The Most Under-Rated Boat is...

[Alan D. Hyde]

I was with a guy the other day who was crying in his beer because he didn't get around to buying a Bertram 31 before the prices skyrocketed.

Anybody who's ever gone fast through four or six foot waves on a Bertram knows how good they are: well-designed and well-built.

So what else out there is STILL under-rated, and, though good, can be got for a reasonable sum?

Alan

[imported_Conrad]

Ahem, Alan, aren't those made of "the other white meat" so to speak? tongue.gif

On the woodenboat side, here in Seattle, the 26' plywood Thunderbird would be a contender- great performance, cruisable, and available for for under a grand in the winter. Not likely to significantly appreciate though.

http://www.thunderbirdsailing.org/

[ 06-02-2003, 06:17 PM: Message edited by: Conrad S. ]

[N. Scheuer]

You can stick ALL of those Deep-V powerboat hulls someplace where the Sun don't shine, as far as I'm concerned. At least all of the ones NOT on one of the Great Lakes, or at sea.

This type of hull shoves up WAY too much wake on the small inland lakes and rivers around here. The problem is, except for aluminum fishing skiffs, that's all anyone makes anymore. It doesn't make any logical sense that people need an ocean-racing Deep-V hull on inland lakes that can't build up a six-foot sea in anything less than a tornado.

It's a real relief when some Lund fishing skiff passes our sailboat at speed. A Lund (or similar ilk) can pass close-by at maximum speed and not even make our Shearwater Yawl wobble, even a little bit.

Deep-V's are a pet peeve of mine, Moby Nick

[Alan D. Hyde]

Well, Nick, it seems like a fault of many deep-Vs that they either have to run fast or run at idle.

At moderate speeds, they seem to push way too much water to get respectable fuel economy.

Conrad, I'll have to admit I make a mental exception for "classic plastic," for example like a Bermuda 40 or an Alberg 35. :D

Alan

[Mike Vogdes]

Alan
I couldn't agree more about the 31 Bertram allthough I don't think it was ever considered underated.
Whorton Creek marina up here on the Chesapeake, refurbishes 31 Bertrams to better than new condition and will redesign to suit.
They displayed one at the Annapolis Boat Show a few years ago that was absolutly beautifull, the name of the boat was "Bushwacker".

Now, not to offend our collegues, I'll pick a design from the wooden variety.

When I was a very little kid my dad had a Tiffany 28 built by Tiffany Cockrall of NC. That was an awesome fishing boat that served him well for many years fishing out of Cape May NJ. He finally sold it in the sixties and we lost track of her. Intrestingly Tiffany is still in business building custom sport fishing machines in glass.

Now, my pick for clasic plastic would be the Catilina 22. My little brother bought one last year and I did alot of work on it for him, his boat is a 76 and every part on it is still available thru Catilina, prices are even rather reasonable.

[Noah]

Bushwhacker was docked 3 boats down from the sailboat I'm looking at in Chestertown MD. It still looked really nice. They did a tremendous job rebuilding her. The owner was rightly proud.

I think they sell for somewhere around $250K refurbed by Whorton Creek.

Lymans are great boats. Not too much wake, but can still handle a sea. But I think that they are rated pretty highly...

Noah

[Dutch Rub]

Theres plenty of old bertrams around for the cheap just needing plenty of money and elbow grease to get em running again. Personally for getting there and coming back in a heavy sea they are pretty effective, but for standing around bottom fishing Id rather have something with a flatter bottom. They can really suck up the fuel too.

[ishmael]

Back to the original question, the most underated boat.

A punt, or canoe, designed for one human to paddle facing forward. I think of the 'paddle boats' I grew up with, and also the 'six hour canoe', though the later is a little large for a three year old.

If people go on the water under their own power, when they are 'wee', they change their relationship with the water forever. It's the best jetskeet garlic one can make. Trust me on this one. smile.gif

The younger a mind is introduced to the way of water, in a boat under their slow power, the more likely they will love the movement of water, and a boat moving in it, and turn away from reckless speed, which kills most appreciation.

Trust me on this one, these are the most underrated boats, for sure.

[ 06-03-2003, 05:39 PM: Message edited by: ishmael ]