project list

Yardpro · Post by **Yardpro** » Tue Oct 17, 2017 4:28 pm

so i bought the 35 in delataville va, and last week ran it over 200 miles back home to morehead nc. so here are the issues/items we have to adress. bow rail stanchion bases need replacement, about half are cracked. v berth heat/ac needs replacement wiring... where to start.... lots of abandoned wires... whoever was doing work on the boat thought duct tape made a wonderful connection... LOTS of wiring cleanup...... cockpit has the fiberglass replacement but it has a few very soft spots, so ill pull it this winter and recore. small soft spot behind the v berth hatch.. ill get to that eventually. we have ripped the old nasty carpet out and are installing vinyl plank. the 454's ran great. i had replaced the water pump on the starboard motor before we left due to lots of rust at hose connection had caused the clap to burst... but now i seem to have a very slight coolant leak. motor would loose about 1/4-1/2 gallon over 80 miles of running 3k rpm.. the port motor has a slight transmission leak, about 1/2 quart in same time frame. i am building a mahogany swim platform this winter... so lastly ( or first on the list) is i think i got hung up on a stump/log in the icw between norfolk and coinjock. i may have bent a prop... hauling out next week to check, as i have a vibration at 3k and above. one issue someone here may help with is that the fuel guage does not work... every tank i have had before has two wires, a hot and a ground to the tank, this one just has one in the center of the sender unit. am i missing a ground?

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 11:56 am

Sounds like you're missing at least a bond wire - address that when you pull the deck. You've got a lot of work ahead of you but you'll love every second next Summer Rick Ticket 85 SF Merc 454 MPI's Falmouth, MA

Yardpro · Post by **Yardpro** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:54 am

i am a project guy. i enjoy working on projects and almost always buy boats that need love... just the way i am wired i guess... I am excited about the projects... already loving it. the wiring is currently the single biggest issue for me to tackle... the flooring is going well. i have filled all the hatch gaps left for the carpet and filled all the recesed screw heads, etc.... began laying the vinyl last night.

Yardpro · Post by **Yardpro** » Tue Nov 14, 2017 7:06 pm

so im knocking out the projects. Fuel tank gause was replaced and is working like a champ. i removed, acid bath cleaned and made a new float for the water holding tank... but found that it has a leak... add that to the list. coolant leak on motor was non existent, i had replaced the water pump before we brought it back, and i thought i had it full, but evidently not, and the first two days i thought i was loosing coolant, but it was just burping out the air. i thought the generator was troublesome and on its last leg, especially after a "pro" in deltaville VA. checked it out... but in less than two hours i have it running, starting and generating perfect. all interior lights have been converted to LED vinyl plank is down in salon replacing failing window tint with 3% limo ceramic. have the side windows left to go. just ordered custom panel from new wire marine to covert old toggle switches to new lighted rockers. removed nonfunctioning autopilot cleaned about 3 gallons of sludge out of bilge installed ACR's

greysole · Post by **greysole** » Wed Nov 15, 2017 4:54 am

You're cruising right along on your project list. Good luck with the open items. Can you post a picture or link to the custom panel replacing the toggle switches? Thanks

Yardpro · Post by **Yardpro** » Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:51 pm

Update. Had the boat hauled out to fix the prop I bent on the log/stump on the voyage home and while out I compounded, and waxed the hill, I also have most of the tint on the windows

Yardpro · Post by **Yardpro** » Sat Dec 09, 2017 2:53 pm

Update. Had the boat hauled out to fix the prop I bent on the log/stump on the voyage home and while out I compounded, and waxed the hill, I also have most of the tint on the windows

eyecatcher · Post by **eyecatcher** » Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:49 am

Back in September just got a 1977 35 Bertram myself with 3126TA CAT's from NJ to NY. I had a bent shaft so had some vibration. Replaced that and had the props done. Got a mini list myself. What kind of tint did you go with did you do it yourself? Looking to source some myself.

Chum Bucket · Post by **Chum Bucket** » Fri Dec 29, 2017 3:36 am

How were your cutlass bearings? You may want to change out the strut bolts too. Just be careful to not disturb the shaft angles. The original wiring is challenging. Between the spade terminals that fall off, dozens of ghost wires to nowhere, and the BS repairs from previous owners; it would be far easier to remove the hull cap and start all over! My boats previous owners would just cut, remove crap, and leave the wires. Some were cold, others still hot especially on the AC side. The good news is Bertram used some quality wire. By todays standards, it is a wee bit stiff but if it's not damaged or showing high resistance, not all may have to be replaced. Welcome to the Bertram sandbox! Good times had by all!

Yardpro · Post by **Yardpro** » Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:36 am

follow up... I had all the running gear checked and cutlass were great, etc. had no shaft bend, they were fine, just a "dent" in one prop. had both props redone, and now everything is smooth as silk. I have undone much the PO's wiring hack job. I have converted the old dated switches to led lit rockers. All is good now. All the power for all the upper helm was run through the forward bilge breaker/wire... there was plenty of power there, all breakers leading up to helm (nav, horn, blower, etc) had thier own ower, but were all disconnected and wired into the one power supply. I have found that my fresh water tank was swiss cheese. since i cant fit a comparable size tank in due to the hatch openings, i have cut the top off the old tank, removed the baffles and have epoxy/glassed the inner surface of the tank. I cut the top of the tank off, removed the baffles, and there were many holes ranging from pencil eraser to quarter sized. I wire wheeled the tank, cleaned with ospho to stop the oxide layer from forming, used thickned epoxy to fillet all the corners and skimmed the tank bottom and sides to fill any holes, then used two layers of glass/epoxy to create a tank inside of a tank. All that is left is to reinstall the baffles, tab them in, and replace the top. We also have the old carpet out and most of the vinyl plank flooring down. I also tinted the windows. The goal is to have it ready by Easter so we can spend the weekend out on the boat at cape lookout.

greysole · Post by **greysole** » Tue Mar 20, 2018 11:19 am

Nice! Great solution to the water tank dilemma. Would love to see a picture or link to the custom panel replacing the toggle switches?

Yardpro · Post by **Yardpro** » Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:35 am

Turned out i didnt go with the full custom with the light bertram insignia. That was going to run about $800.00 just for the panel... So i opted for Their 12 rocker panel, nothing fancy, but i will get some pics up soon.