Newbie wants restored B31 FBC, but is ignorant about them!

[Brewster Minton]

I want to be nice. For 40 hours a year you should rent a boat. There is the saying " If it flaots, flies, or f#$ks you should rent it". I have three boats but I live on one, the second is my 31 Bertram that I put 1000 hours a year on,48hours a trip, and a skiff to fish in the mornings before work. In total its about 50,000.$US a year without big problems. If you want the sexiest boat on the lake get a 31 Bertram and leave them drooling, wishing that they could some day have a boat as cool as yours. Just my 2 cents.

[JK]

I've only put about 30hrs per year on the boat since it came out of the shed for the redo and I still enjoy the boat. Sure I don't head out to the canyons every weekend but hanging out dockside and cruising to the on the water restaurant is still very enjoyable. I do think there is a difference between a lightly used boat and a neglected boat.

--JK

[CLK]

I think you must do some helm on a B31 with diesels, normal and litle wind wave weather and, that belong to a guy that don't want to sell.

I agree.

There is one up here & I was told the guy is thinking about selling. I haven't seen the boat yet - it's kept in a boat house. I doubt the guy is a site member, but was told his last name is Bebe. It's suppose to be a very nice boat. If/when I get to see it - I'll post some pics.


Cheers!
~CLK
ps - Spent some time in Lisbon, but more down in sourthern Portugal. Beautiful women!

[CLK]

="Buju]Thats a figure I've never had any desire to learn. It'd probably depress me, sometimes I like to remain blissfully unaware.

So probably not very financially practical, huh? But obviously you enjoy it & money isn't everything to you. Same with me.

Go on a trip, or fishing trip on a B31 like Luis suggests. Your big Whaler will probably no longer be your "go to" fishing and overnighting vessel. I say get the B31, and use her in the salt. Put the conquest on the auction block, use the Grady in the lake like you have been.

My big Whaler is the pefect boat for how I fish up here. It's rigged to the nines. Having a Flir M-Series installed as soon as the distributor gets it in. The cabin is big & very comfortable - it easily sleeps 5. This boat is my salt water fishing boat.

Coolairs comment on sanding bottompaint is based solely on how much it sucks.

And that's why I'm happy to pay some else to do it!

Appreciate the feedback Buju!


Cheers!
~CLK

[CLK]

Hi John - All good points.

I know I'm in the minority here, but at 40 hours a year intended use, and alot of sitting, I don't understand the desire for diesels. They're more expensive to purchase, maintain (given a 40 hour use), get worked on, and without trolling valves you won't be able to slow troll (you do that up there for salmon, right?). The longevity and range that are the main benefits from a diesel boat don't matter to you.

I suppose the reason I'm thinking in those terms (diesels), is because (correctly or incorrectly) that's what I envision a sportfish style boat to have, & if what I want is a SF style boat - I'd want the outriggers too - & I'm never going to be putting out a spreader either. They're probably not the most practical engines for how I'd use them,... but neither is the boat really.

For salmon fishing, I slow troll & use downriggers - usually about 1.5mph & in less than 150' of water. However sometimes, you're trolling over just 50' of water. The slow, quite four stroke outboards are perfect for this. Finally, the distance to the fishing grounds can vary & be far. My boat can run at 50mph, or easily cruise around 35-40mph.

In summation - I agree with you. The diesels are not that practical, particularly for how I fish. Neither is the boat. That's why I wouldn't intend to use the boat for fishing.

I'm not quite sure where you are, but I ran a boat down from Nanaimo to Seattle last year it was just about the most beautiful run I've ever done. If you're near there, you're pretty fortunate, and a B31 would be great.

My boats are slipped in Portage Bay. This bay essentially connects Lake Washington to the Puget Sound, via the locks. From my slips, I'm about a 20 minute boat ride to the locks. Once in the Puget Sound, you can go anywhere really - the San Juan Islands, Vancouver Island or Westport (on the ocean coast of Washinton State). The fishing & scenary are spectactular. You could spend a lifetime exploring the islands & up the coast, yet never drop hook in the same place. As for the lake - It's a large lake with great fresh water fishing & plenty of things to do. For what it's worth - I see more 40'+ boats on the lake, then I see boats under 20'. A b31 would not be out of place on Lk Washington.





Cheers!
~CLK

[CLK]

I want to be nice.... If you want the sexiest boat on the lake get a 31 Bertram and leave them drooling, wishing that they could some day have a boat as cool as yours. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for being nice.

I may get one, simply because I've always liked them & wanted one.

That'd be good enough reason for me. How about you?


