bertram31.com

Just to recap. Boat came out a couple weeks ago, getting striped at a local yard. All mechanical and electrical. Then hauled over to Raybo for some glass work and then back to the yard for the 370s. Most everything mechanical and electrical is going to be replaced. Not sure if we will get to much of the pretty stuff

Tops off and engines are out

And so it begins......

Already making progress!! Keep us all posted along your way.

Oh boy…and so it begins!


.My best wishes it goes faster than expected and under budget…but most important, when it’s all done and launched I hope you and the family are all smiles.

Pete, it looks like you have a solid foundation (solid boat) upon which to build you personal custom boat. Pat and Bruce explained everything that we’re doing on my Island Girl so I could appreciate their efforts and have total confidence in the finished project. It was VERY comforting to be at sea knowing what I had underneath me, both structurally and mechanically. I say enjoy the process!

I cant believe how different your engine beds are set up than Craig's, what were the original engines again?

Raybo Marine NY wrote: ↑Sep 28th, '21, 09:05 I cant believe how different your engine beds are set up than Craig's, what were the original engines again?

When I got the boat it had 454s, I don’t know what the original was or how many times they may have been changed prior.

Raybo Marine NY wrote: ↑Sep 28th, '21, 09:05 I cant believe how different your engine beds are set up than Craig's, what were the original engines again?

Peters beds are similar to what mine were with my 440's...although his beds are cut down much lower to the stringers where mine were straight across. Cutting down would have made access to the lower part of the motors MUCh easier. I cannot tell you what a pain it was to change the starters. I have a 1962

My beds are similar---and both my transmission and oil coolers are too low to access-----are in process of relocating them.

Those are the typical gas engine supports. They need to be unbolted and removed, saved for the wood or thrown out.
Here is the link to new engine beds for diesel conversion not only for strength but the ability to service the sides of engines.

http://bertram31.com/proj/tips/engines.htm

The engine beds in my '66 are straight across too Carl. I agree with your assessment.

Bruce wrote: ↑Sep 28th, '21, 13:44 Those are the typical gas engine supports. They need to be unbolted and removed, saved for the wood or thrown out.
Here is the link to new engine beds for diesel conversion not only for strength but the ability to service the sides of engines.

http://bertram31.com/proj/tips/engines.htm

This is exactly why I’m trusting Raybo to do this, deck supports, strut backing pads, bulkheads and rudder shelf among other things to make sure it’s don’t correctly and won’t need revisiting.

If Raybo is doing it, it will be done correctly.

the shape of it all, so different. I would imagine your old beds offered a little more access to things

Nice work Pete! She sure is pretty! Can't wait to see how she turns out!!!

No matter what Pete, at the end of the day when you hear those turbos spool up you will be all smiles..and cruising at 30K

Done with a 30kt cruise seems a long way away, but looking forward to the journey there.

Please keep posting progress pics. 30 knot cruise is flying. I’m pretty excited to watch this.

John,

You are correct, the last time East Wind hit that speed was on a trailer. When we sea trialed Buddy Boy we barely touched 30.0 kts WOT and that was flying. It’s definitely going to cut down on our time from the dock to the inlet or summer trips around the bay. I maybe get 2 or 3 trips per season where I may be able to run that hard in the ocean. But they’ll be nice, we’ve had a bunch of trips where we were running out 20 miles in glass like calmness and 21kts feels like you are going backwards.

Everything’s is being torn out about 15 miles from the house so hoping to get there over the weekend to see where we are.

Air boxes, hopefully the tank comes out today and the boat is ready to go to Raybo by the weekend. It’s been delayed getting the tank drained out.

Since we are going to start fresh on the wiring, I’m highly considering using the czone system.

https://czoneonline.com/products/80-911-0122-00

This will eliminate a lot of wire runs, integrate my switch panel into the Garmin units on the dash, along with the SMX digital displays and auto pilot. And give me the ability to add an MFD to the cabin so that all systems can be managed from either location.

Pete,

Looking at the price of this device, come to my mind the words of Cam: Do a thorough cost calculation, comprising of all possible improvements...then, just throw it away!

