Word from the new Bertram company

[IRGuy]

I received this note in my email today.. I suspect some or all of you might have as well, but in case you didn't I think you will find it interesting. Unfortunately the mentioned picture did not come through.
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Dear Bertram Insider,

A lot has changed in the last 54 years since the legendary Bertram 31 was launched—especially when it comes to boating. Yet, there’s one key element the should never fade in and out with fickle trends: a good ride. This obvious, but often overlooked priority is the foundation for the latest Bertram model now under development.

“We reduce each new design to its basic common elements, focusing on the requirements of the boat rather than the styling,” says yacht designer Michael Peters. “Beautiful styling is simply the skin-tight wrap that covers a functionally beautiful design.”

After an extensive design review we selected Peters to lead our desing efforts. He and his staff, along with the Bertram management team led by Susan Davids, have been working feverishly this summer on the new model. Besides his deep understanding of what makes a good boat bottom, Peters is seriously passionate about Bertram.

“Bertram got its start as a no-BS man’s boat,” Peters says. “Bertram is the reason I live in Florida today. Growing up, it was the boat of my youth. I have honestly had a desire to do Bertram ever since.”

At this writing, the tooling is underway on a boat that will certainly capture the spirit of Bertram. We’ll unveil the design to the public at the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show on November 5. We hope the hull drawing shown here will whet your appetite. And because we know it’s all about the ride, we’re projecting a top speed of over 40 knots. As a Bertram Insider, you will continue to receive future updates as we transition from the tooling stage to production.

Thank you for your continued interest in Bertram Yacht. If you’re attending the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show in November, we’d love to see you at our party on Friday November 5th. Drop us a line at marketing@bertram.com if you want to be added to the invitation list.

Sincerely,
Capt. Tommy Thompson
Product Development Manager

[CaptPatrick]

Frank,

Thanks for sharing!

I sent Tommy a note to call me again for any other updates and I'll see if he'll send me the missing drawing...

The November Ft Lauderdale Boat Show sounds interesting. I may just consider going.

[IRGuy]

Captain Patrick

I will be surprised if others here and on the B33 site (I posted this note there as well as here) didn't also get Thompson's note. I don't know for sure how I got on their mailing list except I have some recollection that several months ago I received a questionnaire from someone asking for my comments about the possibility of Bertram coming back to life and I and I answered it with a very pointed response. As I recall I said that I thought it would be possible for Bertram to come back to life with a stable of straightforward, sportfish designs that were reasonably priced in the 30 - 40 foot range, eschewing the swoopy teardrop shaped windows and fancy but excessive glitzy trim such as granite counter tops and other over the top features.

It will be great to see the missing drawing.

[SteveM]

Would love to see the drawing, I'll be sure to go to the show and check it out.
If were to guess they will build a walkaround boat that can go fast, fish, and ride comfortably.

[CaptPatrick]

Well, I booked a flight to Liquordale and will make the Bertram Invitation party on the 5th. Not very interested in the boat show itself so only plan on being there on the 5th. Flying back on the 9th the other 3 days will be spent with Bruce and Shirley if they'll have me...

[scot]

Thanks Capt.

I have worked for public corporations for most of my life (thank God that is behind me). The email sounds like corporate mumbo-jumbo to me. I can't see that it really says anything? What am I missing here?
Names the designer, claims he loves Bertram. A woman is heading this up and they have worked really hard. Says it will go 40 knots, infers that it's a "man's boat".

To swipe a saying that most old guys remember "where's the beef?"

I suppose the good news is that they are not praising the modern beauty of Euro-design. Looking forward to some beef on new design, ie specs!

[Bruce]

My home is your home. I'll even take the day off and come play boats for the day. Time to get the band back together........

[PeterPalmieri]

Very interested in seeing the mystery drawing.

[Bill G.]

A short time ago there was a new 60 designed by Ullberg being shown I wonder?...Bill G.

[Hueso]

over 40 knots?........must be a center console or a very fast 31.........be that as it may, great promo for Bertram fans

[CaptPatrick]

Had a nice phone conversation with Tommy Thompson today. Not much more than has been posted is new, he did send me a different version of the drawing that was included in the email that some of you got. (Image above that David posted...)

I modified the drawing with some notations.



In order to make production more cost effective, (1 piece mold as opposed to a 2 piece mold), the chine has been modified to have a similar appearance as the B31 reverse chine, but able to come out of 1 piece mold. There'll be no tumblehome, more like the B28. Fewer lifting strakes and not quite as deep-v as the B31.

The two oval items low on the hull are to be molded in guides for a bow thruster should a customer want that. Not going to be offered as standard equipment, but apparently there's a lot of interest in thrusters from potential customers.

The boat will be in the 35' range and in essence a larger version of a B31/B28 combination. There was no conversation about power, but I'm guessing somewhere around 420 hp.