Cheers!
~CLK

[luis]

CLK
ps - Spent some time in Lisbon, but more down in sourthern Portugal. Beautiful women![/quote]

If you come during the next 6 months I can show you a B31, aground, 60 kms from water, surrounding with fruit trees and with pieces everywhere around her. This I can offer you. The ladies on the south (Algarve), welllllll... maybe we can work out something to distract my wife meanwhile.

You or anybody on this loyalty and working group that come to Lisbon give me a call. ( You call me only if you already have a B31) ...(Its a joke but my english sometimes tricks me).
Best regards

[coolair]

Ya its based solely on how much is sucks to lay on your back with a sander for a day or 2, you turn black or in my bro's case blue, literally.
I know you can pay someone to do it, but I think it should be a right of passage or something, you should have to at least do it once, plus like someone else said, a 31 is a great DYI boat, thats part of the fun, i think at least

[CLK]

CLK

If you come during the next 6 months I can show you a B31, aground, 60 kms from water, surrounding with fruit trees and with pieces everywhere around her. This I can offer you. The ladies on the south (Algarve), welllllll... maybe we can work out something to distract my wife meanwhile.

Thanks luis.

I'm afraid if I ever returned to the Algarve - I may never come back. I drank a lot of wine & saw the most beautiful women there,... the sunsets were great, too.

Thanks again for the offer!


Cheers!
~CLK

[CLK]

I know you can pay someone to do it, but I think it should be a right of passage or something, you should have to at least do it once, plus like someone else said, a 31 is a great DYI boat, thats part of the fun, i think at least

Fair enough.

Thanks for the input.


Cheers!
~CLK

[jackryan]

Here's a nice one in your area:

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/ ... id=2015110

Here are a couple more ideas:

http://houston.craigslist.org/boa/1326082748.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/boa/1315528808.html

Here's a phone # of a guy in Los Angeles selling a 31 Bertram: 714-329-3030


JR

[jackryan]

Here's another West Coast boat:

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1962/Be ... 62-2030834

Click on the "Full Specs" tab to learn more about the boat, and click on the photo gallery tab for larger pictures.


It would probably look a lot better with the exterior covers off. There are a few funky things like the plastic steering wheel and party barge style seating, but the interior is beautiful, she has diesel engines and they just dropped the price $30,000. I'd say they are ready to deal.

I just noticed that it does not have the original "express style" upper windshield. Looks like they built a new upper windshield/bridge house out of mahogany or teak. Not sure what that would look like with the cover off. That might be a great layout for the colder cruising conditions in the northwest. It's a west coast diesel 31' Bertram that you may be able to pick up cheap. Take a vacation and run her up the coast!!!

JR

[CLK]

Jack,

Thanks for the leads.

Are you a broker?


Cheers!
~CLK

[Carl]

CLK, I think I see where your going and from where I sit you really only have one choice.

The best known, Ultimate Salt Water SportFishing Platform

The Bertram 31 FBC with Diesels.


I could tell you about my choice "The 31 Express", where you only have a lower helm and sit with your friends and family when running, or the Bahia Mar with a larger cockpit due to the helm being set forward further. But those are not the Classic 31 lines everyone knows.

I could mention dollar for dollar I think you would be better off with Gas Power, but the Perfect classic 31 FBC has Diesels.

So from here you need to figure out which diesel is best, you have two choices, Yanmars or Cummings. Both are the perfect choice, so then it comes down to how much speed you need and which powerplants are best supported in your area.

These old boats have a downfall and that is the wood they where constructed with. Going into Salt water they are more vunerable. Bulkheads, flooring and supports all rot, so whatever boat you look at, these areas should have been addressed.

The boats are fairly simple to work on (for a Boat), so maintance is a bit more straightforward, meaning the people working on them should be able to ge the job done with less issue and therefore somewhat less expensive then having to be a contortionist to change a filter, replace a hose, run a wire etc.

With a real good restoration I would think you'll be maintaining the boat in a very similar fashion to the way you would maintain a new boat.

I still find it wild that I can pull up next to a 54 Bertram or a 60' Viking Sportfish like I did this weekend, and the owner comes over to me, gives a compliment on the boat, asks the year and then proceeds to tell me about his experince on the 31. It's happened more times then I can count.

Good luck.

Carl

[jackryan]

CLK,

No I'm not a broker, but I spent a lot of time looking for a 31 Bertram, so I know lots of places to look. I finally bought a 1978 Sportfish with 240 HP 4LHA-STP yanmar's. She cruises about 24 kts and tops out at 30. I'm having a ball with it. I've saved a lot by doing oil changes and impeller changes myself. I recommend looking at as many boats in your area as possible, then maybe take a trip to Southern California and look at several boats in that area. I'm having so much fun with the boat, I wish I had bought one a long time ago. My recommendation: Go on and take the plunge.

