Buying A Bertram 25

[peahead]

Hi Fishos,

I am looking at upgrading my Haines Sig 600RE to a Bertram 25 Flybridge in the next month or so, I have not heard of too many people say ill things about this small cruiser.

I guess I am asking for any stories you have, or comments in regards to what to look for in particular to the Bertram, apart from getting it properly surveyed what other gotchas should I look out for.

Thanks for your comments in advance

Peahead

[djmac]

Hi mate,

You can not go past the bertram 25ft. it is worldy reknowned as an awesome gamefishing machine.

I have been looking at buying one for sometime now.

first step would be to work out how much you have to spend.

you can pick up a late 80s bertram for around 30 to 70k depending on condition.

i dont have too much money to throw around but from what i have seen, you can pick up something really worthwhile from about 50 to 70, even some early 90's models.

check boatpoint, trading post etc as there are so many bertrams around because they are such an awesome boat.

i found one the other day that would have been perfect. converted to a single screw. never been antifouled always kept on a trailer it was the sportfisher model so had all the gear i want for gamefishing etc for around 55k.

just remember these are old boats and the cheaper scale are no doubt full of problems.

as you know berties 25 and up are usually twin engines.

the bertie 23 is a good option with the single screw.

i have however seen quite a few 25's been modified to have a single screw.

if you are seriously thinking about one and most of it checks over, get a full survey done make sure the hull is ok and the motors are sound. theres nothing like inheriting someone elses problems.

another option is the 24ft huntsman flybridge. a bit rare to come by but also a solid boat around the same price usually a bit cheaper than the bertie.

if you want some more info etc pm me.

Cheers,

Col

[heckendorfmortgage]

Was there any difference between US and Ozzy built Bertrams?

MH

[djmac]

think the difference if any was the powerhouse. i think U.S. models at first didnt use the standard mercruisers

[Bashir]

Get one with twin shaft driven diesels, otherwise the fuel and maintenance costs of legs will be huge. The 25's aren't really a big boat for a flybridge twin engine job, once you get into the 30ft boats you start to see a real rough water gamefisher.

[peahead]

Thanks Fisho's

I went today to have a look at a Berty located in Sydeny Harbour situated very very close to the Gladeville bridge, Love to tell you the dealer but lets just say their in sydney and they sell boats

I had made a 9.30am booking to see the vessel, I thought great, gives me time to look at the outside without the pesky salesman, 9.50am no still around, 10AM I noticed the office open, went in introdueced myself and said I was their 9,30AM appointment, their reply was, who ??? what time ??? be ready in 10 mins he was busy..... READING THE FRICKEN NEWSPAPER and having a coffee!!!! right in front of me.

This really got me , I had managed to convince the to come and see the vessel as well, and she was not a happy camper either.

Anyway 10.15AM the sales guy arrives, like I had disturbed him from something really important, he climbed on board undid the storm covers and said there...

THERE !!!, I really wanted to tell him where to go by now, but because I am seriously looking at purchasing one, I climbed aboard, asked a few questions and asked if could start the engines to see what they were like at cold start and to hear what they were like, the answer from the sales guy was "NO" the engines are fine, I noticed heaps of oil in the bilge and made a comment, I got "oh well someone must have spilt some".

That was it, I got up and said not interested . The didn't even bother going aboard she went straight to the car when he opened the boat and said "there"

I was amazed at the crap customer service, I had obviously pulled him away from something more important than making a sale.

Well, lets just say that 3 of my mates who were going to visit this place next week won't be making an appearance.

What a jerk !!

By the way Thanks for the info guys It is really usefull.

[harry.dz]

peahead you do not have to put up with grap like that. if i was looking to buy a berty i would be going to the home of betram sylvania mariner i would be talking to nathan ghosn a great fishamen and good bloke

[knapers]

I wouldnt have been able to help but tell him where to go and where to put the boat as well. Better luck next time peahead and hopefully you get better help next time, good luck

[djmac]

the boat was probably ****ed anyway

people like that are just offloading shit

dont let it turn you off a good boat though.

least u know where not go

[shecomb]

Hey peahead,

I recently purchased a 23' Bertram after months of searching and contemplating between the 23 and 25.

It came down to two things for me - cost and maintenence.

There are a few 25s around under $40k but are usually older with original engines. Be wary as you could be up for reconditioning or new legs etc which is more money and also osmosis as was mentioned.

25 is definately a larger boat with almost 2 foot additional beam. This comes at the price of two motors taking up more space too though!

EIther way, you are buying a well known make with excellent sea abilities. If you have any q's, feel free to post or PM me.

-Dave.

[Ken A]

Dave & thanks for your input

[ankles]

just like to say there dave mite catch in in the pitt one day

[shecomb]

just like to say  there dave    mite catch in in the pitt one day

41856[/snapback]

Hey thanks guys!

I'm usually out in Pitt or up the river every weekend!

Give us a wave 23' Bertram with no name.....(at the moment)

[peahead]

Thanks for that Dave,

Welcome to the site, I might actually take you up on that offer in the near future.

I know I am going to find it difficult to find the right Berty for me, but i know it's out there.

You are right though with the Engine box, that is the only draw back I see especially if you have a billy on the end of the line and it running riot, it will be a pain climbing over the box to get from one side to the other ! (Don't have a competent skipper yet to drive the boat while I fish).

