bertram31.com

For those of you as obsessed with the history of the Best Boat Ever Built as I am, this is purported to be the very first ad for the Bertram 31. I've had this for a little over 10 years now. Magazine date in bottom left hand corner is February 1961 - almost 4 years before I was born! The ad pre-dated the product shots of a production boat. Every time I wonder why I am spending the money to repower Shambala, I look at this ad on the wall of my office and get chills. Truly, we are stewards of pieces of history...

Here is the other early 60's magazine ad I own and have framed:

That is a true piece of Bertram history...BH

Color me green with jealousy...

Faithful,
My most coveted possession is my original 1961 Bertram Express, no advertising can beat owning one of the first year 31's. I have had it for35 years and sadly she is for sale due to health reasons.
Pete Fallon

speeds to 50mph???

Love the proportions...

Perhaps a few creative liberties were taken.



I have some early brochures as well...I get a kick out of pulling them out and reading thru every now and again...although mine are a year to two newer then yours.

Thanks for sharing.

JohnV8er,
I read the ad, at 50 miles an hour it had to be the race boat with full blown Cadillac engines, no house or any other wind blockers.
I have had mine up to 41.8 miles an hour on the GPS and it starts to get a little squirrelly, it steers to the port and starts to chine walk. Cut it back to 35 mph it's like riding on railroad tracks in 2 to 3 footers.
Pete Fallon

The ad sells the dream and creates the myth in a way that only the Mad Men of Madison Avenue could have done in 1961. I look at that ad and can picture Don Draper making the pitch to Richard Bertram!

A little scotch a pack of smokes and somebody else's wife.

LMAO!!!

Maybe the B31 in the first ad can run 50 mph with that crew...they look exceptionally small.

Remember the flipper episode someone posted? They were on a 31 but when they went into the cabin it was the size of a motor yacht, maybe it was this boat with these mini people?

Here is one of the Carter Creek boys most coveted pieces. This is an original Bertram dealer sign from the beginning. It was two sided. We have both sides. Probably going to install one in my new boathouse.

Mikey,

That is AWESOME!!! OMG, would I love to have one of those!!!

Mikey, You the MAN. A good friend made my father a Bertram sign for his house. But you have a real sign. That is AWSOME !!!!!

And the original frame is back lit! It resides in a safe place which will not be disclosed!! LOL! You should have seen the look on Mikey's face when we cut through a hot wire going to the sign on top of the dilapidated marina building that supposedly had the power cut off from it for demolition!! (The electric meter had been removed. Hmmm! How did that happen?) Yikes!

I have some pictures of Mikey standing next to it before we removed that I will have to get from home and post.

If I come home with that ... I'd better be ready to eat it and sleep with it !!