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Bertram 50/54

Discussion in 'Bertram Yacht' started by BrandName, Jun 15, 2006.

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  1. BrandName

    BrandName Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2006
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Rockport, TX
    I recently purchased a 1990 50 Bertram with MAN power. If there are any other forum members with similar boats please share your knowledge on this thread. I am looking for any "inside" info on maintenance or performance related issues.
  2. apsblog

    apsblog New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2006
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    Location:
    Texas
    Stephen, I had this pic of your boat on my computer.;) 100_1531.jpg
  3. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2004
    Messages:
    870
    Location:
    Greenwich CT/ Stuart FL
    Welcome aboard! I own a 1989 50 Bert. I bought it a year ago in Pittsburgh PA of all places. I'm not quite sure why the guy wanted a 50 Bertram with a full tower up there but hey, to each his own. I had a Capt. take it down the river system to Mobile AL & then I ran it down to FL & then up the east coast to CT. I did a bunch of fishing in Stuart FL last winter & just returned home to CT again.
    My boat has detroit 8V92's, 735hp a piece. Both are fresh and I cruise at 22+ kts at 1900rpm. I assume your cruising alot faster with the MAN's?
    After owning an older 42' Post, I just can't believe the ride of the Bertram. It can take alot more than I can. What HP are your MAN's? Cruise speed?
    David Dall
  4. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2004
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    870
    Location:
    Greenwich CT/ Stuart FL
    I almost forgot. I do have a tip for you.
    Have you noticed that you will pick up 2 or 3 knots if you put your tabs almost all the way down? I hear it is common on the Hunt design Bertram hulls.
  5. BrandName

    BrandName Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2006
    Messages:
    34
    Location:
    Rockport, TX
    I bought mine in Stuart! Well the MANs have about 800 or 820 hp. Not sure right at this moment. The big difference between the MANs and DD's is weight. Fully loaded with fuel, water, gear and about 6 people I can get around 24 knots out of her at 1850, or right around 26 at 1950. With the pins all the way down and about a quarter tank she has seen 34 knots, but I try to stay away from doing that! We looked at the Post and a lot of other boats in this size range but we kept hearing about the "Bertram ride". My part of the GOM is pretty rough and I am very pleased with the ride. And yes, I just figured out the trim tab "speed boost" last weekend, thanks for the pointer though.

    Oh yea, do you have the galley up or down arrangement? We have the galley down with two staterooms, what we lost in sleeping space we more than made up for in the salon.
  6. BrandName

    BrandName Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2006
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    Location:
    Rockport, TX
    I almost forgot as well, the picture above is my boat, the Brand Name.

    Mauritz.
  7. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2004
    Messages:
    870
    Location:
    Greenwich CT/ Stuart FL
    I have the galley up, two queen births and a double bunk. I completely gutted the interior when I bought it & went with satin finish cherry. On the galley up, I took out the upper cabinet over the counter that seperates the galley from the salon. It gives the salon a much more open feeling. Do you have the washer/dryer? Mine was just forward of the bunk room on the stbd side. I removed the washer/dryer & built a nice big pantry for towels, cocktail glasses, linens etc. I have never needed on board laundry. Even on the longest trips, the marinas always have facilities.
    Where was your boat in Stuart? I keep mine out on Hutchinsen Island. If you went out the St. Lucie inlet, my condo is the last building on the inlet on the left. Now that I think of it, you probably went across the Oceechobee like I did on the way back from Mobile. I actually got a speeding ticket in the middle of nowhere. Apparently, I got on plane about 20 yds before the end of a 5mph zone. Did you make the same mistake & go into Apalachicola? LOL yEEEEhAWWwwww! Not much to do there except the one bar/restaurant.:rolleyes:
    I have to run for now but I'll keep in touch. I need to re-size my pictures so I can post them.
    Dave
  8. BrandName

    BrandName Member

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2006
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    Location:
    Rockport, TX
    I bought the boat from ARB in Stuart, but I keep it in Rockport, TX. I did run the waterway on the way back to TX but I missed Apalachicola, it sounds a lot like Venice, LA. No speeding tickets here thankfully!

    Mauritz
  9. two-wheel

    two-wheel New Member

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    Jun 11, 2006
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    Location:
    Bahamas currently
    What kind of range have you been able to pull out of the MANs?
  10. BrandName

    BrandName Member

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    Location:
    Rockport, TX
    I have not done the exact calculations yet, but the previous owner claimed to get somewhere around 500-550 mile out of her at cruise. We went offshore last weekend and were about 90 miles out and only burned about a quarter of each tank. If you are looking for a SF you should really look into finding a Bert with MANs. I looked at many, many boats all over the country and this was by far the best combination of price, performance, ride, and reputation for a used boat in my price range.
  11. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2004
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    870
    Location:
    Greenwich CT/ Stuart FL
    Wow! My 50 holds roughly 1000 gallons & burns 55-58 gph at 21-22kts. That gives me a range of approx. 380 miles (nautical) and that would be dead empty. Are Man's that more efficient or are you calculating in statute miles?
  12. geocash

    geocash New Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
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    Location:
    Long Beach, CA
    Performance of 50 Bertram

    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.
  13. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    Location:
    Greenwich CT/ Stuart FL
    Thanks for the link, I've never seen that. It's interesting that they say the 50 has a cruise speed of 25-28. I've never seen one with 8v92's cruise more than 24. My 50 is happy at 23-24. There is no doubt that the full tower is taking a little speed away.
    You would love a 50!
  14. geocash

    geocash New Member

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    May 29, 2006
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    Location:
    Long Beach, CA
    On my way this weekend to look at 89 Full Tower 3 stateroom with rebuilt motors. Also found another 2 stateroom with enclosed bridge rebuild motors that needs paint and rub rail but is otherwise clean. Wife is pulling for the enclosed bridge and guess which one I would prefer.
  15. CTdave

    CTdave Senior Member

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    870
    Location:
    Greenwich CT/ Stuart FL
    Naturally:rolleyes:
    Tell her that the galley is enclosed & that is where she should be spending her time:eek: :eek: KIDDING! You would never get another boat.
  16. IrishAyes

    IrishAyes New Member

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    Dec 4, 2007
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    Location:
    Clearwater Beach, FL
    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!?
  17. geocash

    geocash New Member

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    Location:
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    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.
  18. Hazzardous

    Hazzardous New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2008
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    Location:
    Monaco/Cote D'Azur
    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.
  19. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Dave,
    That woosh sound is the pot on the fly from Mrs. Dave.:D 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.:rolleyes: 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.;)
  20. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    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.