Click for MotorCheck Click for Comfort Click for Burger Click for Delta Click for Nordhavn

My 1982 Bertram 42ft flush deck is.....

Discussion in 'Bertram Yacht' started by Bahma, Apr 3, 2016.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Bahma

    Bahma Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2013
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Man o War Cay Abaco Bahamas
    nearly 12 months old to me.

    About this time last year I decided to buy another boat, which i needed like a hole in the head.....to be frank, at that time I owned three boats in varying states of decay and neglect, 50 ft Huckins, 38ft flush deck Bertram and a 42ft Marine Trader.

    I decided to attempt anyone of their rebuilds would likely take two years and as a result of the depressed market, i could buy a turn key boat for about the same cost as a rebuild.

    Eventually, i came across my dream machine, handily available in Fort Lauderdale, it had been on the market for 18 months and had had a number of price reductions during that time.

    I made an offer subject to survey and sea trails.

    She was in first rate condition, the hull had beenxxxxxand polished, the interior was immaculate, new overhead throughout, new fitted carpets and nicely appointed.

    The engines fitted new during 2006, are Yanmar 6LY3a, clean as a whistle, no rust, looked as though they just came off the showroom floor.

    Everything worked with the exception of the afternoon cabin a/c.

    However, the main fly in the ointment, was the OEMS Onan genny, looked very oily and dirty along side the pristine Yanmars.

    As a founding member of the Onan haters club, some 30 years ago, i looked at this relic with more than suspicion.
    However, it ran without stopping (except for oil and water checks) during our trip from Lauderdale to Man o War Cay, Abaco, where she overnighted....genny ruuning...completing her trip to Lyford Cay, the next day.

    A couple of days later she came back to MoW, where on arrival the genny had quit.
  2. Bahma

    Bahma Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2013
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Man o War Cay Abaco Bahamas
    Having finally berthed her at her own dock, i began to go through all the lockers, drawers and other stowage compartments, removing all manner of stuff, spare parts, pumps, electric motors.
    I found one locker containing the manuals for every device on the boat, from the main engines to the galley garbage disposal. Very useful, although, perhaps not so much nowadays when every manual is available on the net.
    It was obvious that during a very heavy beam sea near Hole in the Wall that gunga runga from the forward fuel tank had stopped the Onan,
    Unfortunately, I fell into the fwd bilge, after leaving the hatch off. Tore a flap from the side of my leg which required some 25 sutures. I was hors de combat, no way could I enter the engine room.

    The access to same was via a single 22" x 22" hatch just aft of the galley, the Onan sat immediately stb, where it was impossible even sit up.

    A friend came to the rescue, spending a full day changing racors, blowing out fuel lines and other tedious tasks. The Onan was up and running again.

    The following day we headed once again for Nassau, where we spent a few days at Lyford Cay. However, the Onan, had done it's thing and stopped en route,
    My eldest son, Stuart, who owns Stuart Coves Dive South Ocean had one of his engineers work on the genny, he replaced the fuel line and the fresh water pump, all was AOK when he left.

    25 years ago we as a family made an annual pilgrimage toExuma for the 1st August, to enjoy the opening of the Crawfish season, we based our selves in the anchorage near the mouth of the canal at Shroud Cay. Must have done that for 20 years.

    We, together with Stuart, his sisters who formed the original crew, were to join us, together with a goodly bunch of grandchildren, intending to relive those early days. I arrived at Allens Cay, before him, a lovely trip, but for the third time, the Onan made it's presence known by being totally dead.

    When Stu arrived, he and my daughter Sandra, spent the afternoon with the genny, but to no avail, the bracket supporting the fresh water pump had sheared it's bolts, with no facilities we decided to forget the Onan.

    I still cannot understand why the PO did not replace the genny when he fitted the new main engines, for about a 5% increase in cost he could have fitted a brand new Westerberg or Northern Lights unit.

    The following morning we set off for Compass Cay, where we had secured a berth.

    The Bertram, now known as the Wee Pokey, had been fitted with fly by wire engine controls. In fact everything was fly by wire.....all new to me, it is simple operate and works like a dream.......but.....

    I started this thread after reading the request from the Bertram yachts forum crew for Bertram owners to tell the story of their boat.

    I shall be including photos as soon as soon I can work out how.
    Please forgive the spellcheck which does crazy things with my spelling.

    To be continued

    Norm
    .
  3. Loren Schweizer

    Loren Schweizer YF Associate Writer

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2004
    Messages:
    1,352
    Location:
    Coral Gables/Ft. Laud., FL
    Norm, that's a good story, and you tell it compellingly. You really use your boat.
    Like you, I'm in favor of fixing as opposed to repairing, but...comes a time...no gen= no A/C, reefer, etc., ugh. In your moccasins, I'd bite the bullet for a NL or Phasor replacement and would imagine that relatively modern parts are more easily accessible than 1982 stuff.
    'Nother thought: whoever yanked out the Detroits traded/gave them to someone who...refurbished them.
    Perhaps you can source a more modern genset that received the same TLC? And/or two smaller units, one of which acts as a night set, as well as a back-up...?
  4. RT46

    RT46 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2011
    Messages:
    1,058
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    do a quick assessment to make sure it isn't something simple on the generator.
    like a filter, sensor, or fuel shut off.

