thinking of buying a bertram

franklyprice · Post by **franklyprice** » Thu May 03, 2007 3:18 pm

Just for the rcord, I would not say that a 33 SF rocks at the dock, in any amount of wind. I can't vouch for the cruiser but the sportfish ,with less windage, is pretty stable.

GMarty · Post by **GMarty** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:45 am

Mine never rocked at the dock but she sure rocks like mad drifting. That said, the boat never got weird on me even in some heavy rollers but they clearly aint made to sit still. I bought one of those things to stop the rocking - does the job but I am going to a drift anchor this year. If you fish / chunk in a 33 you need to be prepared to rock and roll. I think the drift anchor will make a huge difference since when at anchor she does ok. Any thoughts before i pull the trigger on one?

sbeer · Post by **sbeer** » Mon May 07, 2007 9:29 am

I have a drift anchor I use when fluke fishing and sumetimes when tuna fishing. It does help but she still rocks. drifting in 2 to 3 or 4ft seas, you better strap in. Mike

smanni · Post by **smanni** » Mon May 07, 2007 11:17 am

I have no priblems at the dock - and we sleep on the boat in the slip for the weekend if our house is rented that week. But - I have been drifting while fluking, chunking tuna, and sharking - and she rocks and rolls a lot. I think I am pretty much used to it but if drift anchor will help - I'll get one! Which one do you guys recommend?

GMarty · Post by **GMarty** » Mon May 07, 2007 12:57 pm

Paratech seems to be the quality version. There are others cheaper but I question the quality. Keep in mind there is a huge difference (price and results) between a drift sock that is just intended to slow you down for fishing purposes and a sea anchor that is made to bring the bow into the sea. Of course, Ive never used either so I am trolling for recomendations on brand, etc

captgene · Post by **captgene** » Tue May 08, 2007 5:40 am

I priced the Paratech at the Miami show. For our boats it was $600-$700 with all the deployment bells and whistles. Very impressive & very expensive. Let's see, beer spilled / paratech , I can buy alot of beer. And don't take your wife drift fishing. Gene Dugan Boca Raton, Fl. "Nauti Marie" 1989 33 FBC

Post by **Admin** » Wed May 09, 2007 5:41 am

When I take out some "unseasoned" folks to fish, I have seen a fair number of discolored faces from the roll of the 33 SF, when the current holds you beam to at anchor. But hey, that's fishing! I've always had a very dry ride, and wondered what the deal was with folks that said they had a wet one. Maybe it is the SF vs. FBC difference? Same thing with the wind, I don't ever see my boat moving around with the wind, and I get a fair amount blowing right across my slip.

smanni · Post by **smanni** » Wed May 09, 2007 9:22 am

weird thing about seasick people - one of my "usual" crew sometimes gets sick...and i sometimes get sick. But I dont get sick from the roll - I get sick 1-2 times per year and for the last few years it has been on the more calm days - not the rough ones. We fish a lot - i have drifted this boat in some rough weather that I probably should have stayed at the dock - without getting sick. But then the next week - perfectly calm with to rock and roll - and Im sick - weird. Lucky thing for me I dont get it bad - I keep fishing - usually let loose once then I'm fine. 6-700 is a lot for a sea anchor. I think I'll wait to hear someones actual experience before spending that much.

Sean B · Post by **Sean B** » Wed May 09, 2007 12:40 pm

quote:Originally posted by Admin I've always had a very dry ride, and wondered what the deal was with folks that said they had a wet one. Maybe it is the SF vs. FBC difference? Only time I ever got wet on the flybridge (besides the rare little spray on a windy day) was on a day that the wind was blowing 20-25 + with bigger gusts, in seas that occasionally came in sets that were as tall as the roof over my bridge. Every time I climbed the back of one of those biggies I did it at a slight angle from 90 to the waves, and as the side of the nose broke through the crest A LOT of water would come over the bow, straight at me. Didn't close the windshield for fear that the abuse wouldn't be good for it. First time I couldn't drink a beer while running that boat, ever.. though pounding beers was not on my mind in that weather. I didn't want to take those big waves head on, for fear of stuffing the bow or being broached, but maybe that was the path to the dry ride. Of course I was still doing probably 18 knots, could have slowed down I suppose.... but it was FUN. So anyway, it can be a wet boat, but it's got to be really snotty to have it happen, at least on my SF. Was stange weather for me down here, but those Mass boys see that kind of weather all the time. Comparing the center of gravity on the FBC vs. the SF: with the FBC being so much taller - it MUST have a significant effect on roll. They're just not made to be fishing boats, at least not primarily. (I might pay for that comment though) Sean Burlingham "Island Time" 1987 Bertram 33 SF Melbourne, FL SBurlingham@cfl.rr.com [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... d_Time.jpg[/img]

