Bertram 28 rebuild

tech_support · Post by **tech_support** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:01 pm

We are helping a customer in MI rebuild a Bertram 28' I have started a gallery so that others may follow along....

http://gallery.bateau2.com/thumbnails.php?album=619

right now, the front deck is removed and being re-cored with divinycell (balsa had rot). Its a great project boat, so hopefully the owner will post his progress.

Joel

Cracker Larry · Post by **Cracker Larry** » Wed May 02, 2007 7:14 pm

I've always liked the lines of the 28 Bertrams, I had one for a while. Real good boat for trolling, but rolls bad on a drift. Stuffs the bow easily in a following sea. I had a wave take out all that front glass in one splash. Too much glass, not enough support. The next wave separated the flybridge from the cabin top. The steering cable, conduits and ladder were the only thing holding it on. And some lines. I'm not kidding. It was a long ways home from the gulfstream that day..

tech_support · Post by **tech_support** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:33 am

More pictures of re-coring the deck, then fairing...

Cracker Larry · Post by **Cracker Larry** » Mon Jun 25, 2007 7:38 pm

WOW

That's a big job

Can't wait to see it finished.

tech_support · Post by **tech_support** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:19 am

Our customer re-building the Bertram 28 has sent a few more pictures. He has removed all the wet and rotten balsa core - which remained wet even after a years of dry time in his barn. The new core is Divinycell H80, covering with epoxy and biaxial cloth.

He kept the old outside skins and re-cored and made the new inside skin of biax/epoxy

The deck is faired with Quickfair and he used the System Three primer and Paint also...

anonymous · Post by **anonymous** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:39 pm

Do you estimate much weight savings, from re-coring the front deck on that Bertram 28? I'm rebuilding an old 25' express cruiser, and when the weather warms up I'll start back in on the rest of the 15 gallons of epoxy I got from you. Thanks, Nick Mayo, Ontario Canada.

tech_support · Post by **tech_support** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:20 am

I do not know how much weight has been saved. the previous coring was balsa, which is light also (if it stays dry

, which I do not think was the case here).

The major weigh saving come from the new inside epoxy/fiberglass skins.....

There is certainly saving in the weight of the new inside skins. Using epoxy, you can eliminate the mat layers. Epoxy has a superior bonding, so the mat is just wasted weight.

Joel

tech_support · Post by **tech_support** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:11 am

more pictures from the Bertram 28 rebuild:

TomW · Post by **TomW** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:31 am

He's really doing a nice clean job Joel. That is going to be a boat that will last forever.

Tom

Dog Fish · Post by **Dog Fish** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:08 pm

Cracker Larry wrote:I've always liked the lines of the 28 Bertrams, I had one for a while. Real good boat for trolling, but rolls bad on a drift. Stuffs the bow easily in a following sea. I had a wave take out all that front glass in one splash. Too much glass, not enough support. The next wave separated the flybridge from the cabin top. The steering cable, conduits and ladder were the only thing holding it on. And some lines. I'm not kidding. It was a long ways home from the gulfstream that day..

I heard Bertrams don't hold up well to the long toothed killer leatherback attack turtles eather.

Great pics shine, It will be cool to watch a rebuild of it.

Had a friend with a 38 ft- er with full tower for a charter boat, it would haul butt in rough seas but on the hook was another story. Back to that compromise thing again.

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