    Then throw 10k at a new generator and sell the old one for 1,500......

    equals $8,500 for piece of mind and trouble free operation, priceless!

    no brainer...
  5. Bahma

    Bahma Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2013
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Man o War Cay Abaco Bahamas
    The problem with that is the immaculate fitted carpets and the beautiful overhead, further complicated by the miniscule hatch, 22" x 22".....
    I really don't wish to tear everything apart.
  6. Bahma

    Bahma Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2013
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Man o War Cay Abaco Bahamas
    After we left Allens, the seas produced that wicked chop that only Exuma Sound makes with a 20 to 25 kt breeze, it was very unpleasant, although I could batter my way into the SSE wind, the racket was awesome, so we motored slowly into the headwind.
    We had been running a couple of hours, when the hydraulic pump steering motor quit. A message appeared on the Garmin monitor saying there was a low voltage, didn't think much of it at the time, but logically we were not charging the batteries and they were losing power.

    About a hour hour later my wife says 'what's that red light for?' A small red alarm light appeared on the engine control unit.......also saying low voltage.......finally, it dawned.......in the not too distant future, we would be dead in the water, with no engines, no engine controls, and no plotter. To top it all off, we appeared to be out of range for our cell phones......the VHF did not answer either. We headed for the nearest shelter which was Cistern Cay, we anchored and spent a miserable night, rolling as only a veteran Bernie can.

    We were rescued the following morning by Stu, who arrived with batteries, we motored to Compass Cay to a dock where with a prayer, we plugged in the yellow spring line, and fired up the A/Cs......it
    was, once again, quite civilised.

    Compass Cay is one of the prettiest in the Exumas, well worth a visit, but call ahead, to reserve berth, it is very popular.

    As this commentary is about the Bertram, I shall continue with the saga of her first year under my ownership.
  7. Bahma

    Bahma Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2013
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Man o War Cay Abaco Bahamas
    As soon as we returned home to MoW, I stripped the Onan of the remnants of the sound shield, a devilish device (designed by someone who has never even been into the average small boat engine room) solely constructed to prevent any proper maintenance........, together with the raw and fresh water pumps, the heat exchanger, fuel filters and pump and all the hoses. Most were original and deficient. The copper pipe from the filter housing to the pump was loose, obviously had been leaking air.
    The heat exchanger was more then half blocked with scale and innumerable impeller parts.

    The fresh water pump drive shaft was fractured, I suspect the vibration caused the support bracket bolts to fail.

    The exchanger was rinsed in muriatic acid, that together with a gentle rodding out completely opened up the tubes, a failed and leaking drain plug housing was brazed.

    New pumps, hoses, and clamps were fitted.

    Most important of all I whispered into the air intake, telling the Onan, now named Mary, that seeing I had painted the whole machine with Yanmar engine paint, she was now a Yanmar, so after a short christening ceremony, she believes she is a Yanmar and will act accordingly. Not 'to put mouth on it', (Bahamian slang for not putting a hex on it).

    So far, after about 2 hours running under load all is well. The engine side appears to have been replaced as a short block, the electrical end is AOK.
    I shall not replace the sound shield, i rather enjoy the rhythmic thump.

    More later
  8. Loren Schweizer

    Loren Schweizer YF Associate Writer

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2004
    Messages:
    1,352
    Location:
    Coral Gables/Ft. Laud., FL
    Forget the name of the company, and there are likely more than one, that manufacture a 'soft' sound shield, i.e., a pipe frame over which is draped heavy insulation pads with velcro attachments for EZ removal.
    You, being a handy sort, could cobble up your own on the cheap for your Onanmar.
  9. Bahma

    Bahma Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2013
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Man o War Cay Abaco Bahamas
    I replaced the Onan on engine fuel pump with an electrical one, and shall place oil pressure and water temperature gauges on the lower console. Not too sure about the auto shut down system.

    I am confident that Mary will continue to perform reliably, time, i guess will tell.

    What a jolly good idea, definitely will check that out, thanks for the tip.

    One thing I did forget, the genny takes a while to start, the glow plugs don't glow, i found a loose wire from one which I believe is the ground, i could not find where it went.....but it appeared from the region of an oil pressure gauge which is hidden behind the secondary fuel filter, i need a mate with a meter, for the start and pre heat switch on the genny itself have been by passed....by PO I guess.

    I like the Onanmar.....super
  10. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,649
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    PM me with the whole model number, spec and e-mail (don't post e-mail here). I probably have the schematic to help trace those heater wires.
  11. Bahma

    Bahma Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2013
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Man o War Cay Abaco Bahamas
    Hi,

    Thank you for taking an interest in my agedreams Onan,
    Model # 120MDJC-33CR/ 2268AB......Ser. # C810558200.

    I believe it to OEM 1082 or there abouts. I suspect it has a new short block fitted during the main engine swap during June 2005.

    Apart from the slow starting it appears to be functioning AOK at the moment.

    The glow plugs are not functioning, i suspect it is due to the unattached wire. I believe it should go to ground, but it ends as a female spade connector, it came from behind the one engine fuel filters, but i have been unable to find it's female half.

    Thanks again,

    Norm