Peter,

I have not seen that before, but love the idea! I'd have certainly looked at going that route, kinda pricey yet consolidated. What I really like is it makes running new power items and problem-solving down the road a lot easier I'd think. Unless the thing goes belly up and you need to start checking components and replacing. Yes...I'm on both sides of the fence with stay with simple tried and true wire runs and a modular single run all in one.

Understand exactly Carl. In addition to being integrated into the electronics, it can coexist with analog switches or a host of digital remote panels.

Want to add a livewell and turn it on and off from the cockpit, bridge or cabin? No problem.

Want to leave the spreader lights on until you are off the boat or turn them on while you are walking down to the boat, key fab or app.

As you know I’m pretty simple; lights and few pumps. Put this panel under the sette nice and dry. Run every light and pump to it and a nmea cable up to the bridge.

Imagine I want to add a livewell after the fact, run your wires to the czone, drop in the appropriate fuse and turn it on and off from the bridge. No need to run wires up the pilaster, pull down my headliner or drill a hole in the dash or modify the switch panel.

It’s going to save a ton of money not modifying my headliner and all the wire runs.

Peter,

The Yellowfins used to come with that system and it started giving headaches at 2-3 years, do a search on THT.

Wiring is simple and this thing seems complicated. It might make sense for production boat where every hour counts, but for a one off?

For a non electrician like me it seems simpler. Run a + and - to fancy box from all things needing electricity. Run cable from fancy box to Garmin. Connect fancy box to battery.

I’m over simplying.

Simpler...but then you need to have one of their Simple Wires and SimpleTerminal Ends that I doubt you are going to find at your local marine or hardware store.

Your still running wires and or a cable...no magic happening there. I think for me it's the 2nd station or monitoring station I like...but then it's a 31' boat. Where am I going that I can't see the gauges. I was going to run wires to the tower to monitor the motors when running from up there...back of the dash is a ton of wires to run...but tachs, temp and oil is all I really need. Then after I ran up there once, I found out all I have to do is look down and I can see all the guages. So never ran...just need to remember to look down every now and then.

I guess its off the subject as your not doing that.

The toy aspect of a fob to turn on the lights...it sounds cool, but that rubs off pretty soon. Especially after it doesn't work once and you need to find out why. Boats salt and electrical are a bad match.

I think I'm just thinking out loud and not trying to push or pull you either way,

Carl I totally get that, with our short seasons. I sometimes get caught up in the day dreaming as to how I imagine I’d like to use the boat vs how it actually plays out.

I can now see my fish finder from the cockpit as I have it mounted on the starboard side of the bridge but before that I found an iPad in the cockpit very useful and good on the legs when drifting over bait. I don’t love having to go up to the bridge to turn my cockpit lights and spreaders on and off. I prefer drifting at night with as little light on as possible and running up to the bridge to turn on the spreaders when you get a fish to the boat is a PITA. What’s also a PITA is climbing into the vberth to turn the fresh and saltwater pumps on to hose down the gunnel.

That pretty much are all the systems on my boat and I could have a panel in the cockpit for washdowns and cockpit lights. A panel on the bridge for navigation lights and control the freshwater, head macerator and cabin light from the panel in the vberth. But with analog wiring that’s a huge PITA

I guess I am a K.I.S.S. person, It definitely seems nice but it seems like it could be the source of more headaches and you would be locked into a proprietary system. I can't clearly identify how you would manually switch something if the electronic interface failed and that is souring my view of the product you linked to.

If you are looking to not run a lot of wires to your flybridge, maybe take some time to analyze which switches you would most want to be able to use from your flybridge and see if one of their contact 6/12 kits would fit the bill? it seems like they run NMEA200 cables between the switch panel and the base so it would cut down on the volume of wires.
https://czoneonline.com/collections/bes ... 11-0160-00

I see your point Peter...I guess I felt the same way. Most of the switches you mentioned were up on my dash, the others on the electric panel behind the open and hooked galley door. Dash switches were great when running, but as you said turning them on and off when not running was a pain having to step up on the motor box.
Yes, I'm complaining about my one step up...

Anything on the inside was a pain too, unhook door, go in, close door, flip switch, move out of the way, close and rehook door.

