Bertram33 User Forum

These are 235hp OMC Seadrives from back in the day. A pair of 300hp/350hp outboards today may be the ticket. The 33ft Bertram cant be any bigger than 36ft Grady White. Thoughts???? [IMG]http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o51/ ... 81818a.jpg[/IMG]

As screwy as a soup sandwich. Rick Ticket 85 SF Merc 454 MPI's Falmouth, MA

Our transoms would have to be beefed up pretty well & some very sturdy stringer supports put in place before any outboard installation would be feasable. My transom, as are most inboard transoms, are way too weak for 700+ HP to be hanging on. It could be done though! Joe Tomaini 1988 Sportfish Attitude Adjustment II Fort Lauderdale, FL

What would be the point? For about the same cost you could have a pair of nice diesels and actually be able to sell the boat some day. Of course with all the extra engine room space you could smuggle illegals or something....

Not to mention the fact that without a ton or so in engines mid-ship, I think you'ld be in for a good pounding! Joe Tomaini 1988 Sportfish Attitude Adjustment II Fort Lauderdale, FL

You have to admit, a 40mph 33ft would be fun. 500 gallons in the belly and a pair of 350hp Yamahas would make a nice package.

I'm sorry but ,no. All I see with those large outboards is a very expensive throw away package and a very ugly boat. New center consoles with outboards? Great!

A more practical, but expensive alternative, will be Volvo IPS drives hooked up to any pair of 400+ HP diesels. Now we're talking! This would give you all the thrust right where you need it without all the shaft drag & counter rotation to boot. Add a joy stick & away you go into the sunset. Now I'm dreamin. Joe Tomaini 1988 Sportfish Attitude Adjustment II Fort Lauderdale, FL

There was a picture of a 28ft Bertram Flybridge with a single 250hp Yamaha that I saw the other day. Boat did 28mph with a 14 pitch prop.

I still think OB's on these boats are a dumb idea. For the record, I also think any grady bigger than 30 feet with OB's is a dumb idea too. How the f do you fish a 36 Grady with 6 feet of OB's hanging off the back?

I cannot understand why anyone would want to put an outboard on a boat designed for inboards. Why the subject keeps coming up is a mystery to me....Expensive, short lived, stupid looking,docking pain in the ass etc. The only plus is possible performance gains. If that is what someone is looking for , wouldn't you just by a big center console, like a Jupiter or everglades ?

You know, for a while I was thinking about doing a setup like this. But, only for shallow water capability. I could leave it on a mooring in 2ft of water for $800/season, or keep it at the dock for $4,000/season. Seemed like a pretty good savings, especially as the years went by. But, I am glad that someone hit me on the head and said "buy the diesels."

The B28 was available with OMC Seadrives in the early 80s. I think they built a dozen. Fast boats with tons of storage, but fish ability and ride suffered.

has any one upgraded with large than 375hp desiel engines

Doesn't Capt Rich in Montauk have 420's in his FBC?? Rich are you out there to chime in?