My first exposure to Bertrams was on a test ride with Zeke Westerson in the mid-1960s when my folks purchased a 25’ Sportfisherman from Yacht Distributers, an Old Saybrook, CT Bertram dealer. Zeke even arranged a tour for our family at the plant in Miami. Fast forward to the mid 1990’s when I was able to afford a 28 Flybridge of my own, and put many hours on that boat before leaving Bertrams to enjoy an Island Gypsy Trawler, then BHM Downeast cruiser.
The current search has been underway for the better part of a year, looking at some fine boats throughout the northeast, as far south as Annapolis, MD. Each boat tells a story of how they were cared for, if they underwent a refurbishment (or two), and what the quality of the work was that’s been done to them. Quality of refurbishing takes on two meanings to me, both in the use of great materials as part of a well thought out plan, and the attempt to keep the original lines and design features of the boat. Along with varying qualities of boats, we found that there are some brokers who rise above their peers.
I could easily compare this search to making the hard choice at a pet adoption shelter – all the dogs deserve a great home, but there is that one needle in a haystack that is the best fit. You almost feel bad you can’t take them all home, and that’s certainly how I feel about one or two of the 31’s we’ve seen. There are some very nice boats out there with great potential, so if anyone else is looking for a project to build upon a great foundation, contact me and I’ll gladly share some listings.
The Bertram 31 who will be a part of our family is a 1964 Soft Top Express, currently residing in Newburyport, Ma., the same yard that did a lot of work on Bertram 31 Otter. Ours is still listed as “Linda B” in the images section of this web site.
The upgrades over the years include re-wiring, a pair of Yanmar 4LH-STE 230hp motors, fiberglass cockpit deck etc. Much of the boat remains original, and appears to have been very well cared for. Now we begin planning for more upgrades to be completed before launching. The “projects” won’t stop there, as she’ll be worked on when she arrives at her new summer slip in Essex, CT, and subsequent off-seasons when she’s trailered home and stored inside.
“Big-ticket items” that we’re looking to do early on include a walk-through transom door, reverse-cycle heat/ac, and adding either a front cabin mast or side mounted radar/gin pole for a new broadband-radar. While I’ve searched for suggested locations/options for these projects, any input would be appreciated.
Finally, thanks to Capt. Patrick and others on this site who serve as a tremendous resource in promoting and maintaining the brand. We’ll get some pics up as we do various projects, and update the images on this site in a few months.
Bob
