Top 50 Boats?

[Bertramp]

There's an old joke about owners of the old Whalers:

"How do you recognize the Whaler owner in the shower? He's the one whose balls hang down to his knees."

I've had several 13s. Ran them when I really should have been in a bigger boat.
Finally got tired of Monday mornings feeling like I had been body punched all weekend, but if I needed a "transport to the mooring" boat, it would be a 13 or 15 whaler.

[bob lico]

The problem with a porpoise plagued hull is that under certain circumstances the boat comes down flat and instead of a wet splash there is a shock that goes thru the hull . If you are standing up this shock will cause damage to your spinal cord.i live in constant pain with permanency spinal cord damage from driving boats like 31' slam page and 28' Parker with out a doubt the worst fishing boat ever made. The 17' whaler is right in there too. Sometimes I wonder where were these people in school during art 101. Remember when you had to make all those mobiles, study sphere,and other shape to maintain proportions .remember all the classroom work on the law of levers and balance. Ok. Then what the hell were you thinking when you built a pilot house boat with the steering 3' from the bow!!!!!. Rule number one if your going to venture out into the Atlantic Ocean you need a 31 Bertram or fact similar with a 24 degree dead rise when you go to that modified vee it like somebody curses out your mother!!! Yes I know in theory better fuel economy however you will spent the extra buck not to cope with that slam when the boat comes out of water and back down on aft bottom.and yes the law of levers if you sit on the transom and drive boat in waves you would get the best ride and likewise if you pilot just aft of bow you will get killed out there and make matters worst modified vee. One very important factor on commenting on a or "best 50 boats" In order to teach the dog tricks YOU have to know more then the dog!.15 brokers meeting at oak dale Yacth during 1 million renovation and what to do with 6000 boats in greater ny. Never say best say in my limited opinion of the boats I have been familiar with.

[Carl]

Bob...another option is to ease the throttle back a little.

Pilot house 3' from bow helps you miss the flotsam/jetsom that can plague areas...ask me how I know.



All boats are compromises.

But in truth...any boat I can get on the water in is my favorite at the time. If I get in on it safely, I'll give it another notch.

[bob lico]

Carl you cannot see a anything in front of that boat. The irony of the whole mess is the boat does 53mph in the bay however in the ocean going to canyon in moderate 3' waves maximum speed is 18mph any less is silly why bother. At 28mph the boat will launch about every 10th wave or so. Tabs down ,twin 250 yamaha's tuck in ,no matter what you did to correct and being so close to bow the Inpack was from 6' in air instead of two feet on a bertram. You really never know till you take a boat out into 3' to 4' waves at reasonable cruise speed then you can judge.i am not the least bit concern " how many damn drink holders the boat has".

[bob lico]

Could you possibly imagine a boat that comes down with so much shock that they had three collapse seats in one year in addition to the electronic box ripping out of ceiling and VHF radio completely come out and land on floor at slow speeds in ocean. Two years ago we came back together from canyon and he had blood pouring from head wounds. I could not go any slower without my Bertram dropping off of plane and running very inefficient at that trim angle .you have to keep diesels in torque curve or the boat just drags.

[Carl]

Bob- You just answered your own question. Don't take it to the canyon, don't take it out in 3' seas.

Great for inshore fishing...skip the slop.

[PeterPalmieri]

The Parker Pilot house boats are great boats for wreck fishing, especially late season blackfish. Bass and fluke fishing the bay and the inlet as well as a working boat pulling traps and nets in the bay. The compromise of the 21 degree deadrise is stability on the hook or drifting. They are not and have never been a boat built for offshore fishing. It's easy to take any boat into conditions it was not designed for and call it a bad boat. You ever try to catch a bonefish in 2' of water in a 31 Bertram, not such a good boat.

[Carl]

You ever try to catch a bonefish in 2' of water in a 31 Bertram, not such a good boat.

Yeah, but once its set in the sand...you have a Rock Steady Platform...

[John Brownlee]

A note about the list: We never called these the "best" fishing boats built. It's the "top" boats built, in the opinion of the SWS staff and contributors who voted. Another group might come up with a completely different list, but I'll bet that many of the boats we picked would make any such list.

[PeterPalmieri]

John,

Should have done top 5 in no particular order

31 Bertram FBC
31 Bertram SF
31 Bertram Bahia Mar
31 Bertram Express
31 Bertram Sedan

And then as a bonus the rare one that looks like the original race boat not sure of it's name. Would have gotten very little banter around here!

[John Brownlee]

I'll bet some guys on here would have argued about the order!

[Buju]

Surprised there are no left coast boats on there... Like the beloved Skipjack. Huge success out west, little boat that does big things. RIght Keith?

And no Jim Smith... Weren't Smith's boats instrumental in their influence on other sportfish builders to make 'em faster, more efficient, lighter, etc, etc? And they gave the Merritts a good run for their money on the edge at Cat yeah?

Peter P., I think that the WIlly Roberts were very influential, and the first dedicated flats skiffs (along with Fibercrafts and Challengers)... but aside from that, the reality of the WIlly's are they are not that great of a flats boat. Very wet and hard ride in anything but flat conditions, and very heavy. The 15 SloPoke is very fishy, the larger ones are hard to work. But the nostalgia, and classic lines tend to over ride any negativity... I love em... much more than the Hewes Bonefisher, but I'd rather pole a Bonefisher.

[bob lico]

Peter the 28' Parker IS there advertise offshore boat! That's why my friend purchase it in the first place,now they have a 34' offshore boat.buju we were a skipjack dealer and yes indeed the 30' skipjack was one hell of a boat offshore I always wondered how the SS. Radar arch held up over the years they were all intact with no cracks when oakdale Yacth gave up franchise due to enormous transportation charges .due to the closing of the marina around us we are building a enormous expansion with another repai building the size of a football field and expansion to docks . OYC has 2.2 million dollars in fg repairs as well as 60 engines to replace so is anybody wants the real skinny on a certain brand or make of boat give me a pm and I will get you on the boat.

[Carl]

Peter the 28' Parker IS there advertise offshore boat!

Bob...I hope to break this to you gently...
Some believe...and I am sorry to say that I happen to be be one of them.
...well...hope your siting down, we believe that some Advertisers tend to stretch the truth a tad.
One might go as far as to say that Advertisers just outright lie.

Ever see the claims about Trim Tabs...

Sorry...didn't mean to dig that up again...LOL


Yeah, Parker is an offshore boat, Bayliner Trophy was/is and offshore boat, POD drives will save the world, every Outboard will get you there and back with more fuel in the tank they you left with and last a lifetime, Black Streak remover will remove those streaks without rubbing, and buying Intimate apparel at Victoria Secrets will...never mind that one.




Oh and as to the 31 Bert list... I agree no particular order...but the Express goes on top.


CArl

[PeterPalmieri]

Buju, I mention a Willy's as more of a nostalgia, historical perspective. Worth mentioning even if it doesn't make any list.

Bob anyone who makes a 25'+ boat with some rod holders and twin outboards claims to be an offshore boat. I don't think Parker tried to design an offshore boat and failed, they don't even offer outriggers as an option, although they do have internationals in the brochure photos. Either way we agree not a good offshore boat.

[bob lico]

Carl you may be on to something! I through I saw everything, there is a store that sells intermate apparel and on Friday after 5pm they have a Victoria secret type model whom will model anything in the store you wish to purchase . Standing room only one catch on the crotchless panties she wears nude color pantyhose.---------back to Bertram news.

[Bob H.]

Top 31 Bahai Mar...Bit Partial...BH

[Charlie J]

iam with you bob h