bertram31.com

wondering if anyone could get me in touch with people in the west palm beach area to help rebuild this boat from the floor up.

the boat has already had the power train removed as well as the struts and rudders, all the bulkheads need to be replaced as well as cockpit sole and supports, engine box covers etc.

Welcome aboard. You might get in touch with Bruce. What your talking about is a long trip, but worth it in the end. Good luck with the rehab.

Spencer.
Are you sure of the hull numbers and the year of the boat, if it is really hull 164 it was made in 1961, mine is hull 186 made 12-13-61, glassed in paper tag under port V berth bunk support and I 've had the boat for over 32 years. I surveyed hull 242 built on 6-7-62 Express Cruiser model in Lantana. Where is the boat located?, I am going to be in the Lake Worth area tomorrow afternoon. Call me on my cell 561-310-7179.
I have be involved in the total redo's of 4 31's in the past 9 years. I can give you some ball park estimates of what a complete redo will cost you.
The only shops I know of that is redoing 31's right now in Florida is L&H Boatworks in Stuart or Carl at Elite in Tampa area. Give me a call.
Pete Fallon

thats what the number that was given on the electrical box cover (original )says moppie on it with the emblem on it have it at my house and from a survey done on the boat in 1980 apparently when the boat was sold to the previous owner that i got it from in alabama , had it shipped down, its at murell marina in lantana your able to look at it its behind the fence near the marina office on trailor. t

I concur with Pete on the number... The first B31 I did was hull number 161 and manufactured in 9/61. Either the year is wrong or the hull number is wrong. Not that much of deal either way; it's an early B31 an built like a brick **** house.

Check with and get to know Marlin there at Murrelle. He's doing a B31 in or near building 23. Several of the guys that work out Murrelle have done B31s and might be available. Check also with Nautical Specialities at Cracker Boy Boat Works in Riviera Beach. Ask for Jeff, tell I linked you to him. (Link temporarily removed for security reasons)

Again, welcome aboard...

mine was located inside the transom about 1foot up from keel. Stop buy again, see if I can help, mine is moving out to paint shop this week, I hope

Just FYI...tried the link (curious to see what they do) and browser warning went off. Thought...must be wrong, went in anyway and within a millisecond Kapersky denied a Trojan download. Seems they have an infection in the site somewhere. Just thought I'd pipe up in case someone knows those guys personally and could pass the word. Have a good one.

Kurt,

Thanks for the headsup... I emailed Clint and Jeff about it. Looks like their website may have been hacked within the past 90 days.

Google's Diagnostic page for nauticalspecialties.com http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diag ... com/&hl=en

I can vouch for good work from nautical specialties.

I've used them on some wood projects over the years, work is impeccable but expensive.

Also theres a rumor going around that Marty sold out or is in partners with Rybovitch and that Cracker boy will become another large Yacht servicing center. So checking to make sure they won't be moving out of a yard area is wise.

I know with the economy work there has been very scarce.

Bruce are you still in the wpb area and available for a consult for a refit,
pete fallon gave me your number to call

To add some to the numbers/date confusion....

My Boat's "glassed in" Bertram letterhead located on the Port berth hull is marked "10/9/61 Hull 163"

Several years ago, I had researched the my boat's history and found all of the papers showing the boat has been titled as a 1962 model as far back as 1968. This 1962 model year designation on the 1968 title is from the second owner. Originally a Florida boat.

So, either my boat's model year was mis-marked on the second title -OR- it was a end of year built boat to be sold as a next calendar year boat, as is done with cars & Trucks.

In either event, as I understand the numbering, my boat is the 62nd Bertram 31 built.


Rit

Spencer,

Yes, right now all I'm doing is consulting and engine surveys.

My career of turning wrenches on a daily basis is done.

Spenser,
I was down at your boat this afternoon, talked to Rick also. I took some acetone to the grime on the glassed in label under the port V berth. The tag reads 10-11-61 hull 164, still needs to be cleaned off for a little better readability. One hull after Rit's boat. Original hull color was the Bertram blue gel coat.
You have your work cut out for you, just about everything, and I mean everything has to be done over on the boat. Looks like you can keep the steering ram and linkage bar. I really was impressed with the engine bed stringer mounts in there now.
Talk to you at the end of the week.

Pete

I have hull 242 in Lantana from 1962. Still trying to get the restoration going; got distracted with a new Whaler retrofit I just completed. I bought my B31 from guy at Murrelles across Dixie from my shop in Lantana where I have the boat. Still saving funds to get going with new Cummins. Spencer, let me know how you do. I'm in the same position as you. Joe 954-444-4977

Bruce, are you not doing engine retrofits anymore?

The everyday grind of retail boat service is gone.
Couldn't take it anymore without wanting to climb the nearest tower and start shooting. 30 years is a long time.

Manufacturers contracts required me to play nice to an ever increasing bunch of asswipes of which at my age I refuse to do.

Now I'm doing just consulting on major projects and boat engine surveys while I have some other things in the fire developing.

More people are doing the work themselves and need some guidance.

As UV once asked when Pat and I had the original mechanical board open to every boater in the world, How do I deal with those idiots?

Answer: Not anymore.