Sean B · Post by **Sean B** » Wed May 09, 2007 12:48 pm

quote:Originally posted by smanni weird thing about seasick people - one of my "usual" crew sometimes gets sick...and i sometimes get sick. I wasn't blessed with that particular problem so I'm not speaking first hand, but it seems that of all the things we've tried to give people on the boat to keep em from getting sick, the ginger pills work the best. And they confirmed it on Mythbusters too, so it must work. My girl Rachel is like you; super rough day and she's laughing. Slow, long roll and she is sick. She got sick for days on a huge cruise ship, that had a very lazy roll period of at least a minute or more. I always wanted to get about 50 or so guys together on a big cruise ship... figure out the ship's roll period, then start running back and forth at just the right frequency to get constructive interference working to get the boat rocking harder...wonder if it would work, theoretically it should Sean Burlingham "Island Time" 1987 Bertram 33 SF Melbourne, FL SBurlingham@cfl.rr.com [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... d_Time.jpg[/img]

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Wed May 09, 2007 5:23 pm

Well seeing the rabbit trail has been taken here's my one and only seasick time. I'm almost 40 and spent 6yrs in the Marines in my younger days. I've be across the Atlantic at least 6 times, including one trip to the North Sea on the wrong side of England for some cold weater ops. I've been in dead calm, gental roll and 30+ seas even on an 800ft helo carrier we were walking on the walls. All that and never been sick.0 Well last Labor day I got an invite to fish my neighbor's boss' boat, a late model 50 Hatt. Gotta say it was a nice ride quiet and fast. Well we were clipping along at 30+ in severl foot seas, the kind where every once and a while the bottom drops out. Well I was laying on one side of the sofa, feeling the rum-runners from the previous night & I kept feeling hotter and hotter. The others in the cabin had blankets/sweatshirs the A/C was kicking. I stood up to get a drink out of the cooler and I felt my toe nails curl so I headed for the door. I opened the door and didn't even get down the fist step and it was projectile.... After that I settled down and spent the rest of the day outside. I blame it on the booze or the cold I had been fighting but none the less I blew chuncks in proficient and projectile manor all over the cockpit of that million dollar boat. Who know, maybe it was just a Hatteras thing? Anyway, the trip was good, we caught several Yellow Fin and Dolphin. Missed a horse Wahoo which bit off the left short line as he attacked it from below and shot straight out of the water. A 31 guy JimmyG was in the area passing behind us and saw the Wahoo, right after that he picked up a sail and released it. Cheers, John D John D "Lady D" Bertram 35 Pasadena MD

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Thu May 10, 2007 2:02 am

I hear you about walking the walls John. I was on a 180' buoy tender in the CG and more than once we could walk up the walls in the mess deck. Rough weather was good, big rollers like Sean said was bad for me. Puking was no excuse for not working on the ship, we tied trash bags to our belt loops and let loose in them. Captain would get pissed if you blew chunks on the side of his ship. Bill 1988 33 FBC Ipswich, Ma. > ~------- [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

Post by **dougl33** » Thu May 10, 2007 3:27 am

While I've never been in the service, the only time I've ever gotten sea sick was on a snailboat. Even then, I never got sick. Just felt like sh!t. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

Gunny · Post by **Gunny** » Mon May 14, 2007 1:10 am

Having fished almost every size Bertram (25-54) I will take the 31 over any 33 i have been on ,including my one. The 31 is just a great riding and handling boat built strictly for serious fishing!! She is wetter than a submarine but absolutely nothing comes close for handling and fish raising ability. The 31 will go as far offshore as you dare and take rougher water than you will. Gunny GunnyD Jim Davis Belfast Me [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... unny_D.jpg[/img]

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Mon May 14, 2007 2:18 am

In my humble experience I have come to the conclusion that boats are like wives.. each has it's own good points and not-so-good points. Each is some sort of compromise.. some are best for one activity, and others are best at others. When you buy (or marry) one you are taking your chances unless you have thoroughly investigated all the available models and have learned enough about them all that you can at least weed out the ones with those characteristics you definitely can not put up with in the future. As time passes it is possible that your needs change, and the one that was best for you in the past might not be the one to serve your future needs. The one major difference is that while a wife may change certain characteristics as time passes, boats do not, however there is a good case to be made that as you use your boat it tends to get heavier as you add more things to it, hence to some degree it's performance does change, and I have observed in some cases wives can do the same thing, but by and large with a boat what you get today is what you will have in the future. So.. be sure when you commit to a boat or a wife you know up front what you really want, find one that suits your needs, realize that none will be perfect and the best you can hope for is a compromise you can understand at the beginning and that you can live with, and as time passes understand that your desires might change but that none is ever perfect, and that you should try to understand the pros and cons of each, and stick with the one that best serves your needs. I have been married for 38 years to the same woman. I have owned 5 boats. Each has served me well! I believe in all cases I made the right decision, and have absolutely no regrets about my experiences with any of them! Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com "Phoenix" 1983 FBC Wilmington, NC