bertram31.com

Thanks to Capt. McCrary for accepting my forum registration request.

I'm trying to do some diligence to decide whether or not to make a purchase, and this board certainly seems to have a deep well of practical knowledge.

I scanned the archived ethanol topics and didn't see this addressed (or maybe I missed it).....
Are later year fuel tanks...1987 and after... subject to the same issues as the older Bertram tanks? And, would/will a Texas boat likely be exposed to ethanol?

I currently run a fairly new center console with a poly tank, so I haven't been too concerned about ethanol up to this point.

I very much appreciate any guidance anyone with facts might be willing to provide. And indeed if I do become a member of the Bertram family you can be sure you will be seeing a lot more of me. This forum is really a valuable resource. Best to all.

Cutaway,

Welcome aboard!

Depends on where in TX you'll be boating. Currently and in most cases, ethanol is being distributed according to areas of high population density. So the Houston/Galveston area is getting the corn, but smaller areas like Port Aransas isn't.

That's not to say that if your area isn't getting the blend now, they won't start pumping next week, but you'd likely be safe for a year or two...

Ethanol does seem likely to be with us for the long haul though and somewhere down the line anyone with an old fiberglass tank, regardless of year or manufacturer, is gonna' get a case of the ethanol woes.

There is a very distinct difference between commercial storage tanks built specifically for holding and distributing gasoline and marine fuel tanks produced by boat manufacturers. While the resins and fiber contents may be similar, tanks built for the petroleum industry were produced under far greater quality requirements and had to meet more stringent government regulations than were tanks produced by the recreational marine industry.

Removal and replacement of a boat fuel tank is going to cost around $3k - $6k depending on the labor costs, volume and material of the new tank, but if you can factor that into the price of the boat you're looking at, don't let it be a deterrent to buying Bertram. Try to negotiate the price down due to the fact that the old tank will need to be replaced. It's currently, and will remain for the foreseeable future, a buyers market and you have the advantage...

I figure you're living in the Austin area, what part of TX are you boating in?

Br,

Patrick

CaptPatrick,

Thanks for the fast reply and the good information. I do appreciate it.

Yes, I live in Austin and fish out of Port A. I have been fishing offshore with a single engine center console for 20+ years (so obviously I am maintenance-focused).

As you said, it seems to be a buyer's market, and I am giving consideration to a 28. It may work out to be a good fit for the way I want to continue fishing, and it may be a good time to make the move.

Am I correct then in assuming that the later years 28's are as negatively affected by ethanol as the earlier ones? Therefore a re-tank job will be a given at some point in the not-to-distant future regardless of the year of the boat? (sorry if I'm being redundant)

Best to all.

Am I correct then in assuming that the later years 28's are as negatively affected by ethanol as the earlier ones? Therefore a re-tank job will be a given at some point in the not-to-distant future regardless of the year of the boat?

Yup...