Well... I DID IT!

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:18 am

OK all you guys.. based on a lot of entheusiasm you all exhibit, and some probable irrationality on my part.. this AM I agreed to buy the '83 FBC I have been talking about here for the past several months. You probably have read my "Sea Trial Results - Part 3" post wherin I tell what the surveyor found.. after finally getting the surveyor's report yesterday.. I spoke this AM with the broker telling him that while there were lots of things the surveyor took exception to, the bottom line was that the electrical systems are a mess, and because of this the boat is essentially not insurable. Additionally I told him I had lots of problems with the things that were mentioned on the listing sheet that either were missing or disconnected or just not working. I told him I was still interested in the boat providing the owner would agree to a 10% price reduction in the price we agreed on (down significantly from what the asking price was when I first saw the boat).. the owner agreed and I am buying the boat! It is on the hard in the yard where we hauled for the survey.. tomorrow I drive down to Charleston (200 miles) to talk with the yard about what I want to have done to get the boat so I can insure it and get it back to it's slip so I can work on it myself. (The yard won't let anyone work on their boats any more). The bottom needs painting, two wood fairing blocks need to be replaced, the wood mounting bases for the oversized trim tabs need to be replaced, and a trru hull needs to be rebedded. The electrical system will be a major project, I will get a price from the yard and decide what I will do from there. Not sure if I am in a dream or a nightmare! Thanks to all of you who offered your encouragement, suggestions, comments and best wishes. I guess now I am a junior one of you. Wish me luck! Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com Somewhere between having made an offer and passing papers

Chris Anderson · Post by **Chris Anderson** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:34 am

CONGRATULATIONS Frank!! Sounds like you will endure a labor of love. I hope you will keep us all updated with your progress. Spring isn't all that far away now. Even after having mine for almost 12 years, I remember the feeling you discribe really vividly, and it stays with Bertram owners for good. I can't even count the number of times I had boaters tell me they missed their Bertrams after moving into something else. Welcome to the wonderful addiction. Cheers!

Post by **Admin** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:49 am

Congrats Frank! You will find no better place to get all the advice you need than here, that's for sure. Welcome to the family!

Post by **dougl33** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:00 am

Congratulations! Welcome to the club![:D] Now you can change your signature. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

CB35 · Post by **CB35** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:13 am

I do not know your mechanical ability; but would leave that yard in a New Jersey second. What you can't work on your own boat HogWash. Everything you mentioned would be DIY for me. Man it's almost all labor and the yard will eat your lunch. I do have to say more and more yards are getting that way. I have all the outside below the waterline things up to date on my boat so all I do is a short haul in the spring/early summer for bottom paint and zincs. Than I have a buddy in the Detail Business buff the hull. The yard cried when they saw me painting the bottom. "Holy Cow Man you just charged $500 bucks to haul and block my boat for a couple days in June when you haven't moved any of your hoists to hauled a boat in two weeks". I wonder what will happen this year? Well I got another yard all lined up where DIY is still ok. Charlie

jav · Post by **jav** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:02 am

Frank, Congratulations! No matter what you find, a positive attitude will keep this dream from ever becoming a nightmare. There is an incredible support system and knowledge base here to help along the way. I think you've gone about this the right way and you should know fairly well what to expect. I'm sure you'll encounter the unexpected surprise at some point, but thats life and the stuff memories are made of. I have to agree with Charlie as far the yard not allowing you to work on your own boat... thats a pet peeve of mine too. There's plenty of folks that have niether the inclination nor desire to touch anything short of the controls or a drink on their boat. For them (and you too if thats your desire), thats just fine. As a consumer, I don't support that and let my dollars send the appropriate message.

Capt. Ed · Post by **Capt. Ed** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:40 am

Congrat's Frank!!! You entering a fun zone now, and it will only get better! Sounds like the you need to move to a different yard, one that will let you work on it. Don't give into them, you powered into that yard, you can just as easily power out to one that is more DIY friendly. 1979 Bertram 33' FBC ALEXANDRA Port Richey, Florida

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:28 pm

Tomorrow I will see just what I will do in the yard and in the slip. Per the present owner I can pay the rent on his slip in a marina where I can work on the boat as I wish.. but they can't haul this size boat so everything I need to do dry has to be done where the boat is now. I do have a local contact in Charleston who is a long timer around the harbor, and will ask him about finding a DIY yard. I still am working on finishing my house, but plan on taking several days at a time to work on the boat and staying on it while I work on it. I can do almost anything as far as general stuff, and am a pretty fair cabinetmaker so I can deal with the interior trim work. I can do wiring, but I need to get some literature on boat wiring standards before I tackle the whole boat. I am happy to do the routine maintenance on the engines, but am not a competent diesel mechanic so I would not tear one down. I guess I am an all around guy who grew up in a place where everyone did whatever they had to to survive, so we all did our own electrical, plumbing, carpentry and mechanical work. We should be passing papers in a few days, but as soon as I post this I will change my tag line after my signature. Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com Somewhere between having made an offer and passing papers

sbeer · Post by **sbeer** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:44 pm

