Bert 31 Diesel for sale

waggles02673 · Post by **waggles02673** » Jan 12th, '07, 07:55

Hey guys

If you know anyone looking for a 31 diesel check this one out. The boat is not mine but I have seen it and have met the owner on Nantucket. The boat is clean and looks like the price is right.

31' Bertram Sportfish

.

34Hatt · Post by **34Hatt** » Jan 12th, '07, 08:46

Nice looking Boat the one thing that caught my eye. Was the New Stainless Tanks. I have read with all the stuff going down with tanks that the Stainless Cracks!!! But here is a boat that someone put stainless in???

Charlie · Post by **Charlie** » Jan 12th, '07, 09:07

Non now stainless steel does not crack. Stainless is difficult to weld. The welding process, if not done by an expert, can cause the stainless to become very britle at the weld. The problem is not with stainless; but the guy running the welding machine. A shop thet specializes in stainless tanks with a proven track record should be able to turn out a quality tank. Get references!!

CaptPatrick · Post by **CaptPatrick** » Jan 12th, '07, 09:38

Dan,

The pros and cons of stainless tankage has been an ongoing topic over the past year or so...

The bottom line is:

1. The tank needs to be fabricated by a certified shop. Both certified by USCG for tankage & certified by AWS.

2. Using proper TIG welding/fusing techniques, the days of the weld cracking are a thing of the past. The old stick welded joints produced contaminated welds, over heated the surounding metal, and left oxygen pits which lead to crevice corrosion.

For acess to some of the past discussions, search the old board archives at http://www.bertram31.com/bb/bbs.cgi?noframes. Specifically, define the search as Messages containing All of the following keywords: -- stainless tanks

Be sure to see Doug's, (Nautical Marine), response at http://www.bertram31.com/bb/bbs.cgi?noframes;read=77930

Br,

Patrick

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Jan 12th, '07, 09:45

I know the owner. The present owner uses the boat daily in season so the tanks have some hours on them and have seen some weather since 1998. They haven't cracked yet! It simply isn't a problem.

As an aside, the reason he had to change out the tanks was because of blistering on the interior of the old tanks...and this is a Diesel boat and prior to Ethanol. Go figure.

Peter

CaptPatrick · Post by **CaptPatrick** » Jan 12th, '07, 10:15

was because of blistering on the interior of the old tanks...and this is a Diesel boat and prior to Ethanol. Go figure

Peter,

Blistering is not necessarily restricted to, or a result of ethanol. Blistering is the result of excess styrene in the layup not having resin molecules to cross link to. Styrene will combine with water much the same way that alcohol and water will mix.

In the absence of any water to combine with, excess styrene does no significant harm to the cured resin. The problem lays in the fact that a polyester/fiberglass matrix is microscopically porous and will allow water to be absorbed.

Once absorption begins, (there's always water in a marine fuel tank...), the moisture combines with the free styrene and produces a brown sap like substance. This also results in an increased volume of molecules within the matrix, producing a bulge.

Over years of progression, this process continues to grow until a visible blister is formed. As the blister grows, it begins to crack the resin allowing even more moisture to be absorbed. Like a cancer, the problem progressively worsens to the point that delamination of the fiberglass occurs.

This is virtually the same process that occurs on polyester hull bottoms that haven't been barrier coated...

Br,

Patrick

34Hatt · Post by **34Hatt** » Jan 12th, '07, 10:25

Dan,

The pros and cons of stainless tankage has been an ongoing topic over the past year or so...

Hey you Guys have been busy with this subject. Lots of good Info

Thanks Pat

Capt. DQ · Post by **Capt. DQ** » Jan 12th, '07, 10:27

Capt. Patrick,

I personally have not seen or heard of many B31 fuel tanks with blistering occuring on the inside have you? I''am not talking about tanks that have had ethanol run in them from the older Bertrams.

DQ

CaptPatrick · Post by **CaptPatrick** » Jan 12th, '07, 10:34

Doug,

It's a far more rare occurance inside of a tank than on a hull bottom, but it does happen. I've seen minor blistering in the bottom of one B31 tank, but because the process is very slow to worsen, it presented no short or medium range concern...

Br,

Patrick

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Jan 12th, '07, 10:51

Capt Patrick,

Very informative reply. Thank you.

re: blistering

One has to also consider the enormous pressures built up as a consiquence that the original site of the blister is generally very tiny, maybe even microscopic. A small force on a very tiny area still equals huge PSI at the site. This is generallly how a blister initiates, and then once the delamination process has begun it can easily grow to macroscopic size.

My real reason for pointing out the blistering situation in this 31's old tanks was to show that although the old Bert fiberglass tanks were really, REALLY good, nothing lasts forever.
Just changing from gas to Diesel or just because someone might own a Deisel boat, does not exempt them from checking their aging tanks and someday maybe having to replace them.
Just a heads up for the faithful.

Capt Patrick wrote:

Blistering is not necessarily restricted to, or a result of ethanol.

How very true that statement is!

Peter

Harv · Post by **Harv** » Jan 13th, '07, 13:55

Aside from the fact that I found the dreaded black goo from the fuel tank and ethanol on my valves, My fiberglass tank has external blistering on top along with a foul smelling saplike substance.

MarkS · Post by **MarkS** » Jan 13th, '07, 15:46

Capt. Patrick,
It never ceases to amaze me the amount of knowledge this group has amassed! After the last carcass has rotted here, it should be stuffed and put in the Smithsonian (sp?)

Also for anyone interested, Doug at Nautic is selling the business. I asked him if it was because of the Bertram meanies, he laughed. Early spring it will likely be run by someone else. FYI
Mark

Bulletproof · Post by **Bulletproof** » Jan 15th, '07, 18:32

When I cut out my tank this past summer the interior gel coat was literally covered with blisters and that brown like sap was throughout the inner tank surface. My boat's last season in the water was the year the ethanol hit Massachusetts. I never bothered to check to see what the source of my engine problems were bacause I had already decided to replace them.

I intend to purchase a new stainless tank from Nautic Marine this spring and am very much looking forward to installing it. Hell I might even splash this season who knows....

I'm really glad I took that old tank out. Remember that I found three serious hull fractures along the keel that I wouldn't have found if I hadn't pulled the tank!

Paul

neil · Post by **neil** » Jan 15th, '07, 19:25

what a small world that boat is the old pepper boat.it was located in my neck of the woods for the longest time.the old owner now has a b 35 that is a rocketship that boat has been around the block to say the least,but a fair price

Monomoy · Post by **Monomoy** » Jan 30th, '07, 17:42

You're exactly right. It is the old Pepper. It's had a lot done since Dave owned it and it's still for sale. I'll be submitting an ad on this site in the next day or two. Ask is down to $59,999. If you know anyone looking, have him get in touch with me. There's been so much done to the boat - too much to type in here or in the listing (plus I type too slow).

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Bert 31 Diesel for sale

Bert 31 Diesel for sale

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