bertram31.com

The North Carolina faithful will be gathering this weekend in the Cape Lookout area for our annual Bertram gathering. I know that there will be a lot of "Uncle Vic" memories shared by our group, as many of us spent time with him. I wanted to share the email that our organizer, Capt. Lin, sent out to the Carolina crowd (shown below) in the event any of you can join us. Lin and I both met Uncle Vic at the first Flophouse gathering at the FLL Boat Show many years ago, and as all of you know, there will never be another like him! Come join us if you can. Tommy

______________________________________________________________

To All:

OK, as we wind down to Friday and Saturday know that we are expecting the tropical storm to have been here and gone so we will be on to “fun as usual”.

Several of you have asked for a rundown on the schedule so here it is:

Festivities will start at the Causeway Marina on Atlantic Beach, home of SAWDUST and HAT TRICK with RAPSCALLION in temporary residence, at 6:30 PM. BarbeQue dinner will be served and we will have beer and wine as well. For those of you who are not familiar with the Causeway Marina, come across the Atlantic Beach Bridge and the Causeway is about 2/3 of the way to the stoplight at Ft. Macon road on the left. Use the Capt. Stacy Fishing Center and Seawater Marina (on left) as landmarks. Causeway is just past Seawater. Look for the attractive cedar shake building with a flagpole and the Al Williams Real Estate sign. The building is set back from the road.

On Saturday I propose we meet on the boats in the Morehead City port turning basin towards the boundary of the No Wake Zone at 9:30 AM. VHF Monitor channel 69. We will flotilla together to Harker’s Point on Harkers Island where we can enjoy fellowship thru lunch and into the afternoon. Lunch will be hamburgers and hotdogs with all the trimmings. Some sodas and beer will be available too.

We have a good crowd coming and we will especially welcome some new boats, faces and families on DECOY (Parrish and Buz Warren), EAZY PEACE ( Jay and Alice Baker) and DUCK (Tom Rickman – less Duck this year). We will also have the new face of BUDDY BOY (Jim Bailey, Tommy Drake , and Runyon Tyler) fresh off the Great Lakes last fall.

I may or may not send any additional messages so if you have any questions, send them to me today and tomorrow. I will not be on e-mail after Thursday. Call my cell 910-228-8456 if you need be Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday. I look forward to seeing everyone Friday.


Lin Spears
RAPSCALLION

LDS and I are in for the weekends events. Vic named my son Chris, "Lucky Dumb Shit" at Tropic Star Lodge. That was years ago but fondly remembered. LDS and I will be there and we will drink a "clear" to UV. If anyone wants to see that ancient post check out the old website. Looking forward to seeing the NC guys this weekend. Wish Russ had his new boat.

I won't be able to attend this year, but I do wish everyone a great time! I really enjoyed meeting avaryone last year!

Tommy,
I don't know if I'll make it this year. Boats ready and was planning on leaving at noon Fri. But with this rain last to weeks my kids games getting rescheduled. I don't know. I realy wanted to make it this year by boat.

Frank

I've lost to many fishing buddies over the past few years to "The kids Games" say it ain't so! I'm in the process of formulating a plan to avoid a similar demise, with one out of diapers and one on the way I fear that my fate has been sealed..

This isn't about blowing off your kids games this weekend it's about providing all young familes with hope :wink:

Pete,
If this wasn't a champonship game. He would miss the game but they finished in first place and this is the first of a two game championship. So they win on Fri play sat for 1st place. Most of the time fishing or going out in the boat is first on my oldest mind. The youngest only inshore so far. He missed out on a great dolphin trip last year and his older brother rubs it in. Looking at driving up to Mystic for in aug. end of may and first of june tuff time of year for me. Fishing sun.

Frank, you know that you will be missed, especially since you and your wife made the first Harkers Island event many years ago. You will never regret placing those little ones first, because they will be all grown up before you know it! We'll look forward to seeing you and your family next year; and Pete, we would love to have you and your family join us some time as well!

Tommy,
My wife and I are bummed for the first time weather and the boat looked good. We were talking about meeting in Ocracoke what 10 years ago. Seems like yesterday. Have a good time this weekend. As long as we win the games and get to fish I think everyone will be happy here.

I'll let Tommy fill in the commetary...

Thanks again Patrick. These photos are courtesy of Bill Harris, the proud owner of a B-20 and a B-28. Thank you, Bill, for the great photos! I believe we had seven 31s, three 28s, and two 20s. We had a great BBQ cookout at the Williams' marina on Friday night and a great hamburger cookout at Harkers Point (thanks to the Maxwell family) on Saturday; and the fellowship was outstanding throughout the whole weekend!

Some great looking boats! And People.

As the co-organizer of the NC Bertram 31 Rendezvous, I want to express my personal sadness in losing Uncle Vic. While I am not a day to day particpant in the Sandbox, I did spend time with Uncle Vic at the Ft. Liquordale boat show back in 2002 at the Flop House and certainly grew to appreciate his with and humor thru Bertram 31.com. As with everything in life, I wish I had taken time to know him better.

Within our NC group, we lost our friend and mentor John C Williams back in late 2011. As a B 31 owner since 1973 (SAWDUST), John C inspired many of us to become 31 owners and enjoy them to the fullest. We now add Uncle Vic to the list of 31 friends which will inspire us to continue the legacy of the 31. I hope ANOTHER JOY finds it's course as has SAWDUST with the children and grandchildren who care for it and enjoy it frequently.

Thanks for reminding us about John C.

I was in Lumberton NC on saturday and it was all I could do to keep from dragging my sister over to the gathering.