Anyway cheers for the info, If I see you I'll give you a wave I normally fish the Hawkbury, Pitt and out wide when it's not too rough.

Cheers

[alf]

Dear All,

Nice to hear members comments re Bertram 25s.

I'm looking for a Bertram 25. Can anyone help me with fuel consumption experience for the standard twin Mercruisers in litres/hr.

Thanks,

alf

[bombora]

Hiya Pea; fished out of a mate's families' Bertie 25 flybridge for several years. This was a rare single screw diesel and its was an awesome fishing boat and also harbour weekender! I would hate to think of the fuel figures for a twin engine petrol bertie though. The single engined 25 wasn't exactly a ski boat but the diesel grunt got it out of the hole pretty well and after that it would just happily sit on 15-18 knots all day every day and the fuel figures where easy to live with. The single engine box was OK and didn't obstruct fishing too much.

I would seriously watch older Berties with the twin mercruisers and legs. There's a bloke on another site who at the mo is sharing his horror story of an older twin merc bertie 25 he bought up in queensland. Basically this bloke did everything right _ got all the checks done _ and still looks lik he's up for two replaced legs, one new engine and overhaul of the other.

Also will second the plug for the Ghosn family who run/ran Sylvania marina. Used to fish many moons ago with Paul Ghosn (Nathan's dad) out of Botany and that family knew everything needed to know about Berties (what a blast going fishg with a marina owner _ never knew which boat we'd fish out of. Best was a 46 foot dream machine Cresta!!)

cheers Bombie

[shecomb]

I would expect 25l/hr per engine at 20kts. This also depends on the condition/growth on the hull.

My 23' with single v8 does about 30l/hr at 20kts

[Sharky]

When you get your Boat Pea take a photo of you and the saleman shaking hands with you giving him an oversise novelty cheque and send it to the lazy ass salesman that will put a bee in his bonnet

[martinc]

From my database

Bertram 25 - american designed, sleeps 4 adults, classic deep v 22 deg. Later extended to 26 feet. Most popular flybridge cruiser built in oz.

Bertram 25 - began production in 1964. 1n 1989 it evolved into a 26 footer to handle the new v6 sterndrives.

BERTRAM 25 WITH MODERN TWIN LIGHT WEIGHT DESILS (LATE 80'S). PETROL ONES TOO HARD TO SELL.

Bertram 28 - became the carribean 28 when the Ameicans started importing them.

bertram -International Marine, Victoria. 25 deep v designed by Ray Hunt. 28 re-vamped in early 80's by International marine to cater for top end, Caribeen reef runner and crusader for bottom end of market. 1985 bertram 23, 1860kg, 34k, ( bertie 25 costs 50k)

Bertram, Pride and Carribean were all made by Melb based International group through the 60's and 70's.

[Benb]

Hi All,

I am a new member and have a 1977 bertie 25 corsair which i purchased about a year ago for $18,000 with twin 165 inline six's.

There was a small oil leak which turned out to be coming from the timing gear covers which were rusted out from the water pumps leaking over the years and needed to be replaced which involved removing the crank pully and front engine mount, i managed to do this while the boat was in the water by using 2 car jacks and a large piece of hardwood to span the 2 motors to take the load of the front engine mount.

The heads needed attention bucause some of the valves were sticking so i took them off and had them serviced, i also replaced the water pumps, manifolds and risers.

I cleaned the blocks and painted them, there was a lot of rust from the leaky pumps and i got a small sand blaster to clean up the small bits that i could remove like the valve covers.

After doing all of this and waiting on parts from the US i put it all back together thinking that i would have fairly reliable motors as i pretty much replaced all external parts except the fuel pumps, alts and carbs.

I started one engine and got it running ok, started the other and it was running ok but had a small miss so i thought i would check the oil to see if there was any water in it, removed the dip stick and to my horror the oil was white not good.

To keep a long story short i thought the head gasket was leaking so drained the oil and removed the head, put a small bit of sealant aroud the water passages thinking thats where the the water was coming in as all other parts were new and the heads had been tested, put it back together hoping that was that but water was still getting into the oil, convinced it was the head gasket was the problem i repeated this 3 times each time putting more and more sealant. After doing this 4 times in 4 days and going though about 6 oil filters, 40L to 50L of oil i had to look at other causes but by this time i was just about to go crazy so i gave up for about 3 months and just ran one one donk.

The only thing left to check was the block so i filled up the block with water while the head was off and i very quickly found the problem, number 1 pot was also filling up with water and i spotted a 3mm to 4mm dia hole which had rusted through, problem solved.

After feeling sorry for myself for a while for buying a lemon i decided that it was time to take action once again, had a look at my options to repower and started feeling sorry for myself once again.

Decided to keep looking on the net to see if i could find a second hand block but was concerned that it would have the same problem after 20 or 30 years in salt water, started feeling sorry for my self once again.

Cant beleive my luck, i found a guy who was repowering his bertie 25 with outboards and i got the complete set up and a swag of spares, 2 complete motors fresh water cooled head has SS valves and seats, 2 reconditioned legs and trim, 2 spare blocks that have come from trucks so no salt water, 2 new 3 blade props, 2 used 4 bladers and so on all for $4500 which i thought was a bargin, well it get me out of the s...t if you know what i mean.

I was looking for a project when i got it but i never thought it would get this big

So if your looking at a bertie 25 and it has twin 165's all i can say is make sure it is fresh water cooled