Bertram33 User Forum

Tim, Your boat looks like it sits pretty low in the stern. Is that from moving the engines back with the repower? I don't think I've seen one that sits quite like that before. Can you tell if it's changed since the repower? I like that look. If it is different, do you think the handling, particularly in a following sea, has changed for better or worse? I feel that most of the gas powered boats look a bit bow down for my taste, mine included. Another reason I tell myself I need diesels. Frank Price

I noticed and wondered about that too Sean Burlingham "Island Time" 1987 Bertram 33 SF Melbourne, FL SBurlingham@cfl.rr.com

Most of the other FBCs look to be sitting low in the stern too, no? David Sumich 33 Megabites Huntington Harbour, CA Forum Administrator

It's a little difficult to tell because of the angle of the boats in the pictures but Bill's boat, the Becca Rose looks pretty much like mine, pretty flat or a little bow-down , if anything. Frank

Checking in from Nantucket, Bill and I were just discussing how we thought Tim's boat was a little stern heavy also. I know on mine and Bill's boats you can see the boot stripe all the way around the stern. We were thinking it was Tim's dive equipment. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA

Hi guys, just back from the NITES OFF & checking in. I have my boat loaded up with spare supplies & all my dive gear. I can just about gaurantee that Tim's dive gear does not weigh as much as everything I have on board. When I enter the water, the weight of all my gear is about 100 lbs. Below decks I usually have several sets of twin 50 tanks & two sets of 30 lb weight belts. NITES OFF also has a teak cockpit, gunnels & knee boards & a full layer of teak that was added on to the swim platform. I think on Tim's boat it is a combination of a repainted waterline & the engines being moved back. Or else it's just an optical illusion. Al 1978 33 FBC NITES OFF

The picture of mine in the images section was taken with the boat full of fuel and water, also had six adults aboard. gunny

Based on the waterline, it does appear quite low. Even with a full load of fuel, mine doesn't sit that low. Perhaps it is a different bootstripe waterline that is changing the visual look? Brian '90 Bertram 33' FBC Never Say Never Westbrook, CT

My boat was fully loaded When i am full on gas vs low on gas there is a big differrence in how low it sits..i would guess the fbc might sit a little lower seeing that it holds an extra 750 pounds of fuel...i also had a loaded freezer in the cockpit.My boat still sits a bit bow down seeing that my bilge water still runs forward I do not know if the boot stripe is repainted but i would guess that it was because i know the upper cabin stripe was repainted by the previous owner. As far as my engines being moved back i dont think that the way the boat sits in the water changed much but then again that is not something i paid too much attention too.as far as handling ...i think it handles better now than before.i know trimming it out seems to be much easier,if you remember in some of my earlier posts with my old engines i was comlaing about trimming attitude.as far as a following sea. i have never really had the Photo Finish in a strong following sea before or after the repower to compare. Tim Stamm Photo Finish 1981 33' Bertram FBC

You guys got me thinking. So with my boat still fully loaded from my trip ,with the exception of only having about 120 gallons of gas instead of 315,i have about 3" from the bottom of the boot stripe to the waterline. Tim Stamm Photo Finish 1981 33' Bertram FBC

here are a couple pictures i thought i would share ...we docked here at the Key West Hilton because we met some family that was on the cruise and i took them out fishing for the day.I thought it was pretty cool to get a picture next to the cruise ship. [img]http://www.bertram33.com/images/uploads/cruiseship1.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.bertram33.com/images/uploads/cruiseship2.jpg[/img] [img]http://www.bertram33.com/images/uploads/cruiseship3.jpg[/img] Tim Stamm Photo Finish 1981 33' Bertram FBC

Tim, Looks like it is sitting just fine to me. I think the boot stripe is different. I have like a double pinstripe above the solid one, but when I'm loaded the wide one on the bottom is definitly right at the waterline. Gene Dugan

I'm surprised they let you just pull up next to a cruise ship like that. I would have thought some guys with M-16's would come running out and chase you away. Last cruise we went on, I was up and on the deck when we pulled into Miami at 4 AM. I few miles away from port I saw a couple Coast Guard tenders were looking all around the sides of the ship with searchlights. Went on for about 30 minutes. I asked one of the crew later, said it was standard post 9/11 procedure, they were looking for bombs. Sean Burlingham "Island Time" 1987 Bertram 33 SF Melbourne, FL SBurlingham@cfl.rr.com

Tim, It definately looks a little low in the stern to me. Regards, Doug L. 1986 33 Bertram FBC Queen Elizabeth Marblehead, MA