When is your flybridge unsafe?

THD · Jun 11, 2013

Don-I fished the Hatteras Marlin tournament many years a go. We also used to fish a lot of the king mackerel tournaments in the Carolinas. The starts are crazy, upwards of 100-150 boats, anywhere from 20+ feet up to the really big 65'+ sportfishers. At the start-full throttle-full speed ahead! Amazing how much wake gets thrown up and how rough the water gets

I have to agree with Hop on the Bert 31'. Truly one of the finest looking and most functional boats ever built. They still bring a good price in good condition. We fished on a 42' Hatt and did the Hatteras/Bertram Shootout in Walker's Cay twice. Would always see several of the 31's in amongst the multi-million $$ battlewagons.

LarryM · Jun 11, 2013

Don,

This should bring back some memories of that special helm on the Bertram 31. Nothing to hang onto but that wheel. I'm sure you remember how easy it is to wash the blood off of these little boats, fish blood, fisherman's blood, skipper's blood . . . .

These things are such a hoot!

FlyWright · Jun 11, 2013

I can almost picture that helm with redneck blood, lip tissue and tooth parts.

Don, how did the boat fare after your facial collision?

CPseudonym · Jun 11, 2013

A guy at my marina just bought a Bert 31 sight unseen and had it trucked up from southern CA for refit. I must say it is one sexy boat. He stripped all the fishing gear off of it and is turning it into a day cruiser for he and the wife. I think he's putting a pair of new Cummins diesels in it.

markpierce · Jun 11, 2013

LarryM said:
Don, ...

Here is a link for your amusement. This is what flying bridges are for!
...

That's not my style.

232323232%7Ffp543%3A%3A%3Enu%3D3363%3E33%3A%3E57%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D3957%3A678%3C4336nu0mrj

Moonstruck · Jun 11, 2013

FlyWright said:
I can almost picture that helm with redneck blood, lip tissue and tooth parts.

Don, how did the boat fare after your facial collision?

We were very concerned about the boat. It looked like it had lost a lot of blood. :nonono:

ancora · Jun 11, 2013

Our flybridge can be uncomfortable in a beam sea but not dangerous. Why run in a beam sea? When on a predicted log race, and you have no choice.

Moonstruck · Jun 11, 2013

LarryM said:
Don,

I've spent a fair amount of time on a Bertram 31 and am still amazed at how seaworthy and rugged they are. When I read your post, I felt your pain, but had to laugh. I've almost been right there . . .

We continued fishing many times when boats twice our size were returning to port.

Here is a link for your amusement. This is what flying bridges are for!

Extreme shotgun start in the Tuna Jackpot in Cabo San Lucas Nov. 2010 - YouTube

Larry
m/v Boomarang

Larry, during the Big Rock Marlin Tournament we were following a 53' Hatteras out Beaufort Inlet. Large sportsfishermen headed in every direction. The Hatteras had a mate sitting on the gunwale in the corner of the starboard quarter. One minute he was there. Next minute he was gone. As I went over a wave I saw an arm waving low in the water. We stopped and got him aboard. Raidioed the Hat, and he met us out in some calmer water for the mate to swim back. They had not missed him. From the video you posted, it's easy to see how that could happen. Oh to be young and foolish again------or maybe not. Good times anyway.

I will have to say that I had not been on a flybridge it would have been difficult to see the guy in the water. It was his lucky day.

Codger2 · Jun 11, 2013

All these posts on the Bertram 31s and not a mention of the most famous Bertram of all, the Moppie.

LarryM · Jun 11, 2013

Moonstruck said:
Yep, been there too.

I had a friend with a Bertram 38 with a very tall tower. Had to laugh at the sportfishing boat video. It reminded me of tournaments on the east coast. The Bertrams because of their extreme deep Vee hulls would lean drastically in a turn. Coming out of the Fishing Center at Oregon Inlet when the boat leaned into a turn and you were in the tower you would be well out over the water with no boat directly under you. That's crazy stuff.

Don,

You mean like this . . . . Woo Hoo!! Man those thing can turn.

OK, I've GOT to get my head back in the game and quit this reminiscing . . .

Larry
m/v Boomarang

Moonstruck · Jun 11, 2013

Yep, only with a taller tower that put you farther our over the water. I will try to find a photo of the boat and scan it. Woo Hoo!!! :socool:

Pineapple Girl · Jun 11, 2013

I've never felt unsafe up there. Uncomfortable perhaps, in which case we go below to drive. We don't have any bar crossings to contend with or any reason we'd have to head out on a long passage in iffy weather so no excuses really to be out in "unsafe" conditions.

