be a difference in intervals beetween waves..I really appreciate how both of you have thought outside of the box in building your 31's...fantastic!
John.
.

[Bertramp]

I too agree. I appreciate the comraderie, the freeflowing knowlwdge and the chances to have a cold one with a friend.
The funny thing on 31s, there are no new ones .... some look brand new and are better than new, but there are no new ones.
So at this point, your boat has either gone through a re-do of sorts or needs to go through one or is in some stage in between.
And my thanks is for bringing us all together.
It's funny, but I told my wife (she has a website license plate holder on her car) ....if you had a flat on the side of the road and a passerby was one of "the boys" .... your tire would get changed ... and I believe that.

[PeterPalmieri]

Thanks to Capt Patrick from us also. He's been here for us every step of the way. Thanks to everyone else on the board for all of the great help. To both Bobs...I think that your 7' to 12' seas might be a little different from what we have here in the southern gulf...we're pinned to the dock at anything bigger than 3 to 5's...might be a difference in intervals beetween waves..I really appreciate how both of you have thought outside of the box in building your 31's...fantastic!
John.
.

What happened John I thought you Texas guys were tough?

[CaptPatrick]

Peter,

Think 20kt wind & 3' - 5' on Buzzards bay....

[PeterPalmieri]

Sounds like perfect weather for gardening!

[bob lico]

Long Island ,NY is totally surrounded by NOAA buoys that report every few minutes. When I say 6'to 7' that is exactly what it is and most important are the intervals of the waves and steepness all reported . We have a NOAA buoy 30 miles out of fire island inlet along with Marine forecast for the day and another buoy off Montauk .you damm well know what your going to run into.i sure as hell am not breaking that inlet knowing I am directly into 7' head seas out of the east at 4.4 seconds apart.i don't care who or what you have you are going to get clobbered.i know the speed guys are going to corner me ------- ok you must attain at least 78 to 80mph to get on top but if you drop down to hit the pillow on a turn you going to roll it let's forget the need for speed guys. I have tested the boat every which way over the years but there are exceptions like a perfectly balance bert with drag her tail at full tank but is ok at 3/4 full I compensate by putting the 6 man life raft all the way forward and the two very heavy tackle boxes.( law of levers 200 lbs 15' from balance point). I only filled the tank going to canyon so I am good at arrival. At 30knots the water should break at the point on the pillar where the emblem is at 35knots the point is at the edge of side window ,at 38 knots the front of side window ,from that point up it is going to get dangerous in anything above two foot waves you are going to " stuff it" unless you have the experience to feel it coming on. A swan dive out the front of the bridge is likely above 40 knots this is in a perfect balance boat with 12 degrees of shaft angle anything other then that your wasting your your time and money with big power.

[Bob H.]

Amen to that Capt Pat....Buzzards Bay can get NASTY...ask me how I know, cut my teeth boating there with my Dad..sounds like you've run that piece of water..Steve I'd change the tire no doubt..BH

[CaptPatrick]

Bob,

Nope, other than on your dad's boat, never been close, but it's reputation preceeds it and I do know what shallow water, current, and wind do. Could have used the Palmlico Sound as an example, but Peter wouldn't relate to it any more than the GM. Got some real T shirts from the sound...

[John Swick]

Pat,
Amen to that.
Had a close call out there 8 or 9 yrs ago racing T.S Eduardo north to Norfolk.
Didn't want to miss a plane ride home.
Major pucker factor.
Really messed up the boat (57' Tollycraft) that day.
Lesson learned.
John

[CaptPatrick]

John,

My best on the sound was when Bruce and I delivered a 56' Hatt aftcabin from LI NY down to Palm Beach. Real wild ride across the Pamlico in beam to slop. Got a little better after we turned west into the Albemarle, but dodging crab pots in that slop was a nightmare... What a pig of boat!

[JohnCranston]

Peter,
Most Texans are pretty tough...then there's me...I quit the boy scouts cause the tents weren't air conditioned.
John.

[MarkS]

It's true Peter he is a Nancy boy.