bertram31.com

Sorry for the radio silence thus far, been pretty busy.

We have made a lot of progress on the free part of our redo... gutting everything!!!

We gutted almost all of the decks, wiring, offloaded all of the fuel, and pulled the last of the 3 tanks today. The plan is to put her on a trailer in our driveway in a week or so, finish the gutting, then build new decks, engine boxes, and a rear bulkhead for the cabin. After the glass work is done, I am going to mount 3 or 4 batteries between the engines (thanks for the advice guys), re-wire new engine harnesses/instruments, and set up switches/AC/DC distribution in the ceiling of the cabin. As I pulled the layers of the onion back, I realized that both turbos are trashed.... bent compressor fan blades from FOD (can anybody recommend a shop for a rebuild or a supplier??).

I am going to make sure the main (175 gallon) stainless tank is still good, cut some access ports and clean it out (its full of sludge) and reinstall for now. I also need to figure out how to route the exhaust (I need some help here guys). I am not sure how this boat did not sink, catch fire, or even run... Everything was jerry rigged and patched.... I will keep you guys updated... Thanks for your help and this community! Picture follow in the link.

https://imgur.com/a/ShRz6g6

Tavis

Wow, you jumped right in.

You have two choices in running the exhaust. Keep it as it is, or run it down the outboard stringer. If you run it down the outboard stringer and you want to keep mufflers, you will need to use a slim/low profile muffler.

then you have a couple of other options at the transom if you go down the outside stringer.

One you can go straight out the back, or

Second when you get down to the area of the rudder shelf, use two 45's and you can exit through the current opening. What size were the engines? If you go the two 45 route, you might need to go up a size in the exhaust, lets say from 5 to 6 inch.

Third you can close up the old exhaust ports and then go straight out, and finally

Fourth is to close up the transom exits and put them out the side right at the transom corner. Not sure the pictures are still available, but John down in Texas with the "Real Cowboy" set his up that way.

To go down the outboard stringer, you will need to have custom exhaust pieces made. For the Cummins engines, on the port side you will need to go up and over the rear of the engine so it runs just past the turbo. Again, not sure if they are still on here, but Bob Lilco had posted a number of pictures of how he ran his.

Then we can start the argument over if you need surge tubes. Some say yes but other say no. I still run my Exhaust down the shaft alley, same as the factory set up. I do not have surge tubes. I really don't have room for them with this set up. But if you go up and over the top on the Port engine, I don't see how you could get a back up into the engine.

But I am not the expert on that one.

that exhaust looks like some ###### for sure
i have 210s in mine went with 4 inch fiberglass straight pipe and surge tubes

I had flash backs looking at your pictures. i ran the exhaust out the outside so i can put in kill boxes in. i cut the fiberglass exhaust pipe and put hose from the muffler to the stern. I have a lot pictures of the bulked and cabin stringers i can share if you want. Let me know.

That looks amazing.

That exhaust work is spectacular!!! I would love to see some more pictures as I am going to trash the existing junk exhaust system and have everything out but the stingers. So it will be a clean slate.

Quick question, what image share site do you use where the embedded images are displayed in the post?

Nice work. I like what you did with the exhaust and it looks like you are taking out the cockpit panels.

Yes i am taking out the cockpit panels.

Love to see all the progress on the boats from this form. Looks great you get so many ideas from pictures. I see in one photo of the transom above the exhaust is the scupper cover for the deck drains. I’ve seen that in stainless steel that bolts to the transom does anybody know what that is called or who might make it.They have them on this boat. Thanks in advance.

Kris’s that is a pretty you have

The boat in the photo is not mine unfortunately, but it does have the scupper covers that I was looking for

Beautiful, oh so beautiful!

That’s a 42’ Liberty that’s on my canal in Babylon NY. It’s for sale 500k with 900hp Mans. It’s a head turner.

Peter
Yes it was at Babylon Marine this summer where I doc my 28. It’s not there anymore but I did like the scupper covers.
They are like the ones on the transom in this post but they are surface mounted not molded in. Just trying to locate them possibly for my 28. From what I was told it was modeled after the 31 Bertram.

kross1 wrote: ↑Feb 6th, '21, 13:54 Peter
Yes it was at Babylon Marine this summer where I doc my 28. It’s not there anymore but I did like the scupper covers.
They are like the ones on the transom in this post but they are surface mounted not molded in. Just trying to locate them possibly for my 28. From what I was told it was modeled after the 31 Bertram.

My understanding is that guys made a fiberglass mold by cutting a piece of PVC pipe in half and glassing it in. You could easily make some tabs to fasten it rather then glassing in.

Snipe wrote: ↑Feb 5th, '21, 15:48 I had flash backs looking at your pictures. i ran the exhaust out the outside so i can put in kill boxes in. i cut the fiberglass exhaust pipe and put hose from the muffler to the stern. I have a lot pictures of the bulked and cabin stringers i can share if you want. Let me know.

I’m saving these pictures, all must haves for me eventually.

Pete I have many more Pictures I took lots along the way! I am going to make a post of my hole journey with this project. Learned lots on here from the guys. I just want to give some back if I can.

thank you for posting snipe you saved me the trouble mine is exactly the same. with the belly band and 6" mini max mufflers . the exhaust goes over the top of each engine and surge tubes are a absurd statement. most of all the sprinkler is installed in the vertical position a thousand times better than the half circle effect of factory 90 degree angle therefore sprinklers will last 100 years !!!! ----good job

i no longer have the cutaway photo included with the mini max mufflers that show the reverse cone internally maybe you still have it and show the "surge tube crowd". i have put my 31 into the waves in reverse at WOT. to settle a bet and he bought the entire bar a round of drinks .

I have a picture of the built in surge cone as Bob stated.I will post a picture later.

bob lico wrote: ↑Feb 7th, '21, 12:09 i no longer have the cutaway photo included with the mini max mufflers that show the reverse cone internally maybe you still have it and show the "surge tube crowd". i have put my 31 into the waves in reverse at WOT. to settle a bet and he bought the entire bar a round of drinks .

I have no worries about backing into seas, why would anyone as the motors are running pushing water out...especially at higher rpm's.

My worries are what happens when motors are off and you get a couple good waves into the transom. Sure our mufflers have baffles that stop a good wave directed at the transom. But a wave comes at transom the stern goes up, water flows past muffler baffle loading the hose between muffler and motor. Next direct wave pushes the water already in the line up to motor...unless it has someplace else to go...Surge Tube.

OR you install risers adding to the distance between waterline and motor for insurance.

Maybe do both if your exhaust port is close to the waterline.


Lack of risers or just an extra precaution, surge tubes can provide an alternate, direct flow destination for water. Or maybe they do not and it just lets some of us sleep better at night.


Me...I'm working on making my risers now. I'm still debating on whether to keeping the surge tubes in place. I think when I go to install I'll make that call. That is unless anyone has a reason NOT to have them. Yes, they take up some dead room, maybe they add a little turbulence to the system.





Snipe- That is one real clean install! Are you hard lining it to the motors dumps or adding some hose? I ask as I thought it was recommended to add a bit of flex and isolate the vibrations of hard connections.

Thanks Carl I am putting a section of hose between the transom and the muffler. I was going to run it hard but after some research I think the hose will help quiet down a little and take some rumble out.

You guys blow me away with your craftsmanship!