Bertram Sportfish Yachts Coming Back???

You are right as rain. Gotta view the whole enterprise as an automobile manufacturer in terms of labor efficiency to make it sing. It gets better (worse). Prior to the mid-'70s, there was no customization-- the Engineering Dep't. fiercely fought that idea; the recessions of 1977 and 1981 brought about was was known internally as the Specials Dep't. with a decorator, draftsman, purchasing agent, and a manager, all of whom were used as sales tools to offer custom-built boats with the attendant "late changes" and delays waiting, for example, for that special door hardware from Milan. BUT.
The Company sold over FIFTY boats at the 1985 Miami Show. True.
Full disclosure: the dealer network's brokers were rewarded for a sale written up during the show with a handsome GMT Master. The guys in the Sales Dep't. were also taken care of, which incentivized us to run to the bar at 9:00 pm and drag out [insert famed yacht broker name here] to meet his client.
Yes, you are likely shocked, but those were heady days and even the bosses had a snoot-ful every now and then.

PacBlue, you are not the first to use that term...

Good observation!

I get your point... but at the same time, if I really thought I needed a 40' open boat of the CC persuasion.... I think I'd probably be looking for inboard diesels instead of 3 gas outboards. Maybe even only a single... but that'd probably be harder to find than twins.

-Chris

Actually SeaVee offers a 39' in multiple configurations. They offer it with triple outboards, quad outboards, IPS, and diesel inboards. The performance of the outboards is just so far above that of the other options, in terms of speed.

Nobody wants a cramped engine room you have to lay on top of the motors to work on in that size boat. They don't want an engine room period. You also lose all of the amenities of the console. The shafts or IPS then take up a lot of fishbox room. It doesn't make sense in a C.C. Head, sink, shower, sometimes a stateroom like in the 37' Outrage disappear. Outboards have become efficient and reliable with 4 strokes and they're easy for a fat guy to work on. Also faster and at cruise you cannot even hear them, rather than twin diesels under the console that vibrate it and your feet and the associated noise.

Also, there are plenty of places to rent in the Bahamas. You can get there fast with a center console, the family does what they want when the guys go fishing and you don't have to carry your luggage and bedroom around.

Cabo lost money on the boats under 38' also, prior to moving them to Hatteras. Building them became very in-efficient when/after they were moved. They sold for a profit, but then the warranty claims ate up all the profit.

Hi Olderboater, fair call, but a 'stripped out' F/B or express can be design and built that can be competitive on price (which a Bertram is). The price on some of those C/C's is pretty high/excessive - 38' 600g+ on a midnight express. I'm doing up a 28' at the moment for a friend who's just after something to wet the lines and a overnight stay, something similar in a mid 30's could be done - just need to be smart before u hit the shop floor. Cheers

Far

Sure, more legit points. But there are hydraulic cockpit soles, easy engine access isn't difficult to engineer... etc.

But your various points are why I'm not part of that market. Speed is not a lure, constant un-shaded sun isn't comfortable, fishing isn't a goal, wifey isn't gonna sleep overnight in a cramped console -- I probably wouldn't do that myself, either, for that matter -- hotels aren't all that attractive compared to having our own stuff everywhere we go, room for the pets, etc.... and so forth.

You guys are likely right about why CCs are getting larger, why 3, 4, or even 8 outboards are OK for some... but that's just not my bag. Above a certain size, a CC becomes too big for my tastes, too much for a day-play boat... when I'd be just as happy with a beat-up old skiff with serious rubrails and a single diesel (and a good head) for that kind of boat.

-Chris

Not under the original ownership.

How did you like working with Wanda. Met her once at the Newport Show.
Just curious, no axe to grind...

Over time, I have learned to take the "we didn't make any money " talk with a grain of salt. It usually meant "we didn't make as much money as we wanted to". I know a few SoCal boatbuilders who tended to cry poor, but became muilti-millionaires while spreading the message amongst their employees that this was not a profitable business, even though they have Newport Beach waterfront addresses. One went so far as to drive mediocre cars to work, like a trashed Bronco II just to play the pity card a bit more. But plenty of Jaqs and exotics in the garage at home.

Similar to the classic San Pedro fisherman, in the 80s and 90s. Their boats where not much to talk about, but everything was paid off for years, and they would always drive beat up pick-up trucks to the docks, even though the wife was running around Palos Verdes in a Rolls.

Keep in mind the 36' was competeing against the same manufacturers who were building those 46.48' Sf as well.

Often it is, "we didn't make any money".......... then in small print "after the salaries and benefits we paid to and for ourselves."

OR, the boat builders were already wealthy from another profitable business (which is usually the case) and they're making good returns on their investments and the boat business truely is a hobby business for them and might very well not be making any money, but they're happy as long as it breaks even.

Let's take a look at Merritt's. I'm sure they're making a good profit off of every boat they're sending out of the factory. However, in the multiple down turns since their inception I'm sure there have been several year periods where if they relied solely on their boat building returns, they would've been very close to being out of business. I'm willing to bet the boatyard makes more of a profit for them and over the last 6 decades more of a steady stream of income (and profit) than building boats ever has. Like during the luxury tax, A LOT of builders were put under because of it, however the boat yard was swamped because people were fixing their old boats and keeping them rather than pay the luxury tax on a new one.

And who would that be? Has to be a small list and doesn't apply to any kind of volume of note. Not talking about the 1 or 2 custom boat a year guys who may have their own financial angel in the background.

Interesting posts on the rich guy/poor guy issue. The president of the manufacturer I worked for years ago (hell, decades) had missing hubcaps on his Olds in the parking lot, and a dealer from the NE made fun of him (behind his back, I'd guess).
A Roy Merritt story I heard was of him visiting a Chevy dealer over by 14th Street on his way home, and asking a salesman about a particular Corvette on the lot. Now, Roy is likely attired in a torn t-shirt and pants with dried resin & paint on them. Snooty sales guy gave him the bum's rush.
Don't think he got the sale.

...Yeah, and they apparently have yet to complete one 35-footer.
Oh, and the 58 has morphed into a sixty. Certainly Mr. Peters is a capable fellow, but the late '80s-early '90s David Napier-designed 60 was world-class.
Mr. Gavio seems determined to re-invent the wheel...slowly.

Moving to 60' gives them a better price point and fit within the production SF market.

The 60' was a fine boat for the time frames you mention, but was limited in speed and performance by the Napier Design. The Napier modified "deep vee" could not take Bertram to the magic true 40 knot barrier, while eventually Viking and Hatteras where able to produce designs that hit that target reliably today. And the Buddy Davis 61 would walk away from the Bertram 60, right around the start of the Carolina builders putting there stamp on the SF market, spinning off a number of successful custom builders today. I know that the 35 is being advertised as a 40 knot boat, I will be interested to see if they make it.

Re-branding is a tricky process, better to have the new product done well before rushing the market.

For it's time. That time was well over a decade ago. It still rocked and rolled on the troll A LOT. A sportfish' intended purpose IS trolling. Peters designs very good hulls that perform very well at all speeds, not just at cruise. I've found after running and fishing a lot of Sportfish, you pretty much HAVE to get at least a 60' in order to have the space for everything needed to seriously fish the out of the way places. Enough freezer space for bait and food, rod storage, general storage, fuel, 2 generators, tackle center, etc. etc.