bertram31.com

Well I am sorry to start this again for the faithful, but I can't find the answer in the post history. I bought the '79 B31 in Pensacola. The serial number stamped into the exterior of the transom is:
BERG1763M79D.
BER - Bertram
G - 31'
1763 - hull number 1663
M - ? (13th month?)
79 - 1979
D - ???
My problem is that this boat has a removable bulkhead, (maybe an add on), and the head is in the v-berth. Is it an FBC, or a SF? Is th answer in the serial number? Thanks for any help.

If the head is in the V-berth and the bulkhead is removeable, sure as hell sounds like a Sportsfisherman. Lower controls or any signs of there having been there?

No lower helm now. I'll be getting into the cabinetry this weekend to see if there was evidence of one. Did the SF all have them?

I think this boat was a special order. The pictures that I saw looked like what would be the head on an FBC was originally done differently with extra counter and storage. This boat appears to be a hybrid from the factory, but i could be 100% wrong

All the Sportsfishermen had lower controls/steering/instruments.

See if this helps from an old post.

One correction to your post: 314 designates the sportfisherman (my sportfisherman is "BER012571172-314"). Lee Dana, longtime head engineer at Bertram Yacht through the '60s, 70s and part of '80s emailed that "the last number after hull size will always be the model designator". He provided the following rundown:
312 designates the open model (Moppie)
313 = hardtop model
314 = sport fish model
315 = fly bridge cruiser
316 = Bahia Mar model
317 = express model

This should also help from another post and another member.

OK everybody.. I finally spoke with Don Flippen of Bertram Miami. Here is the Bertram code for deciphering hull numbers.. assuming they are "normal".. which mine are not..

The hull number should be 12 characters..

Chars 1-3 is the manufacturer's name designation.. in our case "BER"

Char 4 is a letter which designates the boat length.. in our case H = 33' (for a 31' it is G)

Chars 5-8 are the manufacturer's "hull designation number".. Bertram's internal ID for the particular boat.

Char 9 is a letter designating the month the boat was completed (using A through L for the months of the year.. ie: Jan = A, Feb = B, etc)

Char 10 is a number, which is the last digit of the year of manufacture.. ie: my 1983 FBC, built in 1982, should have a 2 in space 10.

Chars 11-12 are the last 2 digits of the model year.

He does not understand my boat's number.. since there are letters used which are outside the A through L range, and more characters than there should be.

Walter, I am not sure all sportfisherman had lower control stations---I remember seeing a price list that listed the price for a lower control station as an option.

Although I have never seen an original one that did not have one.

Neither have I.

After examining the transom number in the light of day, I have discovered that the number is as previously stated, then followed by 315. Confirmed flybridge cruiser. I plead Aggie.
For those of you who know about Texas Aggies, you know what I mean.