Get you some big cardboard boxes or cheap foam board to mock it up. Gets your buds over, drink some brew and see what they think. Get some shock absorbing pedestals for your back. Lastly, you could custom build your coolers to fit the floor curves. Might as well use the extra 20 liters or so of space. Enjoying this journey. Keep it up!
Now your on track! Think of the weight/tow gains and the convenience of everything how you like it.... u remain compliant and gain extra fuel water.... you can keep the 'original Bertram' look and be modern at the same time. haha i knew it had to happen. It will look great. Good on you!
FINALLY! its gonna be a fishing machine! Coolers, (esky) coolers and more places for food drink and dead fish. Add Starboard side pockets. No Rot! No paint, EZ to work with.
I don't know what climate you live in but I'm in Melbourne and just completed the installation of a diesel heater. I've got the vent going into the cabin but when I fit my various styles of covers, wheelhouse and full campers, it will keep the entire boat toasty warm and dry everything very quickly. All up it cost me about $400-ish as you have to upgrade some of the shitty fittings for the marine environment and ensure you have a gas tight exhaust. The other item I think you should consider is fitting a 12 volt refrigerator, I have an Engel (caravan fridge) unit with a small freezer compartment which is great for keeping 1 kg of frozen pilchards, it's really worth the money and wont kill your batteries. I would have preferred a larger fridge but space is the issue. A hot water system via heat exchanger from the engine is a no brainer too, especially if you swim from the boat, it's great to wash the salt water off. All these things make for such a comfortable weekend away, be it with your mates or with the fairer half/kids if you have them.
Yes I need to put alot of thought into the interior planning. Yes agree it would be nice to have some of those luxuries! Have also thought about fully enclosing the pilothouse area
@@BaitBallin just get some canvas and clears made up so you can use them when needed, that’s what I’ve done. My wheelhouse covers drop to the floor from the rear of the Bimini, you could fit them to the rear of the hardtop, easy. Also get a frame made up so you can have full camper covers. I have this and for several trips away with my wife to the Gippsland lakes they’ve paid for themselves tenfold. If you to fish leave them at home, if you want to cruise and live for a week on the boat, install them.
Well that came outa the Southern Sky like freight train fella. Don,t need gas cooler fitted freezer water tank etc. Keeping toilet but Changing to cartridge. Going all electric microwave, jug, and couple Jcar chillers. All 12 volt except MWAVE and JUG or induction hub to easy run through inverter couple solar panels on the roof 2 x house batteries 1x each start batteries twin outboards carry starter pack just in case. Water wise just get one of those water fountain bottles only once refill at home. I am fitting door for winter adventures also has rear cover which encloses right back to transom and fitting small Webascoo diesel heater (this NZ Winters bit more brutal here) good luck with re design. Keep at it and Carry on . ;0)
Yep awesome stuff! Actually a really good feeling being able to change things to the exact way you want them. Can finally picture how's it's all going to turn out.... Thanks man
Gotta say I didn’t expect the change in direction but then again I’m not surprised, I love your idea but don’t forget a dunny, a sink and a pie warmer is the difference between a wannabe and a true trailer game boat nothing better than being comfy during those shitful boring days…
Enjoying it. Wanted this boat for literally years and years. It's literally a project, must be done right. It's not a quick fix up, get on the water type thing.
Only way to go is to start with a blank canvas. If you build it the way you want you will know where everything is and trust it when your out deep. One suggestion, when you replace any bolts, do so with either metric or imperial but not both. Nothing worse that siezing a stainless bolt up in the boat somewhere because you put an imperial nut on a metric bolt and needing to cut it or snap it off with a double jointed elbow.
I know it's a sit down boat..but have you thought about raising the ceiling and making the step down area a storage compartment? That's what I'd do anyway I reckon the extra few grand would be worth it. Also have you seen the seating arrangements they're doing on veitch boats? Some good ideas
Yeah I have considered raising the roof, I may look into it more in the future..just working in stages at the moment. Will keep me busy for a few years yet, literally
