Bertram 31 – Full Restoration

[Niels Mastrup]

I purchased a Bertram 31 FBC mid last year following multiple years of looking at various fishing boats. It is in fair condition with a sound hull making it my ideal choice for a project boat. I have trolled the various websites detailing project boats and have seen several that caught my eye and with Tony’s input started to put together a project list to start the discussion on final project scope. We hope to get started in the next 30-60 days. I have attached some pictures of the boat and hauling it out and getting it over to Seaboard Marine.

Mechanical: Bulk head to transom

Cummings 355/370 6BT’s + Motor mounts

6BTA 370 Tier I with ZF220A gear  + mounts

Appropriate Props, Prop strut

Prop Struts

Oversized rudders

Fiberglass integrated fuel tank

Trim tabs

Hydraulic steering

Electrical – all new

Tranducer Through hulls – All new

Through hull bonding system

Bait tank system and pump(s)

Fuel management system

Batteries

Battery boxes

Windlass – Bow and Flybridge controls

New Flybridge controls including motor sync

Salt water wash down

Fiberglass and paint:

Fiberglass repairs as needed

Gelcoat vs Paint ?

Cockpit deck lighting In flaring and on deck – Where to mount or have integrated in flaring

Engine box lighting

Underwater lights (transom)

Fiberglass Hardtop, Stainless steel frame with full Eisenglas

Solid fiberglass Front window and sliding side windows

Bow pulpit

Full west coast stainless steel railing package

Outriggers

 

Bottom paint

1 user thanked author for this post.

Scotth

Topic

[Niels Mastrup]

Hi Rob – Anchoring in waters up to 150′ for bottom fishing or over structure and overnighting. I think Bill Fuller described it best in an earlier post for the waters in Southern California.

[Rob Schepis]

Niels Mastrup wrote:

Thanks for starting a discussion on Windlasses, I have to make a decision soon about what I am going with on my boat.

Niels

Niels what form of anchoring do you do? Lunch or overnighting on the hook, bottom fishing , rip fishing, etc ????

[Niels Mastrup]

Thanks for starting a discussion on Windlasses, I have to make a decision soon about what I am going with on my boat.

Niels

[Rob Schepis]

Was just doing a little researching on the 31 Bert and came across this………. I guess they had a “plumber” design and install the exhaust….. GULP
http://www.unlimitedyachtservices.com/BERTRAM31.html

[Bill Desmarais]

The original Bertram factory fiberglass tank………correct ??

[Corey Schmidt]

Tank Fitment…

Here’s a few pictures of Frank and Lloyd fitting the tank after strengthening the deck supports, etc.

[Rob Schepis]

I’ve been on QSB boats, and yes they are certainly a big step ahead for “social-ness” and the info that is displayed. It’s the electrical Gremlins that scare me but in many cases those Gremlins show up due to the engine room environments that invite them in – I guess the saying could be that “Wolverines keep the Gremlins away”…

[Bill Fuller]

I have been on a couple of boats with common rail motors. The first 2 that come to mind are a 36 ft. Lures with QSB380s and a 34 ft. Radovich with QSB425s. They are undoubtedly incredible motors. I admit I was jealous!
I do like the fact I can easily work on the old motors. I also really like that the Yanmars are true run with no power motors.

[Bill Desmarais]

All good points.

The 6BTA 370 is two years old, just turned 160 hrs.
I run about 100-120 hrs per year MAX.
I figure my boating days will be done before the motor wears out !

[Tony Athens]

Actually, the QSB 380 will have as slow or slower IDLE peed because it can an idle nicely 100-300 RPM lower than the 370…. Have you been on a boat with common rail engines? There are really nice, especially at trolling speeds..

Tony

[Bill Fuller]

I think Tony hit it on the mark. the QSBs are SOOOO nice. I am not familiar with pricing but if not on a strict budget Then I agree QSB. But like Rob, I am not sure I would part with my mechanical engines, Yanmars in my case. The little buggers just keep on running. By the end of this week they will have 5,400 hours. Although yesterday the port engine starting showing a running temperature or a bit over 150 degrees rather than the normal 175. Another thing to check out this morning.

Also Robs point of slower maneuvering speed with the 370 is a good one.

[Rob Schepis]

Bill Desmarais wrote:

next time around I’ll bolt a QSB 380 into the 25 TJ !!

I don’t know, I like to keep things simple, it would take a bit to get me to leave behind my mechanical B’s, unless maybe if I lived down the street from Corey….

[Bill Desmarais]

next time around I’ll bolt a QSB 380 into the 25 TJ !!

[Tony Athens]

330-370 to a 380 QSB

Actually, in the end, the Patriot is going for QSB 380’s–Why you ask? Lower idle speed yet, way quieter, way smoother, superior and easier to install instrumentation or engine monitoring capabilities, a tad better overall fuel economy, and ZERO smoke HOT or cold…….. They’ll be propped quite light.. The $$ adder was minimum IMO in comparison to the overall benefits..

