Bertram 25 - Another Chapter

[gilbo]

Well Hopefully the last chapter concerning repairs to the boat for awhile at least.

After 4 months and missing some great fishing weekends, finally I get the call that the boat is ready. I really dont know and try not to think about, why it has taken them so long when it was 4 weeks before Easter when I gave it to them and when asked how soon I would like to have it back I thought I was being generous in saying that I would like it as soon as possible, but had friends coming down for easter so by then would be ok. Was told at the time they weren't sure but would do their best. As it turns out it wasn't until 2 days after Easter that I actually even got a quote as to what they thought needed doing - now after my third course of heart medication I am now told it is ready. Makes sense I suppose - you have a huge job that is going to take a month or so, why not keep pushing it back and getting all these other smaller jobs done as they come in rather than turning away business. Hey you have the boat here and the work has started, lets just work on it when we have no other work to do. Was more or less told this in one of my phone conversations with them.

Anyway - all that is left if for them to water test it and for me to take it to its new home at Shorncliffe. Oh and for me to find a bank with minimal security and a few good escape routes.

So whats the first thing I do when hearing that I am getting it back again after all this time - that is to look on SeaBreeze and see what the weather is doing thsi weekend, and wouldn't you guess it - forcasting 25 knot winds.

Heres to getting back out and enjoying a few weekends on it, and if anyone wants to pass on any good sports to try around the nothern end of Moreton then feel free to let me know.

Cheers

Shane

[Lone_Wolf]

What was the problem with it Shane? Big jobs take time I guess. Big jobs mean big bills too. I hope you are fishing soon too!

[gilbo]

Well it started with one engine losing oil and water so put it in expecting the worst on that engine but hoping for the best. Then was told both engines had next to no compression in them and would both need to be rebuilt.

So that was the start, hold ups have been, 4 weeks initially to do the quote and to start the job, engines sent away, hold up on 1 exhaust valve, then a hold up on a water pump impeller, thena oil pressure sender, then a trim motor, then exhaust manifolds, then a heat exchanger, the list goes on until the most recent and hopefully last hold up, on wheel bearings for the trailer.

Appreciate these jobs take time, but it certainly hasn't been managed in any sort of efficient way either.

[Az]

I wish you all the best, have been following your updates and lets hope its the last of your troubles!

[Smailesy]

both motors owy

[Great_White]

Best of luck with the Berty, have been following your posts

A least it looks like you did the work properly, you forget about the money you paid when yor out on the water fishing.

Hope she serves you well

Peter.

[flotsom]

mate this not a suck eggs.... every body i have ever spoken with that has a 25 berty and 2 x 470 mercruisers has had to have big pockets, i hope that you have a clear run as i have seen many of these go bad as even when the engines are tip top internally the dressing is still the same.

[gilbo]

No - Suck eggs is probably a fair appraisal of the situation. I got done, through lack of knowledge and through a pr1ck of a guy who took me for all it was worth, but hey you live and learn. Just find it hard to believe anything that comes out of the mouth of anyone associated with the marine industry at the moment.

But that is my problem, and I am not bitter nor twisted about any of it

Bring on a few relaxing weekends on the water now.

[BaysideMarine]

Gilbo,

Both motors with next to no compression????? How did they run prior to taking it in to be looked it? Were they obviously performing badly? or smoking like a chimney? or rattling their heads off?

Cheers,

Nicholas

[Smithy]

Ditto to flotsom. There should be a Bertie 25 forum for you guys. You see enough posts by owners to warrant one based on the threads on various bulletin boards. There is cool site for Bertie 31 owners in the US.

[23-sharkcat]

there is nothing wrong with the 470's.

try and get a outboard to get the same sort of fuel economy and power and will last 15 to 20 years with only basic maintanace required!!!

Gilbo how many hours did you get before you rebuilt them. I think it was just bad luck or bad advice you received.

Mine had 1350 hours before they were replaced and were over 20 years old.

The best thing about them is they are very very basic engines. My engines were not started in over 3 years and within 15 minutes I had them going. Try that on an outboard.

Look a 470 would cost about $3500 to rebuild as rebuild kits run for around $600US and thats with new pistons as well. I would not know what a big outboard would cost but I would not imagine it would be cheap.

I spoke to the air sea rescue guys on the weekend who had the same sharkcat as me with twin 225 on it and my cat still had a higher top speed and better fuel economy. go figure

[gilbo]

my 470s were just over 22 years old with around 1400 hours on each. I was told there was no compression basically in any of the cylinders.

As to how it ran - well at 3200rpm I would cruise at about 20 knots using about 40litres per engine per hour.

1 Engine, and the reason I ended up putting it in, was blowing out a lot of oil and losing water, the other engine did have a little rattle but I wasn't having to put any oil or water into it, so when I put it in I was hoping to get away with only 1 engine rebuild as the other did appear to recently have had some work done (at least that was what the guy that sold it to me told me).

Even with both in I was hoping for around the 5K per engine for the rebuild, when it has blown out to nearly double that - things start to get a bit worrying.

Anyway - youo can all read the post from what happened today.

NOT HAPPY JAN.

[23-sharkcat]

To me if you had very little compression you would have next to no power....

After reading your new post all I can say is good luck with the new problem, but when it is all done you will have a boat that with little maintance will run for years and years.

I can only say good things about the 470's as up to date I have had no troubles at all. I think your fuel figures are a little high but that could be put down to old engines and carbs that are not tuned right.

Did you have to replace the heat exchangers? If so you should ask for the old one back. I pulled my old ones apart and gave them a clean and they run without a hitch.

Hope to see you on the water soon..............

[finding_time]

23-Sharkcat

1350 hours before a rebuild seems bloody terrible to me !!! i dont know a lot about big mercruisers but that seems alot on the low side?

Ian

I know the diesels are getting between 5000 and 7000 hours

[23-sharkcat]

I suppose it does but when the boat sits in the water for a long time (moored) and is 20 something years old it does not seem that bad.

yes diesels and some big mercruiser will last a lot longer than that but I bet any money they clock those hours up in a much shorter timeframe....

Dont see to many redband mecurys or even bluebands still running strong at that age.

1350 hours would equate to about 450 fishing trips to the reefs off cape moreton.