Price of a 31 in 1975

[Tony Meola]

My wife was going thru some old files today, and she found an old folder from my father for the boat. In the folder was the bill of sale from 1975 when my father bought the boat. I know some of the members will find this of interest.

New the boat cost my father $36,720. The base price of the boat with 350 HP Mercs was $32,600. The additional items and their price at the time was as follows:

Anchor chocks, and deck pipe $50.
Battery Paralleling Switch $54
Compass $84
Engine Box Cushions $105
Non skid Deck $248
Fresh water cooling for engines $1,182
Outriggers, Lee 4 foot with 21 foot poles $591
Antifouling paint $334
Extra Automatic Bilge $155
Bow Rail $150
Electric Refrig 110 volt $261
Rod Holders $96
Cockpit step (ladder under gunnel) $85
Electric Toilet $142
Shore Power $158
Bimini Top $424
Cradle $291
Freight $1,500
Make ready, launch full fuel, was hu.. $400

Translate that into today's dollars and you would start to see what a new one out of the mold might cost. The base price would probably come in around $300,000 to $400,000.

[Yannis]

Very interesting Tony!

The 300-400 k you're mentioning appears too good to be true.
Just consider, there are people today who pay the same money to buy a RIB of the same size. A RIB, filled with air!

[Seapalm]

The New Bertram 35, which shadows the old 31 in looks, starts at $950,000.00 for a base price boat. That is $27,142.00 per foot. So at 31 feet that would be a $841,428.00 boat! Look at that in words:

Bertram 31 for Eight Hundred and Forty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty Eight Even Dollars. ($841,428.00)

It makes me feel a lot better about the money I’m spending on my restoration projects!
I wonder how much the new Bertram Center Console will be per foot?
Cheers!

[ktm_2000]

also to put into comparison, I think my parents bought their first home - @ 1000 sq foot 3 bedroom ranch on 1/4 acre about that same time for about the same price

[ed c.]

About the early 1970's the price of oil quadrupled and everything went up in price. I had a sales slip for a 31 Bert. In 1967, the price was $ 19k. The power was 330'hp chryslers. How things have changed.

[Tony Meola]

About the early 1970's the price of oil quadrupled and everything went up in price. I had a sales slip for a 31 Bert. In 1967, the price was $ 19k. The power was 330'hp chryslers. How things have changed.

Ed

A family friend had a 67 31 which purchased used when it was about 2 years old. He passed around 1984, and when he passed several of us helped his wife sell it. She sold it for 19,000 cash. In fact she was powered with Chryslers., had a lower station. It sold to someone out of Wildwood NJ. Actually, funny thing, that is were you are from is it not. What are the chances it is the same boat.

[Tony Meola]

The New Bertram 35, which shadows the old 31 in looks, starts at $950,000.00 for a base price boat. That is $27,142.00 per foot. So at 31 feet that would be a $841,428.00 boat! Look at that in words:

Bertram 31 for Eight Hundred and Forty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty Eight Even Dollars. ($841,428.00)

It makes me feel a lot better about the money I’m spending on my restoration projects!
I wonder how much the new Bertram Center Console will be per foot?
Cheers!

I think $800,000 is a little high. I realize the 31 as it was designed is a problem as far as the molds go and that is what would drive up the cost. But I still think it be less that what you have it at. I might go to $650.000 as a base price. A 31 Pursuit is going for $350,00. The addition of inboards and a fly bridge would not add another $500,000 to the price. But I will admit in any event, if I was buying new today, it would not be anything as large as a 31.

[Carl]

What happened to the 750k starting price.

Not that I was buying at that price at this time, I'm a tad bit short...

[Rawleigh]

Mine was $17k and change in 1966.

[neil]

Rawliew you win,in1974 the 31 was a thousand a foot so my dad bought a silver ton forty yrs later we bought a 31@3k per foot ,no regrets

[EarleyBird]

Just to chime in, the gentleman my Dad bought our 31 from the second week in August 1986 paid, according to him 29K for his 1973. We gave him 49k. My Dad passed away 6 weeks later. As you can see, I have owned her for 34 years. She is running like a Rolex on her 4th set of motors. Almost 4600hrs.on 270HP. Cummins, trouble free might I add....normal maintenance with minor problems I fix myself. 30 years in Steamship Enginerooms allow me that ability. EarleyBird

[Seapalm]

Early bird those numbers are great and inspirational!
I pulled a pair of running Volvo diesels out of my 31, I didn’t want the expense or headaches, sold them in a week. I then purchased a pair of Cummins Bta 5.9 and I’m rebuilding them to drop into the 31. I have Cummins 370’s in my B35 and absolutely love them. I also do all my own work and maintenance. I’m encouraged by the 4K plus hours.

[Tony Meola]

Rawleigh

Did you buy yours new?

Earley

Do you remember what the original name on your boat was or who you purchased her from? That was about the time a friend of my fathers sold his 31 which was a 73.

[EarleyBird]

Tony, my name is Jim Earley, Earley with two “e’s”six letters. The name of my boat is EarleyBird, one word. My Father, like I said bought the bought in 1986 from Dave Robinson who owned a vehicle repair shop on Drum Point Rd. Brick N.J. He also owned and lived at Robinson’s Anchorage in Manasquan, where the boat was and still is, most of the time, during our fishing season May into December. It’s former name was White Spray. Jim aka EarleyBird!

