bertram31.com

If you've doubted the popularity of Center Consoles or triple outboard boats take a look at this magazine. I think I can count on one hand how many boats that are not a center console and I do not believe there is a single boat with inboard motors in the entire issue. I do realize that this magazine does not cater to the large sportfish crowd but there are certrainly boats up to 40' with quads, so it's not a poor mans rag.

Not being critical just observing the world around me. We can debate all day about go fast boats or an average cruise speed in the open ocean but it is clear that most others disagree with us or at minimum thats what sells. Also seems to be a bigger appetite for the Cat boats like Freeman & Calcutta. Upon closer inspection there is a sporty in an insurance ad and a picture of the transom of a 33 strike.

I'm pretty sure all these manufacturers know what their customers want and certainly our resident expert John Brownlee knows how to cater to his readers.

In any case I realize this is nothing new but interesting none the less.

I'm all in favor of a big cc. They rock.

No surprise they are very, very popular. However if you really want your panties in a knot, before even cc's the fastest growing segment of the entire marine market is pontoon boats.

:)

Dug

Dug,

Please keep any information on pontoon boats to yourself ;)

As you know I like to do a lot of flyfishing, a decent amount of plugging and have a smaller skiff type CC for flats fishing. Almost everyone else I fish with or have guided (hired)runs a CC. I love fishing my buddies 23 Regulator (without the forward seating) and I really like the old 23T contender and the 28 great boats. I've never fished one but that Southport looks like a nice boat.

When you get into the bigger boats like the 34' Regulator or 36' yellowfin with chest high gunnels and big seating up front or the hotel amenities of the Everglades/BW it looses any sense of advantage for me, seems to work well as a Florida picnic boat I guess. I think a much better style boat in that class is the L&H, Scopinich etc.

In any case they call my 31 a wet boat but in November I go out in jeans and a sweatshirt. I see the guys in the 36 Yellowfin decked out in Grundens and big rubber boots, they extend those eisen wings and have no access to the bow.

Back to SWS mag....Where are the 26 fortier, 29 Dyer, 25 Carolina Classic, 24 bimini topaz even the mid 20s walkarounds Robalo, Proline etc. Is the entire class of boats going to way of the dodo bird, or are they just not sexy enough for the magazine?

Good observations Peter. Without question, the center console is the fishing boat of choice for most people for lots of good reasons. The versatility and simplicity of a boat like that can't be topped by any other design. Now that doesn't mean center consoles are right for every fishermen or every situation. For big-game fishing far offshore, the diesel inboard convertible still reigns supreme, with express boats running a distant second. But even that category is trending more and more toward center consoles, with the ongoing development of 40-foot-plus CCs with triple and quadruple outboards. These boats are replacing the big inboards in some areas and offer some noticeable advantages, mainly in speed and efficiency, and buyers continue to embrace them at substantial cost. In the March SWS, we test a 42-foot Invincible walkaround with triple Yamahas. It's a sophisticated, hi-tech boat that can fish with anything, and the base price is over $500,000. These big outboards are some of the hottest-selling models on the market, something I never would have predicted.

All this being said, though, you guys know what I drive: a 23-year-old 37 Bertram. I do have a 24-foot Yellowfin center console bay boat, which I love, but my offshore boat is an old, heavy, slow, fuel-guzzling, wonderful boat. I am happy as hell doing 22 knots and wave enthusiastically when my buddies blast by me at 50 mph in their big center consoles. I tried to sell the Bertram last year and couldn't even get an offer that wan't absurd, but when I thought about it, I can refurbish the boat I like for a fraction of the cost of buying a new boat, so that's what I'm doing.

We're almost done installing all-new electronics on th bertram and we just redid the canvas. Diving into the engines next. I'm still not decided on whether to repower or simply rebuild but will decide soon.

I don't care how you cut it, running at 50mph sounds good, but hit some thing and you are done. I believe there is a point of no return. $ biggies hanging off the back, you have to fight the fish from the bow or beam to. Weather turns, no place to hide and you know what, they will wish they were in that old 29 year old Bertram.

Guys here in the NE are now running the Hudson in Dec. chasing blue fin in these things. Think about how cold that has to be. At least even on the old 31 you can hide for a bit in the cabin.

To each their own, I like the center console for the bay or within 20 miles of the beach. After that, I will take my old 31.

John:

Keep us updated with your decision on the engines. If I ever go up, my choice will be a 37 and will upgrade the engines with Cummins or Yanmars. It is still a boat that I can handle alone and/or with my wife.