SURFRIDER

[Thunderbolt]

Good Morning from the UK...I am Mike James of the Classic Offshore Powerboat Club and also owner of THUNDERBOLT the Ray Hunt designed CHRISTINA 25 that Tommy Sopwith won the first Cowes Torquay powerboat race with in 1961...she was restored over 4 years after being saved from the back garden of the famous designer / racer DON SHEAD..
OK SO T'BOLT is not a Bertram but she is related and I am a friend of Pacific Marlin who restored Paper Tiger and I love these boats dearly...which is why I joined up, we are, that is COPC , desperate to find out what happened to SURFRIDER the 1964 winner which was a twin to Bertram's Lucky Moppie.
According to posts back in 2009 Surfrider was advertised for sale through YACHTWORLD in approx 2000..BUJU knows all the details and history of the early Bertram 31 racers, so the question is DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE SHE ENDED UP? if yes is the owner aware of her history, she was later raced by BOB NORDSKOG owner of Powerboat Magazine after being purchased from the Gardner Brothers.

If anyone can help track her down we would be much obliged.

on a different tack....BLUE MOPPIE is still around the hull only is in a boatyard on the Hamble and Tommy Sopwith's THUNDERSTREAK is also still surviving but with the ugliest cabin conversion you have ever seen.
Lady Aitkens 31 ULTRA VIOLET has been restored and is in the Channel Islands and Ian Saunders has Paper Tiger plus a 31 project.
PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE....www.classicoffshore.com/blog
and this http://www.classicoffshore.com/blog/category/history/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and if anyone can help please please contact me via TOMMYSTBOLT@aol.com
would post some pics but cannot find link.

Regards
Mike

[PeterPalmieri]

Great history lesson on the site, welcome aboard...

[SteveM]

I did not realize they used so many Express Sedan models in racing. Very cool. Thanks for posting.

[Thunderbolt]

I know she is not a 31 but this is the 25ft PAPER TIGER RESTORATION carried out by Ian Saunders (pacific marlin)

http://www.classicoffshore.com/restorat ... rtiger.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Mike

[Thunderbolt]

Paper Tiger

the end result
here (scroll down)

http://www.classicoffshore.com/blog/category/for-sale/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mike

[Bruce]

Welcome.

[Tommy]

Mike, thanks for jumping on board and sharing all this history from your side of the pond. You shared more good info and photos on Bertrams than John Crouse in his history of off shore power boat racing. You'll fit right in here.

[Buju]

Welcome aboard Mike.
I know that I would personally love to see pictures of Thunderbolts restoration. She's wood yeah? I remember Ian mentioning that you were bringing the old gal back to life. It's great that you are compiling all of the history on your website. The early 60's were such an groundbreaking period in offshore powerboat racing with new hull designs, new building material, better power, etc...

BUJU knows all the details and history of the early Bertram 31 racers

That's very debatable! I'm simply very interested in the history and how it all played out, and absorbed as much topical info as my mind could digest.
Unfortunately, I have no idea about the current location of Surfrider. I remember her being listed for sale somewhere out on the west coast. The listing had quite a few photos which showed it was indeed a purpose built B31 racer.

Really sad to see the current condition of Thunderstreak... I thought the topside layout on that boat was very attractive for a one off. How are you certain that dilapidated pile of glass is her?

A little correction for your website. The mention of Bertram's 38 Brave Moppie says she was equipped with 1100 hp of Cummins power. I believe that Brave Moppie actually had 1100 hp of Detroit Diesels... One of which came off it's mounts in the Miami/Nassau and crashed through the hull causing her to sink.

[Thunderbolt]

Mark
She is definately Thunderstreak the odd style cabin was fitted for the Round Britain Race and twin Perkins diesels fitted,
the dreadful wheelhouse added later, she was on the Thames for a while unfortunately lost pics ...and your right Detroits.... will get that changed immediately!

Mike

[Thunderbolt]

Mark
THUNDERBOLT REBUILD HERE

http://www.classicoffshore.com/restorat ... erbolt.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mike

[Buju]

Beautiful job on that rebuild Mike. She really is a pretty boat. I didn't know the Christina's were cold molded. Were they a new boat (model) at that time?
Are there still a few Christina's around, or were very few made, and a very rare thing to see?

What about the Huntsmen, are they deep v's too?

[Thunderbolt]

Mark
Bruce Campbell started building Christina's in 1959 AFTER STRIKING A DEAL WITH FAIREY MARINE to build on their new Ray Hunt designed 23ft HUNTRESS HULL.....He then fell out with Fairey and RAY HUNT came over and redesigned the 23ft into a 25ft for Campbell..they do not have as much beam or bow flare as the 25 BERTRAM...

They went through several minor redesigns mostly cabin superstructure but the last one of which (THUNDERBOLT WAS ONE)..were series 6 with extra diagonal veneer on hull bottom making approx 1 inch thick...they were semi hot moulded by placing heating blankets over the laminates and made by Walter Lawrence ltd who built MOSQUITO plane bodies.
The glue used was RESORCINAL which if done properly is impossible to break apart see pics where they tried to remove chine!
Campbell went out of business in 63..but came back with Glassfibre version for 1 year.
There are about 20 useable still around and lots of rotting one's, MANY HULLS WERE TURNED INTO FAST FISHING BOATS beacause of their capability in rough water.

The Huntsman 27ft was a developement of the Huntress hull designed by ALAN BURNARD
ALL WERE DEEP V...
Mike

[AndreF]

Very interesting...thanks to all.

[ianupton]

Fantastic looking!

[Buju]

So, Mike had sent me a number of historical photos of various racing Bertrams and asked if I could post 'em up... Sorry it took me a while Mike- have been a busy few days.

The begining, Glass Moppie in original configuration:


Glass Moppie after getting an express cruiser cap:

Blue Moppie:


Lucky Moppie:


M.I.A. Surfrider:

Rum Runner:


Thunderstreak:



Ian's (member Pacific Marlin) finished restore of Paper Tiger (B25exp)

Chasseur:

Scorpion:

YoYo II:

Brave Moppie, 38' w/ twin DD's

Mike's labor of love, Thunderbolt:

...and a rarely seen B31 Moppie runabout


I know I missed a few... but they're all on Mikes website as well. Good stuff, thanks Mike

[Thunderbolt]

Mark
your a star...it is what the site was missing history and pics...hopefully stimulate more interest for everyone
Regards
Mike
COPC

[Thunderbolt]

As a matter of interest both Yo Yo and Yo Yo 2 have also vanished..
The 61 boat was a 24ft YELLOW AND WHITE prototype and went back to the States
No 2 was RED AND WHITE (I think she was originally called Bloody Mary and had no cabin) and stayed in GB and was raced by Lady Vi Aitken and also Yachtsman Farrant Gillham she then vanished, just another that I would love to get my hands on.....if I had the cash of course! damn lottery nos!!!!!

Mike