[Joseph Fikentscher]

Jim, I pass Robinson's just about every day. I'll have to stop in and say hi.

[Rawleigh]

Tony: My Godfather, who was my Dad's childhood best friend and like a second dad to me bought it new. My earliest boating memories are on it. He gave it to me about 20 years ago. He passed away in January of 2018. It has been in the same boathouse since new.

[EarleyBird]

Joseph, feel free to stop and chat anytime you’d like. Presently the EarleyBird is on her winter blocks at Carver’s. One more job to do, sand the teak deck and coveringboards, then the shrink wrap comes off. Finished painting the bilges from aft bulkhead to transom E-Z Poxy Blue Ice today. Motors are all ready to fire, bottom’s painted. Last step is a good clean, then wax. Get some more nice weather, should try and float her early next week. Tackle’s all ready, go looking for for some of the big girls shortly. EarleyBird

[Tony Meola]

Jim

Thanks. I know that there were a bunch of 31's up in the Manasquan/point pleasant area back in the 70's and 80's. I knew a couple of the boats.

Ours came out of Nautical Yacht sales in Brielle. The dealer ship was owned by a guy named Al Losee. I actually went to school with his granddaughter. Al claimed he was the first dealership Richard Bertram gave out. When I finally met Richard Kidd, who was one of the original Bertram Employees, I asked him if it was true. He said it was and that Al had been a personal friend of Richard Bertram for years.

Rawleigh,

That's great. I keep on wondering if who's 31 Bertram has been in the family the longest. Ours is pushing 45 years this August. I took it over from my father after he passed in 94. I still remember that, he had was in bad shape but wanted the boat in the water. He sat in the car and watched me get her ready. That was the first time he never worked on the boat. Unfortunately he did not get to see her go in that year. He died about week after I started working on it.

A lot of good memories on that boat.

[EarleyBird]

Hello Tony,
Now there’s a name from the past, though I never met the man. Bet he made a few scheckels selling 31’s. If I see the EarleyBird’s previous owner, I’ll ask him about Al Losee. I would imagine mine now, also was sold by him. To add there are still a bunch of 31’s that cruise/fish out of Manasquan Inlet. In addition, I never counted but conservatively a dozen haul out and winter at Carver Boat Yard in Pt. Pleasant along the Manasquan Canal. Several 35’s too. A man, who’s looking to buy one elsewhere???has stopped by mine twice to look and ask questions. Try to help him out. Be smart,stay safe. EarleyBird

[Tony Meola]

JIm

I bet your boat did come out of there. We looked at Stone Harbor Yacht sales and up at Al's. Stone Harbor was rough on the price. They had all kinds of stuff they were trying to bill for. So we turned around drove up to Brielle and bought the boat off of Al.

His grand daughter told me her grandfather was a piece of work and always either building or playing with boats. Richard Kidd said that every time Al showed up at Bertram Yacht he created a big ruckus.

I guess everyone up in Brielle knew Al. I am sure he moved some boats over the years.

[ed c.]

Tony M, the boat was owned by a guy from from ocean city and was stored at yanks boat yard in tuckahoe.we brought a 75 model later on and repowered with 315 yanmars. My son now owns the boat and the name is "Seaveyor". The boat is in Palm beach condition.

[Tony Meola]

Nice Ed. Do you still keep your boat down in Wildwood?

The Boat we helped our friends wife sell was named Pussycat, when he owned it. The guy who purchased it did not care about the condition of the engines. He had a pair of new engines in a crate sitting in his garage and he told us that when the Chryslers blow, he will just drop in what he has. Unfortunately he passed a few years after buying the boat and still was running the Chryslers. I lost track of it after that. I had been told his son had her, but that was over 30 years ago.

[Pete Fallon]

Faithful,

How about a 1961 31 Express Hull #186 with FWC 413CID Chryslers, Direct drive 72 Series Borg Warner trannies, Judson Scynro. Alpeco Flasher/ Paper machine,
Ritchie Compass and a 9 Channel Raytheon VHF. Boat sold at the New York Boat Show Javitts Center, for $15,900 brand new with Shipping cradle. Boat was originally sold by a yard in Brick, N.J. Delivered to Onset Bay Marina in the spring of 1962 I bought it from the 2nd owner for $18,000 in 1977 and had her for 37 years until I sold her in 2014. Great boat, however age and knee issues made her go away .I helped build a 34' center console with twin outboards that sold for over $140,000. stripped in 2001.
Pete Fallon

[ed c.]

Tony, the boat has been in wildwood for years.

[MarkS]

$424 for a Bimini top?

[Tony Meola]

That is what is on the full invoice from the factory. What can I say. Strange price. Probably about the right amount for 1975. But why not $425 or $450, who know what they were thinking. Maybe is just shows they did not round up.

[MarkS]

I think I paid less than that for mine in 05?

[Tony Meola]

I replaced mine a few years ago, with a stainless frame. I think it ran around $600. The old one from Bertram had a metal frame that had a plastic coating on it. Lasted about 10 years. I think we have gone through 4 tops.

[MarkS]

Here’s to your 4 tops Tony! Couldn’t help myself plus it’s Mother’s Day!
https://youtu.be/TRzSiAzz-4I

[Tony Meola]

Mark

Tha t was a good one.