[scot]

The molded thruster location guides are very clever and 35-40ft is encouraging. Looking forward to seeing a boat.

[Yannis]

It looks like this boat will bang like crazy in the Med chop, it looks more like an ocean boat. Fishing or not, this is another story, but it doesn't look like a deep vee to me.
It also looks like a wet boat as there doesn't seem to be enough flare,if any.
It also seems it will be a single motor (?) boat; why else would you need a bow thruster in a 35 footer?
Difficult to move a 30-35 footer to 40 knots with a 420 motor, if it were not as flat as this one looks like .

Anyway, in 60 days we'll all know the rest of the story...

[Carl]

It looks like this boat will bang like crazy in the Med chop, it looks more like an ocean boat. Fishing or not, this is another story, but it doesn't look like a deep vee to me.
It also looks like a wet boat as there doesn't seem to be enough flare,if any.
It also seems it will be a single motor (?) boat; why else would you need a bow thruster in a 35 footer?
Difficult to move a 30-35 footer to 40 knots with a 420 motor, if it were not as flat as this one looks like .

Anyway, in 60 days we'll all know the rest of the story...

I agree with you Yannis about the Deep Vee and Wet...but the 31 is wet. However, as Bob has noted, if cranking thru your leaving that spray behind you. Now if bottom configuration slows you down in a good sea...you better have real good wipers and/or rain gear with mask.

Time will tell...it would be great to see Bertram rise again.


I know little...but highly doubt single screw.

As to Bow thruster...need them or not, they sell boats...its the "Bling thing" Few are impressed if a person can dock like a pro...hit that button and the Blender in the bow starts screaming up a storm...Now you'll get OOOoo's and Ahhh's. And for those that can't dock...now they dont' have to learn....or so they think.
That said...it can be a nice feature docking against wind and current in tight quarters.

[PeterPalmieri]

You can all nit pick the details, but the big picture is this seems to be a boat that is much closer to the older boats we know and love as opposed to the 70' fancy pants yachts. Maybe something that some of us might consider owning or could even consider without a winning lotto ticket.

In the 35ft range there are some nice convertible layouts like a Henriques 35 or the older 35 Cabo where the engines were under the rear bulk kead, leaving a nice size cockpit. Still big enough for galley up two state room or galley down single stateroom designs. Modified for an express model. Referencing the layout only in those examples.

Being where current trends are I wonder if they are considering Zeus drives or outboard options? Not my thing but both lend themselves to the bow thruster, joystick crowd.

Game on!

[SteveM]

I think marketing wise it's important for them to connect the dots to their legacy. This hull does that. A dramatically different design with flare, etc may as well come with a different name than Bertram. They need to reintroduce the public to the positive history of Bertram and springboard off that into their future. Can't be all things to all people. I think they will sell out of inventory on a solid well built boat that tips the hat to the B31.

[Yannis]

. A dramatically different design with flare, etc may as well come with a different name than Bertram.

My 28 has a nice flare that keeps you dry, in a three piece suit, and is still a Bertram, or so I think.
Out of all Bertrams ever made, how many were 31 's ? Why should one want to get wet everytime they go out?
(Not that only the 31's are wet of course).

[Pete Fallon]

Faithful,
The new Bertram seems to look like a Cabo bottom to me, only around 18 degree dead rise, not the old 24 degree that our battle wagons have, a 40 plus boat is not really that fast. Back in the early 90's I was involved in the building and sales of the 34' Legend a center console that did 60 plus with twin 250 hp outboards. Capt.Pat, Uncle Vic and Bruce and a few of the old guard were on the boat during the Ft. Lauderdale Show in October 1990 or 1991. The design was a mixture of everything that was good on the water at that time, lot's of reverse cupped lifting strakes, cupped chine's, flat pad on the very bottom, it had a 8 second hole shot (0 to 30 mph)with very little bow rise, it had 5 internal FRP stringers, with the two inner stringers extended all the way to the transom so the motors were actually pushing against the stringers not just the transom and not a drop of wood in the boat. She was cored with 5/8" high density PVC foam above the waterline, 23 layers of hand laid glass in the bottom, She was only 9'11" wide so it didn't need a wide load permit every time you launched it. (10' was Florida's wide load with signage). I wanted to build a 31 Bertram knock off but I got out voted. It would have cost $350,000 back then to make a twin diesel 31 that would be a high 30 mph boat. The 34' Legend was in the mid $150,000 range at that time. That boat was the driest most comfortable riding boat I ever ran and it also caught fish, which was it's intended purpose.
Anyway I am glad I am out of the boat building end of the industry especially with the cost of resin, gel coat and other materials. As a surveyor I am still involved in the industry and see a lot of nice boats but they are vastly out numbered by the crap that some call a boat in todays market place. Hopefully the new Bertram company will get back to basic no frill sport fishing boats that we all fell in love with 54 years ago. If only UV could see what has happened to marine industry in the short period that he has been gone.
I would like to get to the Ft Lauderdale show but it looks like #18 on the knee surgery hit parade is going to be occurring around that time, this will be the 4th total knee revision since 1999, they finally figured out that I am allergic to the bone cement that holds the artificial joint in place, it only took the doctors 16 years and 17 surgeries to figure it out. I can see now why they call it the practice of medicine, but why did they have to practice on me is the question I often ask.
Pete Fallon

[SteveM]

Pete, good to hear you may have found a resolution. Lend the doctors some 5200 adhesive.
Always enjoy reading your insight and stories too.