JR

[randall]

I do think there is a difference between a lightly used boat and a neglected boat.

--JK[/quote]
i agree...

[coolair]

I have to agree with sim, its pretty crazy how just about everyone stops and looks at a 31, and even the guys who have the million dollar yachts allways want to talk, sometimes to compliment sometimes to talk about the memeories they have of their 31s

[CLK]

Carl,

That's a pretty good take on why I'm here,... & reply to what I'm looking for - Thanks!


Cheers!
~CLK

[CLK]

Again I want to thank everyone who's offered their time & advice in trying to help me out here - It's much appreciated.

I've also spent quite a bit of time perusing the site, & it's a wonderful resource.

This is a great community that you all have all created here!

I'm going to take what I've gathered here & continue in my decision making process. Wether I purchase a restored B31 or a smaller restored Bertram - I'll post it here.

Thanks again
~CLK

[jspiezio]

I see a 31B cruising around Lake Geneva in Wisconsin all the time. Lake Washington is much bigger. As an aside, the first boat I saw after boarding the water taxi in Venice last month was a B20 Baron, white with red. Nice looking boat. So you really can't go wrong with any of them.

[Goodgrief]

Great to hear that we may have another 31 in the sound! Please call me and I would be glad to have you down to my boat. It is in a boat house near West Seattle, I can show you anything you would like to see. My boat is basically new. It has rebuilt over the last few years, paint, power, wiring,cherry wood interior, head, yada yada yada, ya get the idea. Dave 206-255-5669

[Capt. DQ]

Carl,

I still find it wild that I can pull up next to a 54 Bertram or a 60' Viking Sportfish like I did this weekend, and the owner comes over to me, gives a compliment on the boat, asks the year and then proceeds to tell me about his experince on the 31. It's happened more times then I can count.

Ditto on that comment Carl, that says it all in a nut shell.

R,
DQ

[CLK]

Please call me and I would be glad to have you down to my boat. It is in a boat house near West Seattle, I can show you anything you would like to see. My boat is basically new. It has rebuilt over the last few years, paint, power, wiring,cherry wood interior, head, yada yada yada, ya get the idea. Dave 206-255-5669

Great talking with you Dave!

I'll see you & your boat next week.


Cheers!
~CLK

[CLK]

JK,

Did you replace the fuel tank on SeaNile?

Is there any concern of not having a newer fuel tank on an old Bertram 31?


Thanks.
~CLK

[In Memory Walter K]

Don't need it if you're diesel. Can't buy a better fiberglass tank. Why replace it with an aluminum one that will last 10 years?

[CLK]

Thanks Walter.


Cheers!
~CLK

[bob lico]

i must also mention sometimes old men enjoy getting a "wisser" from a much larger boat .case in point traveling along side of a 55' viking both heading out the fire island inlet. you have two stone jettys about 3/4 mile apart at the entrance to the inlet and even on a average ocean of 2 to 4' waves in the inlet there could be a series of white water 8 to 10' waves .very scarry to the average boater .once you get thru the wave pattern completly calms down. my 31 bertram has been alter in the drive line to the extent that it performs quite differant then lets say a 454 mercrusers stock boat. you can hit giant waves off bow and let the boat "slide" down the front side off the wave if you hold speed exact and no trim tabs what so ever.transum slides down wave bow proud at all times.well low and behold this big guy is next to you going out the inlet in total disbelief!!! befoonery to the fullest .after going out the inlet and not backing off at all his tongue is hanging out and gets you on the radio as you drop the hammer to 30 knots ----dunbfounded he call to tell you how great a 31 bertram is "if i did not see it with my one eyes i would never belive it".

[CLK]

Do most restored b31s have an internally plumbed head or porta-potti?

For those who have an internally plumbed head (not a porta-potti) on your b31s - what size is your waste holding tank? Do you have an external pump-out?

As projects go - what's involved & the general cost to have a waste holding tank installed w/ an external pump-out?

Thanks.

Cheers!
~CLK

[John F.]

I plumbed a small (13 gal.) holding tank, and have a pump-out on the port gunnel. It was probably $200 or so in materials (tank, expensive white hose for sewage, deck fitting, vent, etc.) I replaced the electric head that seemed to have more moving parts than the rest of the boat combined with a little manual head. Its all worked fine for years. The rubber stuff in the manual head needs to be replaced. It doesn't pump well--about $45 for the kit, or I can buy a new head for about $100. I'll probably just get a new head. Although vacuflushes are nice, they don't fit into my boat KISS philosophy.

John F.

[CLK]

Hey John - Thanks for the reply & info!


Cheers!
~CLK