Art · Jun 11, 2013

Pineapple Girl said:
I've never felt unsafe up there. Uncomfortable perhaps, in which case we go below to drive. We don't have any bar crossings to contend with or any reason we'd have to head out on a long passage in iffy weather so no excuses really to be out in "unsafe" conditions.

Jennifer – Exactly Correct!

Rides on FB’s can be wild and scary or soft n’ mellow! I’ve been on both...

Wild and Scary – Yahoooo!

Soft n’ Mellow – Yummmm! :dance:

Art · Jun 11, 2013

My 1973 31' Uni had low hour 235 hp Chris Craft engines on V-drives. Man would she'd get up and GO! Handled real well and took seas with ease. Exact hull and manufacturer as many hundred Viet Nam delta patrol boats. I referred to her as my marine go-cart. WOT was 32 +/- knots. Cruise all day at 25. Trim adjustment was fun! High speed turns were a blast!!

Moonstruck · Jun 11, 2013

Morehead City Yacht Basin in about 1974 during the Big Rock Tournament. Yours truly about 2/3 down the dock in dark shirt and yellow cap. The tall tower on the right is on the Bertram 38. More on that later.

Moonstruck · Jun 11, 2013

The Bertram 38 with tower. That was a righteous tower. Now that was scary.

Moonstruck · Jun 11, 2013

The infamous Bertram 31 that we fished.

Blender Boy · Jun 12, 2013

LarryM said:
Don,

You mean like this . . . . Woo Hoo!! Man those thing can turn.

OK, I've GOT to get my head back in the game and quit this reminiscing . . .

Larry
m/v Boomarang

Don't forget to reminisce about how much fuel it takes to run like that...

Moonstruck · Jun 12, 2013

Blender Boy said:
Don't forget to reminisce about how much fuel it takes to run like that...

Yeah, diesel fuel was 40 cents a gallon. No wonder I remember those days so fondly. :speed boat:

Art · Jun 12, 2013

Blender Boy said:
Don't forget to reminisce about how much fuel it takes to run like that...

Bout 30 gal per hr per engine...

Today's market that = 60 X $5 = bout $300 bucks per hr!! :facepalm:

10 hr day at thar rate = $3,000 in just gas. Divided by 3 guys = $1,000 a piece for the day! Ouch!! :banghead:

Boys will be Boys... So, who's counten $$$? :lol:

Ahhh the good ol' days... Late 50's to mid 60's in New England; marine gas was bout $0.33... diesel even cheaper. :smitten:

Back then, at $0.33 per gal... using 60 gal per hr = bout $20 bucks! 3 guys haven 10 hrs of roompen fun in a sport fisher for $200 = bout $66 bucks each, not too shabby

Like I said, Ahhh... The Good Ol' Days!

FF · Jun 13, 2013

Of course you will need to adjust for currency destruction , devaluation AKA inflation.

Nomad Willy · Jun 13, 2013

SeaHorse II said:
All these posts on the Bertram 31s and not a mention of the most famous Bertram of all, the Moppie.

Walt I don't believe that was the original "Moppie". I recall she was gas powered and won the Nassu race in 1961 and gave birth to what we now call a "deep V hull". Powered by 375hp Chris Craft/Lincoln V8s.

If I had the money I'd ditch the Willard and drive a 31 Bertram forever.

Codger2 · Jun 13, 2013

manyboats said:
If I had the money I'd ditch the Willard and drive a 31 Bertram forever.

The "Moppie" Was/is a great boat! For those interested, here's a snapshot of her history. Bertram 31 History

Art · Jun 13, 2013

SeaHorse II said:
The "Moppie" Was/is a great boat! For those interested, here's a snapshot of her history. Bertram 31 History

Walt - TY for that link to Bertram 31 History...

Regarding following quote from your link: I was 9 yrs old and aboard that first Bertram on show room floor at the 1961 NY boat show. With dad as energizer my family attended nearly every NY show from mid 50's to late 60's. We watched Bertram and many other famous boat builders introduce great new boat designs. As well, it was intriguing to experience the change-over from wood to fiberglass. :speed boat:

"The Bertram 31 launched Bertram Yacht, Inc. when it was introduced at the 1961 New York National Boat Show..."