Could it be possible the image is not exactly what they will produce. No matter what I hope they build a solid boat that is not a cheap Euro style. I think there will be a lot of people, (not just our sandbox) waiting to see what they produce....and where they will produce them from.

[Bruce]

Hey Pete, would be great to have you come down for the show. We can all listen to the speech and cough.

[Pete Fallon]

Bruce and Steve,
It looks like the show is going to be about the same dates as the surgery, they still have to build the new implant (4 to 6 weeks). You and Capt Pat can cough for me, Good to here from you guys, I will keep you informed about knee surgery.

[Navatech]

I'll be in town for the show... Would love to meet up with some brothers...

[Bruce]

Pete,
Being a caddie guy, I got a 58 caddie in the shop that we put a LSA supercharged new caddie engine in with a full 4 link custom suspension with air ride.
We got the air ride up and working yesterday.

Sorry you can't make it down. Won't be the same without ya.

[Pete Fallon]

Bruce,
Are you going to call the shop Ass monkey garage like on the Texas reality show Gas Monkey?. My grandfather had a 58 gun metal gray 4 door sedan deville and Marilyn's grandfather had a 55 coupe that was baby blue. As a kid I could hardly open and close those heavy doors, I felt like I was at the movies riding in that beast. Now a days it would be the perfect car for smuggling Central American lawn workers, you can get 15 in the trunk and 30 inside the car. Wish I could make the show but it's time to get the knee fixed again.
Pete

[Bruce]

Your right, the trunk is hugh. Any NJ mobster would envy it.
Actualy when I started there they were filming a pilot for reality tv. Its done and being shopped at A&E, etc. I hope it doesn't fly. Being an ass is one thing, being an ass on tv is another.

[John Swick]

The plot thickens.

Quoted from Soundings trade only magazine:

Fort Lauderdale-based Bertram Yacht retained the services of Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding in Thomaston, Maine, to build prototypes of its initial designs.

Bertram said tooling is underway on its first new model, which will be announced at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in November. The new model is expected to launch in the late spring of 2016.

“We have partnered with Lyman-Morse to build our first two prototypes,” Bertram general manager Susan Davids said in a statement. “As anxious as we are to reintroduce our new products to the market, we’re equally focused on locating and organizing our own production to meet the highest of standards. Lyman-Morse’s excellent reputation and long history of boatbuilding, along with their willingness to prototype in full partnership with Bertram production personnel, gives us the opportunity to introduce our first product with confidence.”

Bertram Yacht is working with Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding to produce initial versions of the highly tooled boats with a design that is focused on a Michael Peters-designed ride and has a projected speed topping 40 knots.

“The most impressive part of what’s going on with Bertram is the team that has been assembled around the resurrection of the brand,” said Drew Lyman, president of Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding. “They are tapping into the existing customer base and are listening to captains and Bertram owners, and getting a lot of feedback. I think we can lend a lot of ideas, and it’s going to be a really fantastic partnership for us to be able to support them and work with a great team.”

As Bertram and Lyman-Morse build the first prototypes in Maine, Bertram will simultaneously continue work toward setting up a production facility in the southeastern United States to build American boats from the designs of American firm Michael Peters Yacht Design with Caterpillar propulsion.

Italian Argo Finanziaria, one of the Gavio Group of companies, signed a letter of intent with Ferretti Spa to buy the sportfish builder, which shut down production last summer at its leased boatbuilding plant on Merritt Island, Fla.

The company had moved to the Merritt Island facility in 2012 after shuttering its Miami facility. That plant, where Bertram had manufactured boats for 50 years, sold in August for $35.5 million.

Beniamino Gavio outlined the plans for the company at the Yacht & Brokerage Show in Miami Beach shortly afterward. The group plans to reinvigorate the brand with new models.

[mike ohlstein]

http://www.mpyd.net/portfolio/portfolio.aspx

[bob lico]

the secret "mirrors" just receive the contract for the entire USMC. world wide alert system so i receive the word start looking for a boat of my choice so i am in the market for a 50-- to 60' sport fishing boat.power can be anything but MANN engines!!!!!.prefer cat or MTU. i might hold off for bertram to build a 50 plus or look at Buddy davis,Hines farley ,spencer,merit, or any boat of that look and performance.