RECYCLING FOR NEW FISHING THRILLS
by
Capt. Mike Holmes
Keeping Traditions Alive And Budgets Down While Conserving Resources
The recreational boating and fishing community is often viewed by outsiders with a negative eye as far as consumption of natural resources is concerned. For all the good we have done to help establish and abide by pro-active fisheries legislation and catch-and-release, and despite our efforts to combat pollution and blatant commercial over exploitation of the world's oceans, many outsiders see fishermen - especially blue water anglers - as wealthy wastrels who spend huge amounts of money on gleaming yachts that burn excessive amounts of fossil fuel, - to chase and kill fish for "sport". Magazine articles about expensive trips to far-away grounds and big-money tournaments unfortunately provide ammunition for the shots taken at us by our detractors. Luckily, the PETA folks usually shoot themselves in the foot, and commercial interests have their own battles to fight against conservationists, but there is a real danger that more pressure will be applied to the sportfishing community in the future unless we do more to promote a positive image outside our own ranks.
One of the most popular methods of energy conservation - at least in theory - is recycling. Anything that can be reused in some form saves on the raw materials and energy required to manufacture a new product. While recycling paper and plastic milk bottles is admirable, larger projects haven't really gained much support from either industry or the general public. Boaters/fishermen, however, can not only benefit from reuse and recycle programs, but can do so in a manner that is highly visible - earning valuable PR for our side.
The first and most obvious application of the recycle mindset is in older fiberglass boats. Plastic resin reinforced glass fiber is such a "miracle" material that it resists not only cracks and impact damage while in use - its natural rate of decomposition is about the same as rocks. Unwanted 'glass boats last forever, so landfilling them is not a practical disposal solution, and burning them causes air quality issues. The best thing to do with many of these older boats is to refit them for further use. Although this might not be a popular stand with boat manufacturers in business to sell new vessels, it can be a very good way for potential boaters on a tight budget to end up with the fishing boat of their dreams.
One of the most popular boats for "recycling" these days is the 31 Bertram. A resurgence of interest in the original deep-vee production boat has elevated them to classic status. All over the world, old 31's are being snatched up by eager buyers and restored from the hull up with modern diesel power, generators, A/C, and all manner of electronic equipment. The appeal of these boats is a powerful one-two punch - they were built so solidly and with such a remarkable hull design that they still perform as well as anything ever built in their size class, and they are also one of the best looking boats ever to hit the water! In addition, they have a proven track record of catching fish, as shown by their inclusion in MARLIN’s list of the top ten sportfishing boats of all time recently. One of the first things the new owner of Bertram, Norberto Fertitti, is said to have done after taking over the reins of the company was to buy and fully restore a 31. On a website devoted to these boats, bertram31.com, enthusiasts from over 18 countries discuss their project boats, swap parts and advice, and get a lot of helpful information from site manager Capt. Patrick McCrary, who also does professional level restoration of 31's and other boats as well as building modifications such as integrated transom live wells, custom steering pods, oversized rudders, and engine air induction kits. This site has been in existence for two years, and just passed 10,000 postings on its bulletin board. Regular site visitors have had a 31 Bertram Rendezvous on Block Island for the past two years, and this year participated in the first annual "Uncle Vic Invitational International" marlin tournament, sponsored by 31 owner "Uncle" Vic Roy of Baton Rouge, LA, and held out of Port Eads, LA.
Several boatyards across the country now specialize in restoring and updating 31's. In Florida, Cabrella's offers decks, cabin bulkheads, hull tunnels and other upgrades/modifications for 31's. Partners John Avila and Ray Cabrella are also building a custom boat named the Classic 31 that will be very similar to the original Bertram 31 - even to being built in a two piece mold. Highly customized and with big CAT power, the Classic 31 will be introduced at major boat shows in the near future. Glasstech also offers new fiberglass decks for 31's, and many other parts can be obtained from High Tide Marine, also located in Florida. Several boatyards on the east coast also pride themselves in 31 restorations, including Holtze Boatworks.
