[IrishAyes]

BrandName,
I have a 1990 50 with the MAN 820s. How in God's name did you get her to 34 knots?!?! The most I've gotten out of mine is about 28. That was with a fresh bottom job, a little low on fuel and right after a valve job, wastegate rebuilds and a turbo job.
I also don't think we have that much range. What is your fuel tank set-up? We've got 1080 gallons in a forward and aft tank.
Do you burn one motor out of each tank or do you burn them both out of one tank and then switch!?

[geocash]

Not sure about some peoples claims. I have a friend that has a 94 Bert 50 with 900hp 12-71s. It does 21/22 at 1800 with full fuel and tower. This is about the same HP but probably 3000 lbs extra weight.

I will not even share the fuel burn on this boat. We just hope we are drunk when we visit the fuel dock so we don't remember.

I know my other friend clean out his 46.6 Bert to sell and we picked up and extra 2 knots. He had extra 300 feet of chain, 1000# of tools, extra starters and 14' inflatable on the bow.

[Hazzardous]

Originally Posted by geocash

Quick question - Currently I have a 46 Bertram and I looking on moving up to a 50. What type of cruise speed are you getting. I notice from the photos it looks like you have a full tower. Do you think this slows you down at all. I have seen other posts that claim a full tower takes 2 knots from cruising speed.

just for your records I drove a Bertram 57 all weekend. Running at 1760rpm she gave me 25/26 knots at approx 40pgh, going between 26 and 30 knots we were burning about 45-50gph at approx 1900rpm. No water in tanks, two passengers, 350/450 gallons of fuel on board, two big cat c-32's.
The ride compared to the smaller models was leagues ahead, I cant wait to try a 630 or 700.

Admin Edit: Hazzardous is a Yacht Broker with a Bertram for sale.

[NYCAP123]

Dave,
That woosh sound is the pot on the fly from Mrs. Dave. I used to captain a 2002 51' Bertram. You've probably seen it dave. It's from my side of the sound and has the (never used) spreaders. She has the 1050 Mans and averaged 80 gph at 26kt cruise. Big change from the older ones though... 5 ft. chop sent us to the inside. She has the 1100 gal centerline tank, galley up & 3 SRs. Nice boat, just didn't like how she handled the rough stuff. Know a guy with a newer 46. Same.
As for the enclosed bridge. Guess I'm just an old woos cause I like the comfort, especially around November.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by Hazzardous

just for your records I drove a Bertram 57 all weekend. Running at 1760rpm she gave me 25/26 knots at approx 40pgh, going between 26 and 30 knots we were burning about 45-50gph at approx 1900rpm. No water in tanks, two passengers, 350/450 gallons of fuel on board, two big cat c-32's.
The ride compared to the smaller models was leagues ahead, I cant wait to try a 630 or 700. I have the 2007 570 available, reply if interested

I ran a 2005 57' Bertram SF back when it was new for a while. It was the worst riding 50-65' SF I ever ran. A 45' Cabo would've ate it up in a sea. 3-5' seas and you got a 5 gallon bucket of water on the strataglass every 5 minutes. 4-6' seas netted you a covered up strataglass every minute or two. The boat had 1300 hp MAN's and cruised at 31 knots at 1950rpm's, fast and fuel efficient 90 gph, but not a good ride. Try a 54' Hatteras which has a phenominal ride.

[Loren Schweizer]

Originally Posted by Capt J

I ran a 2005 57' Bertram SF back when it was new for a while. It was the worst riding 50-65' SF I ever ran. A 45' Cabo would've ate it up in a sea. 3-5' seas and you got a 5 gallon bucket of water on the strataglass every 5 minutes. 4-6' seas netted you a covered up strataglass every minute or two. The boat had 1300 hp MAN's and cruised at 31 knots at 1950rpm's, fast and fuel efficient 90 gph, but not a good ride. Try a 54' Hatteras which has a phenominal ride.

This seems odd since the 57 was, essentially, a stretched 54, as was the 60.
And, we all know how unpopular they were

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by Loren Schweizer

This seems odd since the 57 was, essentially, a stretched 54, as was the 60.
And, we all know how unpopular they were

Yes, and it rides nothing like the 54. The center of gravity is too far foward on the 57' and it rides flat and then nose dives into a wave every once in a while sending a wall of water completely covering the strataglass. The 54' had fuel tanks in the center of the engine room and further aft, while the 57' has one large (I think it was 1400 gallons) tank that makes up the foward wall/bulkhead of the engine room. The one I ran had one generator (under the cockpit floor, rear of the engine room) and might have had more weight in the stern if it had the 2nd one (option). If the holding tank was over 50% to full it made the boat pound in 3-5's, because it was located near the bow. The 57' is just too bow heavy, there is no weight in the entire rear of the boat from the salon door rearward except 1 generator. This boat also only had a hardtop, so it didn't have a tower that could've possibly shifted center of gravity.

I have run a 54' with 12v71TI's that cruised at 30 knots (hardtop boat also, no tower). It rode/ran totally different then the '57.

The worst sea I had the boat in was 5-7'. Needless to say the boat went back to the factory because ALL of the bulkhead to stringer tabbing was breaking loose. The bulkheads were breaking loose from the stringers. It then went back to the factory where they had the boat over 4 months, and re-glassed all of the tabbing and extended the hull warranty only 1 year. Very poor. The pulpit was also seperating from the hull.

Another nagging issue was the dinette table was too close to the seat for anyone of any size to slide into, including the owner. The beds including the master were too short, me being 6'3, my ankles hung off of every single bed in every stateroom.

[LA BUC]

How about the late 80s model 54? Any of you out there have had experience with one? Looking at a repowered late 80s with CAT 3412 and another with 3412TA....I have heard nothing but positives regarding the ride of these older 54s.

Thanks in advance guys.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by LA BUC

How about the late 80s model 54? Any of you out there have had experience with one? Looking at a repowered late 80s with CAT 3412 and another with 3412TA....I have heard nothing but positives regarding the ride of these older 54s.

Thanks in advance guys.

Yes, I ran a wore out 1984 54'. It had a hardtop and worn out 12v71's that had 4700hrs on them without a rebuild. It would smoke grey smoke up a storm for the first 15 minutes. The engine surveyor was afraid to do a WOT test on them. I ran the boat and at 1900rpm's it did 30 knots. Very impressive, the boat was light on fuel and had no additional owner's equipment. We were in 3-5's and it rode nice and was completely dry.