for those that are unaware..Bertram boats was also the design and the manufacturer of the PBR river boats in Vietnam..that I served on...They were chosen by the Navy, with a little modification...no propellers..instead Jacuzzi, manufactured a "gated" propulsion and steering system.."gated" because you drop the gate, and now you have reverse..So th jet skis you see today, that propulsion was actually developed specifically for use in the Vietnam waterways, and rivers!!!
Love those 31' Bertram's, I was so close to buying one back in "83" when I got my 6 pack license, I'm sorry now I didn't, I also Love the 28'. Had a friend that had a 35' Bert, for some reason that boat pounded lol, the guy used to put the hammer down whenever we headed to the canyon's regardless of the conditions. Nice vid John.
Are used to have a 31 Bertram Moppy 2454 Chevy’s in it or MerCruiser’s whatever you’d like to call them. The boat is a little scary and high seas because of how low it is in the water like the man said but otherwise, it’s a hell of a fishing boat, one a lot of tournaments with the boat.
This boat was the bomb back in the day. If you had one of these you were somebody. These boats are proven to raise fish on the troll and very stable for their size. Great boats and timeless!
Though a revolutionary design for production sport fisherman it is hardly the father of modern sportfishing boats. It takes cues from the custom sportfishing boats of the 50’s and 60’s like Rybovich and Merritt. Definitely, the hull design itself is revolutionary as Hunt was a genius.. its ability in a head sea is really impressive but it’s a very wet boat and can get very uncomfortable at a troll, as they roll to the extreme. While Hunts design is to be celebrated, the build quality at Bertram was pretty bad back then..They used substandard non marine plywood for bulkheads and stringers and the hulls are relatively thin.. They are also relatively light…I’ve surveyed and taken apart these boats on many occasions. They are a no nonsense, no frills sportfishing machines that are an icon for its fishability. BUT… it wasn’t Hunts best design… When he left Bertram and went to Chris Craft he designed the 30 Tournament Fisherman to be the 31 Bertram and even better. it had pretty much the same hull design but only a 21 degree deadrise, was wider, which made it a better all around sea boat and allowed for more creature comforts. The hull was thicker and CC used better quality materials in the build. He called it his Bertram Killer.. CC was sued over it and they had to stop production after just a few years. Another boat that has imitated the design of the 31 is the 32 Blackfin.. a substantially better build than the B31. But, the B31 was a Revolution in its time and aesthetically beautiful and a functional work of art. If you can find one that has been restored properly using modern methods and materials then you’ll be ecstatic to own one and everyone at the doc will want to know you… I love fishing on them, it’s indeed a unique experience.
One of the coolest boats ever made. The 31 Bertram. They are really wet boats tho but man you can pound the shit out of the em and they just ask for more
Caught my first Yellowfin Tuna out at the Canyon on 31' named Mae-Fin. I was 10 I think and it weighed more than me , always loved the lines of those boats, so beautiful. RIP Ed Finuken, thx for taking me on that trip.
I fished on 31 Bertrams for years. It is the 57 Chevy of boats. Biggest mistake Bertram ever made was not building a larger version of that design. so many owners had them and would have moved up to a larger version. The came out with the 35, but didnt have the look or the ride.
I have a 46. It is FOR ME, the very best fishing boat in existence! It is one of the few boats that inspires confidence. I know that no matter where I put her, she will take me home.
Beautiful boat. My parents had a 31 with the v-berth and the head to the right when you enter the cabin. Spent many years offshore fishing on that boat out of Port Aransas, Tx.
Great video. It has vibes of the popular Florida Sportsman Project Dreamboat tv series. If you do more of these, it would be great to see some pics before and during the renovation. Also, some details on initial purchase price and how much was invested in the reno would be good.
Oh wow John, born in 1945 and when I seen the title of the video just got to tell you are spot on with one of the most iconic boats ever made. Long time boater and fisherman and the bertram was always the envy of every boater. Personally member of the John skinner tin boat fleet with an 85 sea nymph 17' cc fishing the sandy hook NJ area. John like the fishing videos but really like your other videos featuring boating related topics. As aways thanks for the vids and looking forward to becoming a full time recreational boater and fishman. Tight lines ... Walt
A friend had the 28 Bert! He did alot of work on it and turned out beautifully! Wish I could post a pic here of it. That's a Sweet 31 there! Nice review!
Was on a 28’ Bertram off Ocean City MD at the Jackspot Buoy. >40 yrs ago. Trolling for bluefish. I still remember that day. Great boats. Felt.the same way y’all describe it. Great content.