LarryM · Jun 13, 2013

Don,

You will certainly remember this view from the business end of a 31 at speed.

Eric,

Note how small the wake is. Perfection!

This one has Cummins 6BTA 250s, 1.5 gears, and 21x22 three-blade props (under-propped) with no cup. Weight is about 13,000. She will run 24.5 kts at 2400 rpm all day, regardless of load. She goes from 1000 rpm and 7.3 kts to 2650 and 27 kts in a mere 6 seconds . . . . pull back to 2400 and she will make 24.5 kts smooth as silk, you can cover a lot of water at 24.5 kts with the engines loafing along, sipping fuel at 16 gph total. She carries 222 gal of fuel, so, at cruise and 85% fuel, the range is 288 nm, and 1.5 nm/gal or about $3/nm. Not too bad for this kind of boat.

With a pair of 330s, a B31 should top out around 33-35 kts, but anywhere over 30 kts, if you hit anything over 3' it will throw you out of the boat, right Don?

Walt,

C. Raymond Hunt really got it right with the deep-V hull concept. It was revolutionary then and still valid today. That first Moppie really did start it all.

I absolutely love this thread, but by now is has absolutely nothing to do with Trawlers or Unsafe Flybridges. That's Entertainment!

Back to work.

Larry
m/v Boomarang

HopCar · Jun 13, 2013

Walt thank you so much for that history of the thirtyone! I remember most of the guys mentioned in the article. Richard Bertram, Jim Wynne, Carlton Mitchel, and Jim Martenhoff were frequently in my store.

Carlton Mitchell was the last of that group to pass. He died at 96 in 2007 and still owned and used a boat.

Jim Wynne was the first to cross the Atlantic in an outboard powered boat. He also invented the stern drive. I remember him as a very nice man who spent a lot of time discussing Possum's layout with me when I was having her built.

Bertram continued to ocean race into the eighties I think. All of their race boats were named Moppie. A fellow named Sammy James ran the race boats for them.
FF, I think Sammy lives near you in La Belle Florida.

Moonstruck · Jun 14, 2013

LarryM said:
Don,

You will certainly remember this view from the business end of a 31 at speed.

Eric,

Note how small the wake is. Perfection!

This one has Cummins 6BTA 250s, 1.5 gears, and 21x22 three-blade props (under-propped) with no cup. Weight is about 13,000. She will run 24.5 kts at 2400 rpm all day, regardless of load. She goes from 1000 rpm and 7.3 kts to 2650 and 27 kts in a mere 6 seconds . . . . pull back to 2400 and she will make 24.5 kts smooth as silk, you can cover a lot of water at 24.5 kts with the engines loafing along, sipping fuel at 16 gph total. She carries 222 gal of fuel, so, at cruise and 85% fuel, the range is 288 nm, and 1.5 nm/gal or about $3/nm. Not too bad for this kind of boat.

With a pair of 330s, a B31 should top out around 33-35 kts, but anywhere over 30 kts, if you hit anything over 3' it will throw you out of the boat, right Don?

Walt,

C. Raymond Hunt really got it right with the deep-V hull concept. It was revolutionary then and still valid today. That first Moppie really did start it all.

I absolutely love this thread, but by now is has absolutely nothing to do with Trawlers or Unsafe Flybridges. That's Entertainment!

Back to work.

Larry
m/v Boomarang

Larry, as you know every boat is a compromise. Where the Bertram 31 would really shine was running a following sea. She tracked like on rails. Slow trolling she would roll like a bitch in the trough. Low free board and few hand holds and rails. She was wet, but all that didn't really matter. It was a pure fishing boat with large cockpit and not a lot of amenities. . . . . .and boy would she run.

GFC · Jun 14, 2013

I run from the flybridge about 99.5% of the time. The only times I have run from down below is if it's REAL cold. We've been in 5'-6' waves and have yet to find a time when the flybridge felt uncomfortable to be on. A lot of that has to do with the boat's beam. At 15.5' Beachcomber doesn't rock much.

A photo of me in 'my office' keeping track of the log as we cruised the Columbia.

The view from up top is pretty decent.

Alemao · Jun 14, 2013

I Have a great view, all electronics, refrigerator, all I need and I run 100% in my flybrige

Sergio "Alemao" Sztancsa, Sent from my iPhone using Trawler

gwkiwi · Jun 14, 2013

When the lightning starts a cracking

When is your flybridge unsafe?

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