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37B reputation ?

Discussion in 'Bertram Yacht' started by todd, Jul 28, 2010.

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  1. todd

    todd Member

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    Jan 24, 2009
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    akl nz
    Iam looking at purchasing a 37 bertram and would love to here any feed back coments,concerns etc All info would be greatfully recieved
  2. ScotL

    ScotL Senior Member

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    Jun 29, 2009
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    Green Bay/Milwaukee,WI
    I can't help, but other will ask the year.

    I believe there was a change in hull composition at some point, so that will matter.
  3. dockeffer

    dockeffer New Member

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    freeport
    Sorry for the late post. Dont buy a 37. Not enough surface area for the weight. the one i owned wouldn't plane loaded until 20 knots. It was very inefficient, and used a lot of fuel. I sold it after 8 months. Got a 46 bertram. Much better boat. And it used the same amount of fuel as the 37, and that is the honest to god truth. I now own a 50 with c 18 cats. Owned the 46 for 15 years so that should tell you it was a good boat. Hope you don't find this post purchase.
  4. todd

    todd Member

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    Jan 24, 2009
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    Location:
    akl nz
    hi thanks for your reply ,what year was your boat and was it a 38 or the later 37 as i`ve read 38s are hard to push but have had a lot of good reports on the 37
  5. rudolph

    rudolph New Member

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    Jan 1, 2009
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    Location:
    jupiter,fl
    37 Bertram

    Dockeffer; what YEAR was your 37 Bertram? I had a 1990 and mine performed very well with cat 3208s @ 375 hp .
  6. searage

    searage Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2010
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    33
    Location:
    South Miami, Florida
    37 Bertram

    I am also in the market for a 37 but have also considered a 38 so I am interested in Dockeffer's reply.
  7. dockeffer

    dockeffer New Member

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    To those of you who own a 37 bertram please don't take offense. I had a 1987 37 with 435hp 6v71. If it was 1/2 full of fuel and had less than six people it ran good. But if you were going to do a long billfish trip, with extra ice, gear and a 70 gallon bladder in the cockpit the boat struggled to get on plane and didn't really have the range to fish the deep rigs on the texas coast. A trip from freeport tx to tequila (68 miles), troll for two days and then run back in the boat would burn 500 plus, which didn't leave much for reserve. I was nervous about moving up to a 46.6 bertram with 8-92's because of the increased fuel burn, was amazed to find out the 46.6 would do the same trip on the same amount of fuel. Because the 46.6 has more planing surface it planed five knots slower than the 37. Despite the 46 being a bigger boat it did not make as big of hole in the water and didn't burn as much fuel. A 46.6 is a amazing hull, can take the rough seas, and has the range to take you anywhere you want. My 46.6 was the ex Jammer, Jim Floyd the prior owner took it to Belize on its own bottom, crossing from yucatan straight across to freeport TX. Several times we would put two 180 gallon badders in the cocpit, ice, dive tanks,the water would be at the scuppers, and the boat would jump up on plane without a problem. The 37 is a nice boat but just does not have the capability of a 46.6. Owned the 37 for 8 monthes felt lucky to sell it. Owned the 46.6 for 15 years, now have a 89 50 bertram with c-18 cats. Bought the fifty in Hampton VA. Brought it back off shore to Freeport TX in seven days. Proved to be a good running boat with tremendous speed and range. Longest leg of trip was Clearwater Fl to Venice La (380nm) in 15 hours and 810 gallons of fuel. Some more thoughts on the 37... when I bought the boat from Bob Groh of Mobile ( who had move up to a fifty bertram) one of the scuppers had the one way gate broken. On a 37 and fifty the cockpit scuppers are on the side. Was running the boat 18 knots on the Mississippi (fresh water) and kept seeing the light for the aft bilge coming on. Happened to look back in the cockpit and had 6 inches of water behind the fighting chair. Water was shooting in thru the scupper. If you put the boat up over 20 knots then the scupper would come up high enough that this wouldn't happen. The shorter the hull, the more weight sensitive it is. A 37 would probably perform a lot better with 500-600 hp C series cummins. Would loose 1500 lbs a side if the original motors were detroits, and prob 1000 lbs a side if the originals were 3208's. Knew one person with a 3208 powered 37 bertram, said it was fuel efficient but slow.
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2010
  8. rudolph

    rudolph New Member

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    Jan 1, 2009
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    Location:
    jupiter,fl
    37B bertram

    Sounds like the 37 was too small for your personal fishing needs but I can say it is a great boat both for cruising and local fishing. IT WAS ALSO A VERY DRY RIDE! The best boat for its size.
  9. dockeffer

    dockeffer New Member

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    I agree the 37 is a dry boat. Not convinced it is best in class though. The cockpit on a 38 blackfin sure seems a lot bigger. The cockpit on a 38 bertram also seems a lot bigger. So many factors in owning a boat, initial cost, fuel cost, bottom job and maintenance costs. We are absolutely nuts to spend the money we spend to go fishing. Todays market is a buyers market. Boats that you couldn't touch for 400k are now being sold for 150k. Saw a 37 bertram go for 70k recently. Gave my 46 away for 120k. Basically the main message of my thread is if you are looking at a 37, don't be afraid to look at a 46 or 50 as the fuel burn will not be that different. Now moving up to a 54 you will pay the price in extra fuel. If I was boatless and had the opportunity to buy a 37 cheap I would pass. Power packages define a boat, wouldn't look at a 43 with 6-92's as they are too slow. Wouldn't look at a 50 with 8-92's for the same reason, too slow. A 46.6 with 8-92 is the smallest boat that came with these engines so it has a better power to weight ratio. And it seems to have the balance of size or surface area to carry these motors well. A 37 bertram with 6-92's was a rocket ship, the smallest boat in production with these motors, another decent h.p. per weight ratio. The main problem was to sensitive to extra weight, and hi fuel burn, poor range.
  10. rudolph

    rudolph New Member

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    Location:
    jupiter,fl
    37 B Bertram

    $ 75 K sounds very low! any idea of the Year, Engines and Condition?
  11. dockeffer

    dockeffer New Member

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    It was a 6-92 boat, not good condition. In same time frame saw a 43 tiara express, 93 or 94 model that was on ebay for same money. Right now national liquidators has a 83 54 bertram and is looking for a opening bid of 150K, market is pretty scary right now. Definitely a buyers market. I had 96 foot of bertram (50 and 46) for 17 monthes. Sold the 46 for 40k less than I got for the 37 in 94. The economy has been pretty hard on the market