Congrat's Frank. Wish you all the luck in your new endeavor. Try and post some pics of what you are doing with her. Before and after. Once again welcome to the Bertram family. Mike

BECCA ROSE · Post by **BECCA ROSE** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:59 pm

Welcome Frank, good luck, you will be amazed at how much you can get done once you get started. Hopefully you can befriend a local Bertram owner to help you out once in awhile. I am very lucky to have a bunch of 33 owners real close to me, Frank, Al, Rick, and oh ya, Douglas.[:D] They all make it a little easier to get a lot of things done on that long list. Enjoy!! Bill Dunlop 33 FBC "Rebecca Rose" Ipswich, Ma. [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... a_Rose.jpg[/img]

richcatch22 · Post by **richcatch22** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:53 pm

Great. Good luck and enjoy! Look forward to your future experiences and posts. I have the original wiring diagrams (89 gas version) if you want them let me know where to send them. Capt Rich Catch 22 1989 33 FBC

Mikedcabo · Post by **Mikedcabo** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 2:20 am

Way to go Frank. Thanks for sharing the process-it was fun to follow your adventure.

IRGuy · Post by **IRGuy** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 3:25 am

Finally!!! I have paid for the boat! It is all mine! The surveyor saved me another $5,000 as he was pretty clear that the boat was "uninsurable" as it was.. for example.. the 120V system is missing a ground circuit and there is lots of disconnected but live 12V stuff in the engine room and bilge, plus many other things. Hearing that the owner agreed to another price reduction. I have found an insurance agent who says he can get me "Builder's Risk" insurance while the boat is being worked on.. but he thinks it has to be kept out of the water during this time. He will know for sure in a couple of days. Through the broker I have met a good contact who lives in Charleston who knows the waterfront there.. he knows of a couple of yards where we can work on the boat ourselves.. he is experienced in both sail and power boats, and we have agreed on a working relationship in which he will help whenever I need him. The surveyor knows of some good ABYC certified marine electricians.. I need to speak with them to see if we can come up with a plan for having them do some design and perhaps basic wiring, while I handle the wire runs and misc stuff.. I think the insurance company might want to see that a certified electrician laid out the system and had a say in how things are installed. I want to be sure the electrical system is done right! In my experience most of the problems with older boats which have not been properly maintained are electrical system related, and I want this to be done right. I am making a plan of attack.. for getting the topside leaks located and fixed, the electrical system upgraded, the mechanical issues attended to, and getting the nav instruments upgraded. My checkbook is already beginning to smoke! I expect this will be a several month project.. since my slip here where I live will be out of commission until later summer while our subdivision has our bulkhead replaced, and I will leave the boat in Charleston until my slip is ready. I will attempt to post some pics along the way.. Dave.. Do you have any suggestions as to how I should do this? (ie: should I just post pics as part of a message, or do you think there should be some sort of project folder?). Frank B - IRGuy@aol.com New owner.. 1983 FBC! Finally!!

Capt. Ed · Post by **Capt. Ed** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:04 am

Congrats Again Frank, now your are officially one of us! SOundlike you will be too busy for the Strip Clubs (Doug will have take that lead now!). When you are doing you electrical runs, my I suggest you do what the military does, NO SPLICES, one solid run and support all wire bundles for as close to zero movement as possible. No have connectors in the runs will save you many headaches later not having voltage lost do to bad or corroded connectors. You are very wise in using a marine electrician to do the layout work and wiring spec's for you, and you doing to work. I have been lucky to have a friend who is a marine electrician to help me when needed. 1979 Bertram 33' FBC ALEXANDRA Port Richey, Florida HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR BERTRAM PRIDE '06 yet? DO IT NOW... SPACE IS LIMITED!

sbeer · Post by **sbeer** » Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:50 am

Got any pics of the boat as is. I would love to see what you started with and what you wind up with. Congrats again Frank, and good luck. Bertram had a pretty good wireing system when they built thier boats. Mine was original and it still looks great. The guy you bought it from must have no idea about up keep. You really got to work to screw the wiring up in a bert. Mike