bertram31.com

Someone is doing a nice restoration and posting the pics on the Hull Truth--the boat had been rebuilt by L & H some time ago and had some nice touches---

The ultimate center console....to me.

L & H has done a number of Bertrams over the years---Sea Hottie--which is the one I was referring to---has a custom deck that has hatches similar to an L & H--although it doesn't look removable and they deleted the cockpit side panels.

Craig Mac,
I am in and out of L&H all the time, Glen and his guys do excellent work. Right now there is a 25 Bertram Bahia Mar that is almost finished, light green hull with a single 315 Yanmar with a tunnel/ prop pocket. Nicely thought out with a huge cockpit and built-in transom livewell.
They also just finished repainting and partial restoration on a 76 28' Bertram Express that I surveyed, came out real nice.
They are building 2 new L&H's all custom, no wood boats. It's amazing how many boats have the almost the same bottom or very similar to the original 31 Ray Hunt design deep-V Bertram. I guess imitation is the best form of flattery.

Ray Hunt was the first designer to develop a deep V planning hull. Literally, every deep V planning hull since owes it's existence to him.

When you're the first, everyone else is just a follower...

Craig,

Whats the link or the title on THT?

The L&H is actually a Ray Hunt designed boat. It is the Chris Craft 30 Tournament hull that they stretched to make the mold.

I am currently building my own boat in a similar fashion. Tony here has checked it out several times.

Interesting note, Jannice was an assistant under Hunt when he did the Chris and then went on to do the Blackfins.

I have a friend in Montauk with an L&H with twin Cummins and a tower. How they got so much in that boat in functional amenities is to be admired. It is a low maintenance, BEAUTIFUL boat, perfect for our waters. Absolutely my second choice unless I was 20 years younger and wanted bigger...then it would be a Liberty, the big sized 31 Bertram.

Greg

I am actually looking forward to seeing the finished product. You have really thought out some of the features you are putting into that Chris. It will not only look great, but also be very functional. But looks like with all this snow, you will be set back a little this winter.

I know a guy who has a L & H here in town. has a Big boat in costa rica it really is a nice boat,

The liberty is nice, the 45 on there web site in in galveston my brother brought it here from Florida. Nice boat really fast but uses alot of the "high tech" fiberglassing Capt. Pat was talking about on another thread, I havent seen it latley but my brother said its starting to crack in alot places because it flexs so much. but boy it is one fine looking boat.. just tried to look, they got no website, are they gone?

Coolair,
Liberty was sold a few years ago, Joe C and his dad ran the business from start up to 2 years ago. I don't know how bought the company and I haven't been in that area of Riveria Beach for a couple of months.

Any boat with alot of raduis curves is going to crack from the motion of the ocean, speeds and sea conditions that most people should not be running a boat into. The older wood boats had joints that would move with the motion of the boat, didn't go very fast, had knowledgeable skippers, and were operated in seas that people respected. A lot of the older wood hulls are still around but most people don't have the time , money or know how to work on them. There were a lot more ribs and fasteners that flexed, oakum and red lead were used and special tools were used. Planked, lapstrake and butt jointed boats had lots of moving parts that most people never saw or heard creaking and moaning. Plywood wasn't used until just before WWII and FRP was a rarity until 1958. Fiberglass and gel coat area great for long sweeping runs but not real good for tight raduis'.
After being in the boat building business, surveying and selling boats for years,no matter what method of building or using the highest quality materials and the latest technologies your going to find cracking after a few years, no matter how good your finish work is.
Boating is a constant battle of upkeep, gaining knowledge and spending major amounts of cash. Every once in a while you have the enjoyment of catching fish and drinking a beer with your buddies. The main thing is keeping the other half happy doing something else so you can enjoy your own passion. Enough of my ranting, off to the Stuart Boat Show in the AM going to be about 70 degrees and sunny. To all the faithful up north keep shoveling that white sh*t and it's only 5 more months until your boats hit the water.

5 months pete, hell iam looking at 2

The fiberglass frames look interesting, does anybody have expierence with them?

Per Pete: "Boating is a constant battle of upkeep, gaining knowledge and spending major amounts of cash. Every once in a while you have the enjoyment of catching fish and drinking a beer with your buddies. The main thing is keeping the other half happy doing something else so you can enjoy your own passion."

Gosh how true, and funny in a way.

It's nice to hear your stories and experiences Pete.

Copy loud and clear Pete
But those twin 900hp Manns are pretty nice :)

Is this the boat Walter?

http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/liberty/

[quote="Tony Meola"]Greg

I am actually looking forward to seeing the finished product. You have really thought out some of the features you are putting into that Chris. It will not only look great, but also be very functional. But looks like with all this snow, you will be set back a little this winter.[/quote]

Thanks Tony, but this weather is killing me..right now..I haven't done much more than you were there last.

The floor is in place and ready to be tabbed and the vents are ready to be cut out. That's about it.

Can't wait until spring to get rolling.

[quote="coolair"]I know a guy who has a L & H here in town. has a Big boat in costa rica it really is a nice boat,

I think your talking about John. He moved the big boat back to the U.S. and now has a Chris redone by L&H next to us in Golfito. His Capt mates for us sometimes. Great guy. Thinks out of the box when it comes to boats to say the least...

Peter- that's a new model (and bigger, I think) that I haven't seen. There was a 42 footer in Montauk I had seen that was very much a longer, wider B-31. Similar accessible outside engine hatches, etc. Low hull profile. Beautiful.

I like the side windows he is using. They look pretty nice.

And I love Liberty's!!! Used to be one in Mystic called Bobcat. Just a beautiful boat. Fast and damned nice looking, but then again, I am prejudiced!

The guy that builds those frames is a friend of mine. He got started building frames because he owns a yard at Garret Bay Marine Industrial Park and owns a 58 Hateras with very leaky windows. He didn't want aluminum frames so he started building one piece replacement fiberglass frames for Hatteras'.Now he builds them for a lot of different boats.

I had been asking him when was he going to build some windows for Bertrams. When got these finished he called me to come look at them before he shipped them. They are nice one peice frames with fixed glass. I think he told me the price was $800 per side including the glass. Buzz

I don't think thats bad at all!!!!

coolair wrote:Copy loud and clear Pete
But those twin 900hp Manns are pretty nice :)

If you're talking about Buddy, his L&H is sure nice. Wish I had the cash to have a second boat like that, or a big boat for that matter. BTW still in Houston, one wouldn't think wiring a fan would take 6 hours but found some electrical issues and followed them....electrician comes out Monday,drywall guy tuesday. Break out another thousand.....-T

thums, no not same guy.
Tom
that his who i am talking bout. i grew up fishing on the nemesis(not the new one in tiki, buddy had several boats though) he and my dad were friends as kids and my dad worked for him for some time
ya must be nice have a 'big boat' in costa rica
takes alittle bit of jack to play with the big boys

Peter yes that is the "liberator" as far as I know he only built one.. I could be very wrong thoug