Bertram 20 Bahia Mar

buzzk · Post by **buzzk** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:13 am

I have been thinking about buying a 20' Bertram and retoring it. I don't like outdrives. I was thinking about taking the I/O out reworking the transom and putting an outboard on her. What do you guys think? Buzz Buzzk 1988 Bertram 33 FBC Buzz Off Morehead City, NC

franklyprice · Post by **franklyprice** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:39 am

Buzz, I also have learned to dislike outdrives but I feel the aesthetics would be compromised with an outboard on a 20'. I think they look nice from the stern right now and you'd lose that so for me, I'd run with a small block chevy and a bravo OD and not leave it in the water.

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 11:48 am

Dido Bill 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

Brian Davin · Post by **Brian Davin** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:24 pm

Buzz, I picked up a 1970 Bertram 24' on eBay last January with the plan to eventually restore. Lots of 20's on the market periodically, but there were only 47 of these 24 footers made, so a relatively rare boat. Mine has signle stern drive that I plan to repower with the same. Reconfiguring a 20' for an outboard doesn't work for me either. Brian '90 Bertram 33' FBC Never Say Never Guilford, CT (Homeport) Kinnelon, NJ (Home)

buzzk · Post by **buzzk** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:11 pm

A few years ago I looked at a 20' moppie that had been converted to an outboard. It looked great. In fact it was a center console. You couldn't tell it didn't come from the factory with the outboard. It wasn't just close up the I/O hole and put an outboard bracket on the transom and add an outboard. It was done right. Of course he had a lot of money in the boat. I'm not sure how a Bahia Mar would look and I don't have any idea what the performance would be. I've had I/O's before and I don't think I want another one. The only reason I'm thinking about getting a smaller boat is to leave it in Florida during the winter. Buzz Buzzk 1988 Bertram 33 FBC Buzz Off Morehead City, NC

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 5:11 pm

Well I'm exactly on the fence on this one. I've got a 20' moppie and wound up sticking with the I/O configuration. It will be a trailer boat & not spend extended time in the water. I agree however that I/O's are a pain and if I was going to buy a new motor I'd think hard about switching to a nice 200hp 4stroke on a bracket. I'm no fan of the notched transom thing, I'd go for the bracket with extended sides to double as a swim platform. Garry from Northern Va. has a cherry Biha Mar with a mazda rotary motor mated to an alpha drive. It's a light weight package and much shorter than the old inline 6's. He brings it to the Atlantic City Rendezvous and this past winter he had had the foam removed and floor reworked, even cut down the engine hatch and put a bench seat over it I think you can see some pic's on www.bertramrendezvous.com In all he's got a great looking boat with about the same investment as buying a production 20 something new. But it turns way more heads. I know another guy, Jeff in Solomons Island md who's converted a moppie to an outboard and loves the boat. Shoot me an e-mail and I'll send you some of the stuff I've collected. johndunker@yahoo.com

Post by **dougl33** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:10 am

Buzz, I know a bunch of the 31 guys have a 20 in their stable. The Bahia Mar is a great looking little boat. Be careful though because apparently its quite difficult to find one where either the transom isn't rotted or the foam isn't soaking wet. There are a few out there in the mid teens to mid twenty's, but unless they were completely restored I'd probably try and pick one up that had some issues for $4k or $5k and take my time putting her back together. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

buzzk · Post by **buzzk** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 8:49 am

Doug, If I buy a Bertram 20 I am going to buy the cheapest one I can find and take my time restoring it. I have come across two that needed total restoration, one sold in the 2,000 range and one sold for 1,500.00. The one for 1500.00 I believe the guy had used the hull to build a mold and copy the hull putting outboards on the new boat but I'm not sure. Unfortunately I was a day late in finding them. I found these just sitting in their owners yards with weeds growing up around them, but they had already sold them. I'm not sure if I want to take on all that work. Thanks Buzz Buzzk 1988 Bertram 33 FBC Buzz Off Morehead City, NC

Bompapen · Post by **Bompapen** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:03 am

Buzzk What you think about vee-drive configuration. David

Post by **dougl33** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:18 am

David, The 20's never came with an inboard option. The 25's did, an V-drives were what was used. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

Bompapen · Post by **Bompapen** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:32 am

Hi Doug Thanks for your information. This is only an idea because the first Donzi 16 came in I/O , O/B and a very rare V-Drive Inboard by special order. Iff a Donzi 16 have the space for this setup, I believe a Bertram 20 maybe could. David Vila