Bertram31.com General Bulletin Board

Re: Question on first 31 purchase

Posted By: John Jackson
Date: Wednesday, 26 April 2006, at 11:14 p.m.

In Response To: Re: Question on first 31 purchase *LINK* *PIC* (Capt Partick McCrary)

I have a '61 that I am rebuilding. It is more work and expense than you could imagine. You would save a ton of money and time in buying one like Capt. Patrick points out. There are times that I think I might be an idiot for not listening to two very knowledgeable people who told me before I bought the '61 to get a newer one that doesn't have the issues like the gelcoat crazing that mine has or one where someone has already done the work. Other times I have no doubt that I am an idiot for not listening.

I do some of the work myself and I hire people who actually know what they are doing for the rest of it. For me, it is worth it. I have learned a lot and made some good friends in the process. Bottom line is that I enjoy working on the boat and would not change what I did. If you're really in to using a boat get another one to use in the meantime. That's what I did.

These boats are great but there are a lot of wooden parts like bulkheads, deck stringers/supports and rudder shelves that turn to mush with time and have to be replaced every fifteen years or so. The side coverboards are plywood and suffer the same fate. If you have an aluminum tank it will have to be replaced every ten years. On the older models the gel coat crazes and has to be ground off and refinished. The aluminum window frames pit and leak. The chrome parts like vent covers and the bow chock have to be refinished from time to time. Wiring goes to pot. Paint jobs only last so long. Engines and transmissions: self explanatory. If you have an enclosure, check out the prices for replacements. Does the boat your looking at need the bottom blasted and redone? Blisters? How does the old rub rail look? A new rub rail looks great but is a much bigger job than you might think.

Where I have my boat right now there were about 25 other B-31s in for the winter. The ones that are showpieces look like they do because the owners put the hours and the money in. The boats that are just going in the water now have been tenderly worked on every weekend since January. The main topic in the boatyard seems to be what everyone is doing to their boat next or would like to do next.

For me it has been well worth it even though I probably won't have my boat this summer at all. I am, however, one who gets almost as much satisfaction out of working on it in the shed as I do when I'm busting out the inlet. Good luck.

Messages In This Thread

Question on first 31 purchase
Shulbok -- Monday, 24 April 2006, at 5:28 p.m.

Re: Question on first 31 purchase *LINK* *PIC*
Capt Partick McCrary -- Monday, 24 April 2006, at 6:15 p.m.

Re: Question on first 31 purchase
Walter Kaprielian -- Monday, 24 April 2006, at 6:24 p.m.

Re: Question on first 31 purchase
John Jackson -- Wednesday, 26 April 2006, at 11:14 p.m.

Re: Question on first 31 purchase
JP -- Monday, 24 April 2006, at 9:16 p.m.

Re: Question on first 31 purchase
Capt. Dave Kosh -- Monday, 24 April 2006, at 11:50 p.m.

Thanks for the responses below!**
Shulbok -- Tuesday, 25 April 2006, at 10:56 a.m.

Re: Thanks for the responses below!**
Paul Haggett -- Tuesday, 25 April 2006, at 3:57 p.m.

Re: Thanks for the responses below!**
andre fourrier - Louisiana -- Tuesday, 25 April 2006, at 8:17 p.m.