Although enough money given to the right yard can turn an old 31 into a gleaming, like-new fishing machine, how much fun could that be? The 31 is a perfect project boat for the do-it-yourselfer, even one with very little prior experience with inboard boats, like myself, for example. When I bought my 1962 model 31 express several years ago, for what now seems a ridiculously low price, it was in fairly sad but useable shape, with gasoline engines. I fished it for nearly two years before mechanical problems with the engines and transmissions began to get the better of me. Rather than continue to repair things as they broke and keep fishing - which would have been entirely possible - I elected to begin the restoration project I had in mind when I first saw the boat. Along the way, I gained an education into all things boat related - painting, fiberglass work, mechanical, and other ship's systems, all of which were replaced or refurbished.
One of the things I love most about boating is finding used equipment for bargain prices, or even as no cost discards. When it comes to boat gear, one man's trash can definitely be another's treasure, and I know several fairly wealthy owners who enjoy "dumpster diving" as much as I do. From another point of view, there is a lot of sportfishing history and tradition in some older equipment. Since I started with a classic hull, fitting it out with equipment from the same or even earlier eras whenever possible seemed the logical route to follow. Before I began the mechanical transformation on my boat, I was collecting and installing pieces of the puzzle. From an update on a wooden Buddy Davis I got a pair of triple spreader Rock-a-way outriggers, mounting bases, and supporting arms for $50. Cut down to 24 foot double spreaders, they look great and are easy to operate. My fighting chair was also built by Rock-a-way, a model with cast aluminum frame, foot rest, and ratchet-down back. Complete with cushions in a second hand shop, it was also $50. The original Bertram instrument panel lay flat and was difficult to read at times, so I fashioned a larger, angled panel housing from a teak and holly sailboat hatch, while keeping the stainless instrument panel itself. The original helm bench seats were a bit ragged, but I was able to work a deal with my marina owner for the helm seats he had just replaced on his custom 72' Halter (also an electric toilet).
When I removed the glassed over plywood deck, I found a ship's carpenter who had a quantity of 1/2" thick teak planking left over from another deck job. For under $350, plus the cost of plywood backing, resin, and caulk - and some labor - I fashioned my own teak deck. It may not look completely professional - I learned an awful lot about decking as I did the job - but it suits me, feels good under bare feet, and I was able to control the size and placing of the hatches.
In the cabin, trim for the new mahogany paneling was mostly teak salvaged off the scrap pile. The teak and holly cabin sole came from a 1954 Wheeler that had partially burned. From a trashed out Luhrs, I gained a 12,000 BTU reverse cycle marine A/C, and the Norcold refrigerator came from a Chris Craft. The original dinette table and cushions were missing from my boat, but I replaced them with cushions from another Chris Craft and a mahogany table donated by a friend. The vee-berth cushions were replaced by what was originally a pullman couch from the old Chris, making a double berth. When moving my new wife from her old home, we found a box of off-white 6x6" floor tiles that I was determined to use somewhere. Since the gel-coated counter-top in my gallery was crazed and cracked, the tile - with an inlay of teak strips instead of grout - ended up there. The cabin headliner was peeling, so I kept the original plywood pieces, but covered them with sunbrella material from a dead bimini top.
On an aborted trip bucking 10 foot head seas from an unexpected storm, I learned where all the leaks in the cabin were. Since the windows had all been replaced with plexiglass, I covered the front cabin windows with two layers of 3/4 inch plywood, one inside, one out, and glassed over the outside. A friend recently had a big cooler full of ice break loose on the bow deck of his 31 and crash through the windows - I doubt this will never happen with mine. The shelf in front of the previous windows was wasted space, so cabinets were built in to port, shelves for a microwave and storage starboard. The small TV/VCR is mounted on a stainless swivel radar mount. Overhead rod storage racks were fashioned from the teak toe rail removed from a friend's wooden 37 Post.
Nearly every coastal community has a business or two selling used or salvaged boating equipment, and most boatyards will have a scrap yard and leads to items their customers are willing to part with. The Boat U.S. magazine and many other also have classified where good equipment changes hands. The hunt for good “boat stuff” is an enjoyable – and educational – past time in itself.