When I re-wired I put all my main use switches on the bulkhead, I can reach when running or standing in between motors. They are lit so I can see them at night. I leave all the house lights on and can be turned on and off with that switch, running lights, anchor light, the horn, bilge pump. Behind the door I put the hardly used items...fresh water, sub-woofer, amp and I may put auto-pilot there too. It's all the house battery items.

I guess it is a plus for the express layout.



For freshwater, I used to have a master switch and then a pull switch by the hose spigot to turn the pump on when I needed it. If fishing or at the beach just leave the master on...shut at end of the day. FOr the few items you mentioned a simple panel could be put in the cockpit, bulkhead under the overhang. Flip master to activate, shut at end of day.

This is what I put in with a few extra switches

https://www.bluesea.com/products/4305/W ... 4_Position

For the record the upside down 60s Tupperware protecting my rudder posts have stayed in place through my 10 years of ownership.

Peter

Man that look brings back memories. I never thought about using tupperware.

Go stainless on the bearings and then you skip the upside down containers.

Ripping everything out is fun. Sawzall comes in handy sometimes.

Must be a Bertram thing...I had pie plates over my carbs to keep water and debris out. I went from tearing them down once or twice a year to clean them out to not touching for years. It may look silly, but if it works that's what counts.


Yeah...all that underdeck looks real familiar...aside from the tupperwear.

Pete----what is your plan for the deck? I think I have a GlassTech ---but not sure who is still in business and what they are making.

You may want to check with L & H-----they have done a number of boats using the deck they use on their own 33----it may be a one-piece.

On that interface, it is really cool and useful when it works, but when it goes down you are dead in the water.

Craig, my plan is to keep my teak deck and have all the sub structure rebuilt with either structural fiberglass I beams or coosa. I’ll leave that to Rob, if the deck can’t be saved I’m not so sure what I’m going to do. I’d like to add a belly band and eliminate the side panels. Glass tech is still in business I called them over the summer. Cabrera has at least one of the faithful waiting a year on his deck and Danny at High Tide makes decks as well.

On to the next phase.

I see your saving the tupperware...



Moving forward, it's nice to see progress, keep it coming Peter.

Amazing that these boats still hold together with stringers as flimsy as these, that are not even glassed to the keel (or just partially glassed) !!
Yes, and the tupperware!!

Yannis, there are fiberglass stringers hidden by the deck supports. The Tupperware is available, but the lids are not included.

Yes, Pete, I understand.

The 28 is different, all stringers are totally glassed, two on each side, that also serve as engine supports.

There are no deck supports (like wooden stringers), instead there is one single big deck cover that rests on a lip all around.
Originally this deck cover is screwed down on the lip of the surrounding molded frame, however one needs to open to clean, inspect etc.

After I removed the numerous screws in the first year, I realized that this thing is so heavy it will not budge with any weather, long story short, my deck has just been placed on the rim without any screws/sikaflex/fasteners and has not moved since.
I remove it (with help from 2-3 people) every spring to clean and inspect the water bladder connections.
Now I'm about to glass and top coat the screw holes so that they don't give away that the deck was once screwed down.

Yannis this more what it should look like when done.

Yannis- the stringers can be seen in Peters picture to the right and left of the arrows, they start at the transom and go all the way forward. The wood you see is just bolted to the stringers to hold up the deck.

Ahh, yes, now I got it.
Thanks!

An update on preparing the boat for new engines, basically everything besides my teak deck and the engine boxes is being made new from the cabin bulkhead aft. Should be finishing up soon and work on the engines and rigging can begin. With Rob's expertise and the knowledge of previous projects that you all have done we have gotten this far.

Nice to see some progress Pete. Looks pretty and will look even better with those white engines in there....

She's looking great Peter! When do you figure you'll see motors going in.

Thanks for sharing,

Carl

Next up is the strut backing pads, rudder shelf and she will be close to be ready to paint, drop in the tank and mufflers, put the deck and engine boxes back down and send it back to the mechanic. I’m over simplifying, Robs list is much more thorough.

I’d say less then a month we go back to the yard to start on the engines and rigging.