Bertram vs Viking?

my vote is Viking over Bertram.

The newer Berts are not what they once were.

Viking seems to edge out Berts on customer service and quality.

Either way they are both great boats, I bet you will be happy with either boat.

The 510 is a new Bertram built on top of an old one, it's the old 50 stretched 1 foot with a new super structure. I personally prefer the Napier designed bertram over the Viking and I'd go for the C18's over the mans.

Regardless, both good boats to choose from.

I would be very afraid of the structural quality of the bertram from that age. Although it might be past their problem point. I do prefer the CAT's over the MAN's, however the Bertram is probably a 26 knot boat and the Viking's faster no doubt. Personally I like the Viking and the ride of the viking......especially the stability at trolling speeds.

I totally agree with Capt J on this one. 100%

2007 model 630. Replaced to the owner and under warranty who is now a Bertram 700 owner. The boat was nine months old when it happened.
I think the Bertram with construction issues where the ones build between 2004 - 08. It was in fact when the company switched to vaccumming the sides on to DIAB Divinycell core.
AFAIK the company has rectified many if not all issues to solve the issues to clients that had them, and has upgraded in a lot in the last couple years.

There was also a case where a 2004 Bertram 510 got actually carried away by the Japanese tsunami and had little damage, as the owner found here in the middle of the sea after a week.
I know friends who have some newer 390s and 360s Bertram and are very happy with them and had no issues at all. I also rode a 2003 510 and was very impressed with its ride, and sea capability, and speeds.
In your case both are used boats so you have the benefit of a full hull survey, and may be the Bertram is also under warranty!

How do you always manage to come up with this nonsense?

Was not the 630 the first Bertram to be built in that method. Surely the blame is also other things, but the Divinycell core side vacuum started more or less in the same period.

It is not to say the building method is flawed, but Bertrams off the time did had issues more to others.

They gave this owner the 63' that subsequently came apart as a warranty replacement upgrade for his prior 57' that also had major structural issues, and then ended up ultimately giving him the 70' to replace the 63'. LOL So the same owner had 2 boats with major structural issues in a row.

One of the main issues is that Bertram sub-contracted their air conditioning sub-contracter AA Mabru to layup the hulls. They ended up putting WAY too much hardener in the resin causing it to be extremely hard and subsequently brittle. There was very little if any quality control. Another issue is the coring they used was reportedly sub-standard and it would start gassing off and seperating from the outer fiberglass matting and resin after the boat was laid up and resin cured, causing delamination like you see in the photo.

I also ran a 57' that was built in 2004 and all of the bulkhead tabbing was seperating from the hull and it ended up sitting at Allied and then ultimately the Factory getting fixed for almost a year. I also know of another 2007 57' that had major structural issues and this was a boat specially built for a customer Bertram had for decades and decades. I believe there are about 2 dozen bad boats out there that Bertram swept under the rug and fixed and did whatever they had to do to keep things quiet until the photo's of the yellow one popped up and the instant sinking of the 63' off of NC, which couldn't be contained. IMO all of the boats in the 57' and 63' size range (at least, maybe smaller also) built in 2004-2009 are highly suspect and I would avoid them entirely.

There was no Divinycell core in the boats in question. Get your facts straight.