Sad Photo

Always sad to see such a machine go down.

Also a 54 is always an easy machine to sell not only in the USA, so I cannot understand why not sell it?

that is the one thing I never understand. I see so many owners stop using a yacht, and instead of selling them, they just let them rot into garbage.

Often situations like the one that appears in the photo were preceded by something serious within the family such as serious illness or a death in the family. I've see many boats and homes neglected under those circumstances. Sometimes one can't face and be honest with themselves as to what is taking place. Sometimes it's just holding onto memories.

The house adjacent to us when we moved here in 2012 was much in that situation. A family had built it in the early 60's. The children moved on and the father died in the 90's. The mother held on. She had the major things kept up but inside and out the house was still in the 60's. However, she refused to sell and move, too many memories. We never met her as it turns out she was in the hospital and then long term rehabilitation and while it was obvious to everyone else she shouldn't return to the house, she held on and refused to listen to son or daughter. We had no way to contact any of them, until a couple of years later the daughter was clearing the house out of personal belongings and getting ready to sell it. The mother was finally going to move to her home but she said she might as well have stabbed her mother with a knife as selling the home and she knew her mother was not going to ever really recover. By this time the house needed so many renovations and upgrades to even be marketable, the value of the property was basically the value of the land. To the mother it was still perfect like it was when the family lived there. It was actually livable, but every room plus the outside needed something done to it.

I knew a man in NC who bought a boat and put 20 hours on it, kept it in dry storage so it was like new. His plan was to take his grandkids waterskiing but he had an illness first and then even as he recovered, it never happened. Finally 9 years later someone got an incredible deal on the boat and the grandfather was so sad at the loss of his dream.

It looks like some fire officials are there assessing the situation. I know a family that had a house in pompano on the miracle mile south of Gallant Lady’s dock. They owned a jet, a yacht, etc. But the owner even when he was not demented did not want to maintain the jet (that he flew in), the boat that he bought brand new, and the house that he bought. He also had 2 cigarette style boats put in dry storage for years that never moved. Had people that wanted to buy them and said no. Last I heard the 2 cigarette style boats have extensive termite damage. It is amazing to me how emotional reasons motivate very smart people to do some really dumb things.

I hope someone does have some knowledge or contact for you. No one shepherd's and values Bertram's better than you do.

Just wondering, isn't that the eventual fate of every boat?

Well, in general the end of life for fiberglass boats is unglamorous and a problem in need of a solution. Although I think it’s a bit premature for this particular boat and a shame to see it apparently suffering from such neglect.

Fiberglass boat production has passed the 50 year mark with many old boats ending up neglected. And many more will follow. Wood boats deteriorated. These boats don’t.

(I’m assuming) this Bertram was still in the possession of it’s owner, however the issue of neglect and abandonment is a growing problem that’s sure to get worse as the fleet continues to age out of its useful life.

I'd still call Bradford and they might be able to put you in touch with whoever had it brought there, likely the insurer. It could be that they started work and feel it's still got great value or that they feel it's a salvage boat now. Worth a call.