Gleaming gold reels with two-speed gearboxes are fine for hard-core tournament fishermen, but for a classic boat, a more historically appropriate set of weapons will do just fine. My heavy rods are 80# brown Fenwick sticks with the old side-straddle Mildrum roller guides - double roller on first guide and tip-top, with new wrappings and new Aftco aluminum butts. Mounted on these rods are Penn Senators in 10/0 to 12/0 size, spooling 80 and 130# mono, upgraded somewhat with teflon drag washers. I do have my eye on a set of old model Finn-Nors, however.
Although the 31 Bertram has always been a fine performer, power upgrades to new, lightweight diesels from Cummins and Yanmar improve economy and cruising speed, as well as dependability. There is a way to continue our recycling theme into the engine rooms, however. The 6BTA Cummins in 210 to 300 horsepower versions is a top choice for 31 conversions. The same basic 5.9 liter engine is also a popular choice for Dodge pickups and light trucks, although in a de-tuned version to co-exist with automotive transmissions. Because there are a lot of these trucks on the road, a large number of them end up in wrecking yards, where low-mileage engines often languish for a purpose in their remaining useable lifetimes. Adapting the 5.9 to a truck not originally so equipped would probably be time and cost prohibitive, and since the engines usually outlast the truck body, there isn't much market for them as replacement engines. Fortunately, these fine little powerplants fit perfectly under the engine cover of a 31 Bertram!
A company in Angleton, Texas, H&H Distributing, manufactures a marine conversion kit for the 5.9, which includes water cooled exhaust manifold and turbo housing, heat exchanger, raw water pump, marine bell housing, flywheel and all necessary gaskets, brackets, and fittings. Engines from 1994-1997 Dodge trucks were 12 valve editions running 160 - 180 hp in automatic transmission equipped trucks, up to 215 hp for 1997 standard transmission trucks. An aftermarket horsepower boost kit for the Bosche injector pumps allows the horsepower to be raised in increments up to 275 hp, and well over 600 ft lbs of torque. H&H also offers a raw water cooled aftercooler to further enhance the engine's performance. H&H has a conversion kit available for the 1998 and later model 24 valve Dodge truck Cummins engines – the only one available for this powerplant. I am running a pair of 5.9's boosted to 250 hp, and using the H&H aftercoolers. In the conversion from gasoline to diesel power, I replaced struts, shaft logs, transmissions, strainers, and fuel filters with new components. My shafts came from trade-ins refurbished by a machinist friend. The struts are massive units built for Bertrams by Buck Alongequin, shafts are 1 1/2" diameter, and transmissions are 5011A Twin Disc in 1.44:1 ratio.
With Cummins marine engines in 31 Bertrams, 1.5:1 transmission, and 20 – 21” diameter props, the performance of the 250 hp version is nearly linear as to rpm versus knots of speed above 1700 rpm: 2000 rpm = 20 knots, 2400 rpm = 24 knots, up to a top end at 2600 - 2800 rpm of 28 -30 knots. 31 owner Trent Smith of California installed a pair of H&H marinized 1997, 215 hp Dodge truck Cummins with aftercoolers in his boat, and is reporting 20 knots at 2000 rpm, 24 knots at 2400 rpm, and a top speed of 28 knots at 2800 rpm. This is with 1.44:1 gears and 20” props. With 200 hours on the engines in his boat, he is also reporting 1.5 mpg, - not bad figures for a pair of junkyard engines. The cost of Trent's engines with new Twin Disc gears was around $23,000 for the pair - significantly less than new marine engines.
Of course, these converted truck engines carry no factory warranty, and should not be considered as equal to new, Cummins marine engines. Still they have definite advantages for do-it-yourselfers and those on a tight budget. Many parts such as alternators and starters, fuel pumps, and belts can be purchased at the corner auto parts store at a savings. There is also the satisfaction of putting together your own engine package. I mentioned earlier that I was not considered extremely mechanically inclined, yet I did most of the installation of my engines and running gear. In the process, I learned where everything that could cause trouble might be located, and how to maintain and repair or replace all those crucial parts.
Every time I leave the dock on my restored 31 Bertram, a big chunk of boating and sportfishing history sails with me. With other enthusiasts all over the world following similar routes, the lessons we have learned from the pioneers of the past will remain close at hand. In addition, if there is a candidate more worthy of a recycling award than a classic 31, refitted with a reclaimed salvage diesel and carrying original fishing gear from the glory days of bluewater angling, it would have to be quite an effort!