I enjoy your boat reviews, cause they are not boring. You make them very informative and fun to listen to. The only thing missing, was a cruise on the boat, like you did on the Blu-J.
Legendary. The Shamrock GS 31 is the same hull. You can find these pretty cheap every now and then. They were a bit wet but absolutely legendary. That deck needs some tuna blood on it asap
I love your boat review videos. I’m going to start adding them to my channel down here in south west Florida. I’ve already borrowed Skinners technique of doing voiceover on my fishing videos. You guys are the best. Keep up the good work.
Appreciate the kind words. I just subscribed to your channel. If you ever want to do a collaboration down in Florida, let me know. I try to get down there for a couple of months each winter since my permanent job is based at home.
@@jiggingjerks absolutely I was going to ask you that but chickened out. Let me know whenever you fly south. We could try a show or I could try to line up some roadsides maybe.
Time is changing,most of sport fishing boats are now CC multiples outboard engines overpowered…. However Bertram, Merrit’s Rybovich, Hatteras, Egg Habor, Viking,…are always so « classe ».
I'm a Brit, and my first experience of BIG GAME FISHING was in Jamaica, way back in the 70s. The boat was 31 BERTRAM, and I was totally fixed on them. I now have an old 46, and I could not want a better fishing platform She has twin DETROITS and again, perfect combination of reliable power.
As a happy and proud southerner, I have to tell you how much I LOVE NY and NJ boats and boaters. My best friend's dad lives on the Jersey Shore my first offshore experiences were in his Boston Whaler when I was in college. Ya'll (yous) have so many nice folks and a real sense of the classics and doing things the right way. This is a great boat and the owner seems to be someone with a real passion. What a treat to see it!
I've always liked the old Bertram 31, 30 & 25 along with the Albemarle/ Carolina Classic 25, 27 & 30. Just love the lines on these boats. Its too bad no one makes a 25-28 offshore express hull today. Albemarle stopped a year or more on building the 25 & 27. They now produce the Dual Console.
I'd love to restore my 28 Bertram the same way. Does the B31 have the same Snap roll? Boat is great riding, but once you stop, she will rock your world. Did you restore all that yourself?
True labor of love.. funny how memories from our youth mold our desires!.. oddly my brother is currently restoring a ‘72 28’ Bertram flybridge.. the same boat that we’ve enjoyed since 1973.. once belonged to our neighbor.. not as stable as the 31, but a cruising machine! Hopefully the 28 will be able to be in the water by late summer 🤞..
And what I say I would’ve liked to have seen scuppers in the back of that boat cause if a big wave hits it takes on water the water needs to get out quickly. Otherwise a bald is beautiful.
Very nice Bertram 31 footer! I owned a 1979 28' Bertram way back in 1986. Definitely one of the best boats that I ever owned. Many off shore trips fishing for Tuna! Those were the days! 👍👍
Back in 1987,or 89 my wife and I nearly bought one in Ponce Inlet, the owner lived next to DOWN THE HATCH, it was a great buy, cat engines and a new generator, but I stepped away, and bought a KENWORTH instead, I'm in the trucking industry, but she did buy me a 1987 BUICK GRAND NATIONAL, but anyway perhaps some day
Dude!!! This is the coolest video you have made when it comes to a fishing/diving boat!!! Absolutely LOVE the Bertrams of that era. SO COOL!! We, on the west coast, love Bertrams, especially in the Moppie config.
Nice boat; like you growing up in S. FL I always dreamed of getting this boat. I never did, but happy to see you have such a nice example of one. Did you have any hull (stringers, or etc) repairs to do or was that done in the prior upgrade?
George is living my dream. When I was younger fishing on the Great South Bay with my dad, the 31 was my dream boat. We couldn’t afford it at the time but would consider getting one when I retire.
😎🥳NICE SHINER DUDE 😳😂🤣😂If You Haven’t Caught a Billfish off of One of these MASTERPIECES OF NAUTICAL ART, Then Your Not a REAL FISHERMAN in My Opinion 🎣 and if you Haven’t Gotten a Little Bit Naughty & Gotten Laid While Billfishing on One then Your a F🤬🤬King Amateur too !!! 😳🤔😂🤣😂🤣🥳😎SERIOUSLY NICE BOAT DUDE 😎🤙
I was the mate on a few different Bertram 31’s back in the day (late 80’s- early 90’s). I can’t stand them. If you try drifting in a beam sea, they will throw you out of the cockpit. They are good in a head sea, but try to drop the anchor in 2-3’ seas, and you will have green water up to your knees. They aren’t even in my top 100!
