Heading for a repower

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Thu May 31, 2007 10:31 am

Well the Crusaders are history, a sad but happy moment, they really served me well but were definetly not enough power for the B35. I'm working on cleaning up the engine room and will be removing the wood engine beds for a cleaning and inspection. I plan to re-use them since they're in good shape and will save a bunch over having new beds fabricated. Just hard dirty work now. I'm having to revisit the transmissions and ratio since it seems that I'm limited to 21 or 22 inches of dimater using the factory shaft angle and if I change that there will be more work than just replacing the struts with longer ones. I'm still exploring options but it looks like I'll have the sell the 2:1 gears I have and then find 1.5:1 gears. Always something. On the brightside, the boat's plugged into shore power and the frig is stocked with a case of beer and water, we'll see which one goes first

Oh yeah, the marina just opened a Tiki Bar that has live entertainment on the weekends. Cheers, John D "Lady D" Bertram 35 Pasadena MD

Post by **dougl33** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:50 am

John, That's odd. I know Charlie Haws is running 23 inch (3 blade) props on his boat. He has all the original running gear for his 300hp 3208's. Also, I have the spec sheet from 1984 at home and I'm pretty sure all the 35 setups (454's, 555's, and 3208's) came with 23 inch props. I'll check it later on tonight. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:40 am

Doug, It may be a difference in years since mine's a '72 and came with 454's and 1.5:1 trans. I had measured from shaft to the hull and only had about 12-1/2 inches at the prop so no fitting a 23-24 inch diameter prop without mods. Now I could change out the strut for a longer one to make room for a larger diameter prop, but that would change the shaft angle and may require changing the shaft log which is recessed in my boat. This weekend I'll be consulting with the yard to get their opinion. As for getting new trans, I'm waiting on a quote. I've found that RTO ZF280A's are running between $2500 & $3500 each, I'm shure new would be more than that. So I'm going to get an estimate on the mods to the boat to use the 2:1's and weigh that against the cost of swapping trans. It's not hodling me up now since it's clean up time for the engine room, but definetly a distraction. Thanks for the help, John

Post by **dougl33** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:49 am

John, Do you have 2 struts per side (one big and one little) or just one? I'm pretty sure that Charlie has 2 per side. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 5:54 am

Doug, I don't have the 2 struts, I believe that was only on factory diesels, or a later models??

Post by **dougl33** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:22 am

Gotcha. I think that's probably why the newer boats are swinging larger props. I wonder when Bertram made the change? 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 Jun 05, 2007 2:29 pm

My 1984 Bert is running stock factory 2o"X22" 3 blade Nibrals. John you are going to have to find 4 blades. Doug, You were supposed to make me copies of those 35B specs. remember? CB Charlie

Post by **dougl33** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:10 pm

Yeah, yeah. I know. My scanner took a dump and I've never gotten around to getting a new one. I'll see if my wife can take it to work and scan a copy. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 7:25 pm

Doug, If you get the spec's scaned, I'd like a copy too (johndunker@yahoo.com). John D "Lady D" Bertram 35 Pasadena MD

Post by **dougl33** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 4:52 am

I looked at the specs last night. CB is right of course. It was the Cummins 555's at 215hp that were swinging the larger prop. I will see if she can do it Friday. Tomorrow she will be with me at Fenway Park as I am playing in a charity softball tournament. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:06 am

Ahh, the fun continues, here’s an update. (got kind of long winded, sorry) I started de-greasing the engine room and under the cockpit floor on the 4th and finished Saturday & Sunday. I got a tip from one of the guys on the B31 board to use the cleaner put out by POR15 and that stuff is great. It mixes in a spray bottle and I used a couple of scrub brushes from the dollar store and spot cleaned everywhere. One of the brushes I picked up had brass bristles in the center and it turned out to be great at scrubbing the tough stuff. I’ve got to take some pictures the whole hull is now bright green fiberglass. I almost hate to paint it. But I know it will be easier to keep the paint clean than try to clean the bare fiberglass. On the positive side, I started pulling the wiring harnesses from the old gas motors out and boy that’s a lot of wiring. It ran from both motors to the buss-bar panel (stb side of the cabin), then a harness from there to each the upper and lower helms for each motor. When the new motors go in it will be all harness from motor to bridge & no junction panels if I can help it. Also, rather than using the individual gauges I got with my motors, I’m checking into getting new cat analog so everything’s just plug in and go. The lower helm will remain as a throttle and steering only station, re-wiring and gauges to make it functional is extra work and $$ I don’t need to spend now. Eventually I’d like to put the throttles and wheel in the cockpit but that’s a project for another day. I'm not sure if other B35 owners have had problems with the bulkhead between the engine room and the cockpit, but mine's completely rotted at the bottom where it attaches to the hull and the shaft goes through it. I was thinking I would just sand it down and then epoxy coat it and maybe fiberglass it. But as I cleaned the bilge the wood just flaked off with dark black rot. So it’s got to get replaced & I probably sub that out to the yard, I’m not that good at fiberglass and would rather focus my attention on other items. Besides here in Baltimore the summer heat wave has hit along with humidity it’s no time to be playing with fiberglass. So, When the bulkheads done I’ll be ready to begin fitting the motors. Btw, has anyone re-shafted from 1-3/8 to 1-1/2 inch shafts have to replace the shaft log?? I measured mine and it’s 2 inches so I think I’m ok there. As I looked into the cost to install a standard stuffing box for the 1-1/2 in shafts, I think I may go with the PSS dripless ones as they aren’t that much more per-side and they seem to be standing up to the test of time. I would have never changed over if it weren’t for the change in shaft size, the standard packing works and I like to check it regularly anyway. Well, that’s about all for now. I’ve got a couple of more things to do this weekend then it’s Atlantic City Next week and I’m ready for a break. We got a room over on the boardwalk side. I really wanted to have the boat done in time, but as those who’ve done this know it takes longer and more $$ than you’d think. John D "Lady D" Bertram 35 Pasadena MD

Post by **dougl33** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 9:59 am

John, I just sent you an email with the specs sheet. CB, Did you ever get my email? Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:40 am

Thanks Doug, I Got it! It's intersting that the 84 B35 gas boat turned a 24x25 prop when I could fit any bigger than 22x?? on my boat (it's a'72). I guess they used a longer strut which would have caused an increas of shaft angle and possibly more bow down attitued?? I'd love to see one of these from 1972, any idea if one existed? br, John D "Lady D" Bertram 35 Pasadena MD

Post by **dougl33** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:34 pm

quote:Originally posted by JohnD I'd love to see one of these from 1972, any idea if one existed? No clue. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA [img]http://www.bertram33.com/photogallery/p ... sabeth.jpg[/img]

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:15 pm

Well I haven't updated in a while, not much to update. The old crusaders. [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621465220.jpg[/img] Removing the old cursaders, they barely fit through the door. [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621465239.jpg[/img] Here's a shot of the ply-blulkhead where the shaft goes through, it's now been cut out and new tabbed in. [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621485269.jpg[/img] Before de-greasing with POR15 Marine Clean, this is the area under the motors. [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621465366.jpg[/img] [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621465269.jpg[/img] The same area after cleaning, this is the area under the motors: [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621485296.jpg[/img] [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621485251.jpg[/img] I picked up the motors on Aug21 I think. [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621525767.jpg[/img] [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621525842.jpg[/img] [img]http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/9/26621525835.jpg[/img] The bilge is being painted and the cockpit floor has been removed. I'll post some updated pictures in another week or so. John D "Lady D" Bertram 35 Pasadena MD