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New '73 Bertram 46.6 owner

Discussion in 'Bertram Yacht' started by Retired Gunny, Jun 24, 2022.

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  1. Retired Gunny, Jun 24, 2022
    #1
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    So excited to be picking up my Bertram in 2 weeks. I have a few questions I hope ya'll can answer.

    First and foremost, does anyone know where I can find this legacy manual? The 46.6 Sport fisher isn't even listed on the Bertram site.

    Second, I have a question about fuel capacity. Current owner states a 613 gl total capacity. A 500 gl tank under the bed in the stateroom and a small sidesaddle tank. How is this system designed? The generator feeds off of the main tank so what is the purpose of this invisible sidesaddle tank?
    Is this basically an auxiliary tank? Is there a valve used to select the different tanks?

    Thanks in advance.
  2. Capt Ralph, Jun 24, 2022
    #2
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Welcome to Yacht Forums

    The new Bertram shop has nothing of the previous company.
    High Tide Marine may be able to help. They seem to be the last Bertram supporting shop around.

    https://hightidemarine.cc/

    Good luck and share your new boat with us.
    Post lots (LOTS) of pictures and keep us up on your travels and projects.

    <------ Yes, That is our '78, 58' Bert MY.
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  3. Retired Gunny, Jun 24, 2022
    #3
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    upload_2022-6-24_16-5-2.jpeg ,
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  4. Retired Gunny, Jun 24, 2022
    #4
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    upload_2022-6-24_16-8-3.jpeg
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  5. Retired Gunny, Jun 24, 2022
    #5
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    upload_2022-6-24_16-9-24.jpeg
  6. SplashFl, Jun 25, 2022
    #6
    SplashFl

    SplashFl Senior Member

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    http://www.glass-tech.com/
    If you can get a reply from them it may be of some help. What about whoever did your pre sale survey ?
    Just purchased a 1996, 46 but not yet picked up. Surveyor's helped a lot but I'm sure will be an ongoing learning experience starting with why the two fuel tank gauges are not working.
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  7. Retired Gunny, Jun 25, 2022
    #7
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    Survey helped a ton. Funny, the fuel guages on this boat don't work either. I made it a condition of the closing that they are functional. I'm not putting my ferry captain in a spot where fuel is an issue with a 400 mile cruise ahead and in the middle of hurricane season on the gulf coast. Several gauges at the helm don't work but the locally mounted gauges do. The current owner's mech thinks it's the fuel guages, I believe the senders are at fault, the stock ones use a cork float which has likely long since desolved.
    A learning experiance to be sure.
  8. Capt Ralph, Jun 25, 2022
    #8
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Is this a 32v boat?
    Senders and gauges can be a pain to match.
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  9. Retired Gunny, Jun 25, 2022
    #9
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    24v conversion
  10. Capt Ralph, Jun 25, 2022
    #10
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Sweet
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  11. SplashFl, Jun 25, 2022
    #11
    SplashFl

    SplashFl Senior Member

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    I have some additional gauges at the helm also either not working or were found not accurate. Prior to this new adventure, I owned a 38' Bert for 42 years and she too had an initial fuel gauge problem that was fixed with the replacement of the sending unit with one of the below link, which I will probably again purchase. I think a third wire had to be run with its installation and the depth of the tank measured. The 38 had the single 400 gal. tank under the most forward area under the aft deck and after some time I would know remaining fuel within 20 gallons just by how the stern sat in the water.
    The 46' seller told me over his 25 plus years of ownership he knew the fuel used by logging trolling and cruising hours and another prior vessel I ran at times had no fuel gauge but the marked stick never failed. ;)
    http://centroidproducts.com/
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  12. Capt Ralph, Jun 25, 2022
    #12
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Well, If were going to push our fav senders, Mine is the Wema / KUS units. 16 years in our Bertie and not an issue.
    We installed these in all of our customers boats that required replacement or upgrades. Again, never an issue years later.

    We had some bugs with the Centroid senders on one customers Californian. Their theory is great and for lots of folk, works fantastic. No float but capacitance inside the vertical tube.
    We found, when using multiple senders and switching to one display gauge, they seemed to loose their calibration (or mind).
    We converted that customers boat to all Wema. All great afterwards.
    There were other issues with the mother / son company. I loved them both for their efforts but home run companies (like mine) is hard on the few in it.

    https://kus-usa.com/product/sss-ssl-sender/
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  13. Retired Gunny, Jun 25, 2022
    #13
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    good info, thanks.
  14. Capt Ralph, Jun 25, 2022
    #14
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    So, I and maybe Splash need some of your local fresh fish.
    Let us know when your fish box is full.
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  15. Retired Gunny, Jun 26, 2022
    #15
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    Might be a while. I don't plan on doing much off shore until I can get comprehensive insurance. Some of these agencies require 2 years ownership before they will issue that coverage. The real rip off is that even with full coverage most won't pay if damage is from a named storm.
  16. mapism, Jun 26, 2022
    #16
    mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Out of curiosity, is this insurers' requirement also for a Third Party liability coverage, or just for a full coverage inclusive of your own boat?
    Here in Italy, only the first is mandatory, and agencies don't require anything but a licensed captain to issue it.
    Sounds like a full coverage isn't really worth your money, with a limitation like that...
    Also because I suppose it might be hard to agree an insured value upon a '73 boat, no matter how well maintained.
    Which she does appear to be, by the way. Congratulations!
  17. SplashFl, Jun 26, 2022
    #17
    SplashFl

    SplashFl Senior Member

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    If your survey placed a value and nothing major, if not already, check with Boat US, Chad over at Charterlakes.com, and also Lisa at Smith Merritt Insurance in Pompano, Fl. Never heard any of them talk 2 years ownership. I had a binder on mine before the closing.
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  18. Retired Gunny, Jun 26, 2022
    #18
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    Boat US, Sea Assure, United marine and others I can't remember declined. Ski safe offered liability but only while it was tied up, no navigation. Progressive through USAA finally gave me liability coverage up to 75 miles off shore but no comprehensive.
    All of the harbors here in MS require they be named on the policy, most require 300k coverage.
  19. Capt Ralph, Jun 26, 2022
    #19
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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  20. Retired Gunny, Jun 26, 2022
    #20
    Retired Gunny

    Retired Gunny New Member

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    How many years ownership experience did you have on that size boat? I got several reasons from the qoutes, 1 required 2 years ownership experience, 1 didn't cover anything over an 8 foot increase in length, others were not enough boating, experience, boat too old, boat too large. . . blah blah blah.
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