Tony

[Rob Schepis]

Another benefit of the 370 over the 330 would be that the 370 would turn a lesser pitched prop which would allow a slightly less idle speed that could be beneficial motoring in and around the docks…

[Bill Desmarais]

Hi to all,

I’m a little late on this post/project.
What a great project and choice of engines !
The 370 versus the 330 in a 31 Bertram may be “overkill” for power but it sure is nice to have the extra
200 rpms available if you want or need them

Three years ago I rebuilt/repowered a 25 ft Terry Jason (Calvin Beal design) lobster boat. This was my dream project. Tons of work but the boat and the speed I was searching for turned out “spot on” with Tony’s input on engineering the power train.

We chose the 370s versus the 330s for the extra “high cruise” rpms.
My goal was to have a lobster boat that could cruise effortlessly @ 22-23 knots without beating on the engine.

I check my lobster traps a couple of times per week.
Where I boat there are long stretches of river running to the ocean and I didn’t want a down easter that cruised at 16 knots.

The 25 footer with the 370 cruises 20-22 knots @ 2400 rpms.
If I’m “in a hurry” and the water is calm I’ll cruise @ 2800-3000 rpm running 27-28 knots. EGTs never exceed 700F-750F max at any rpm.

The 370 is mated to a ZF63A gear 1.54:1 ratio which has an 8 degree down angle. The Volvo gear that was in the lobster boat mated to an old 125 hp Volvo 40 was an 8 degree. The 220A gear has a 10 degree down angle and would not fit.

Tony suggested the 370 (which has the best bang for the $buck$) for the extra 200 rpms and we propped the engine to 3250 effectively “de-tuning” the engine so that the 63A gear could safely handle the 370’s hp.

I read in the posts here about a “windlass” ??
I’ll offer this.

I had a Lewmar windlass on my previous 31 Blackfin. I have to say there were times when the line would not feed properly when retrieving the anchor. Sometimes it was a two person job and I never had confidence in hauling anchor without issues.

I also own a 28 Henriques Sportfishing boat. Henriques Yachts’ use the GOOD windlass on all their production boats.

The GOOD windlass is the best windlass I’ve ever used on a boat. NEVER an issue dropping or hauling anchor solo.

Just my opinion on a windlass choice.

http://www.goodwindlass.com/

Regards, Bill D

[Rob Schepis]

Thanks Bill. To not highjack this thread I’ve started a new one here:

Anchors, Windlasses & Rodes, Oh My!

[Bill Fuller]

Rob,

I am using a Lewmar windlass. I have it set up to be wired to a switch on the bridge and then a wireless system if you want to control from the bow. Just a small remote about the size of a key fob for a car. Actually I rarely use the remote. I raise and lower the anchor from the bridge. The remote is a Lewmar device. A few things I have found. One I do not like the Lewmar 1000. It is a free fall setup which I personally don’t like. Chain tangles because it falls faster than the anchor. And this free fall system seems to fail a lot. I use the 750 which requires a power down as will as power up. I have 60 feet of chain followed by 340 ft. of rode. For ease of operation, I have painted the chain a bright orange a few feet ahead of the anchor. This way you know when the anchor is about to the boat and you don’t crash it into the pulpit. For convenience I also paint orange stripes on my rode every 30 feet. One stripe equals 30 feet, 2 stripes equals 60 feet etc. Works really well.
Hope this helps
Bill

[Rob Schepis]

Bill Fuller wrote:…..Also, I always found the foot operated windlass switch on the bow a pain. I use controls on the bridge and a remote when I want to operate from the bow. Works really nice…..

Bill, What windlass remote setup do you have or use? I’ve always gone with foot switches and if properly placed I think they work very well but I’m always open to options that do not include drilling more holes in the boat. Just always been uneasy about “wireless” on things such as this or are you referring to a wired remote? Thanks

[Bill Fuller]

Niels,
Is the hard top and isinglass in the attached picture look something like what you want? Also, do you plan to have the rails like this or bring them all the way back to the back of the fly bridge? The rail on mine (picture) is mostly stock Bertram except for the part around the pulpit. I would recommend bringing it all the way back.
I would suggest setting down with Tony and discussing the pros and cons of aluminum vs. stainless for the hard top frame work. most are done with aluminum which allows you to use a much, much thinker tubing. For weight reasons the stainless will be very thin wall and maybe smaller diameter as well. I have seen several stainless supports like this crack after a few years of enduring the stressing of ocean fishing. Think about it and talk to Tony. Rail does not matter as much. My reason for preferring the 330 HP motor is you simply don’t need the added HP provided by the 370 (20 HP per side), and I assume you will be paying more for it. The only place you will gain any thing with the 370s is above 2800 RPM. Below that they are about the same. Something else to think about, In order to reach the 3100+ RPM recommended for the 370, you will almost certainly have to have about one inch less pitch than you would use with the 330s. Not that it really matters, I guess. Just some of my thoughts.

[Author]

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