From the moment Richard Bertram’s wooden hulled ‘Moppie’ braved six-foot waves and thirty-knot winds to win the Miami-Nassau Race with a record-breaking time in 1960, the yachting world would never be the same. Richard Bertram built the first fiberglass 31 Bertram from a cast of his winning ship, designed by C. Raymond Hunt and named after Bertram’s wife. The following year Bertram again won the Miami-Nassau race, this time in the fiberglass 31 ‘Glass Moppie’. From C. Raymond Hunt’s protypical powerboat hull in 1957, Richard Bertram developed the deep-V hull that, perfected over the years, lets Bertram vessels slice through waves at speed in a fashion that other companies have proven unable to duplicate.
A rented warehouse in Hialeah, FL was the original base of production of the now-legendary 31 Bertram. Richard Bertram had a string of racing successes in various Moppie models, culminating in his setting the World Speed Record for diesel engines. He applied the structural integrity knowledge he gained during the races to constructing new models. The company built 1,986 Bertram 31s over 16 years, including 50 special-edition models. The iconic vessel came in four configurations: the original open Sportfisherman with a lower steering station and no aft bulkhead, the Fly Bridge Cruiser with a rear bulkhead, a hardtop, an express cruiser, and the Bahia Mar model.
Whittaker Corporation acquired Bertram in 1968, expanding the Bertram factory to become one of the largest pleasure-boat builders in the world. Over the next five decades, the legendary Miami-based sport fishing yacht manufacturer has become one of the world’s most successful and respected marine enterprises. Over the entire span of Bertram Yachts’ History, the company has built unparalleled customer loyalty with their dedication to the finest details of design and engineering. In 1998, after a series of non-boatbuilding owners, Bertram Yacht joined the Ferretti Group, a conglomerate company in motoryacht manufacturing. Their combined technologies and processes have created new levels of luxury and pleasure in the sport fishing market.
The Bertram 31 launched Bertram Yacht, Inc., when it was introduced at the 1961 New York National Boat Show as a day boat for Florida sportfishermen. Five decades later, it is a sought-after collectible that aficionados refer to as Bertram Art and one of only 10 boats Marlin dubbed “legends in their own time.” Atlantic Yacht and Ship is delighted to offer ‘Ace,’ a gleaming 1971 Bertram 31, for your boating pleasure.
The fishing room and comfort of the roomy cockpit is unrivaled by any vessel her size. A large BlueWater fighting chair centers the cockpit and the sole is covered in premium grade teak. Built into the transom is a large live well, illuminated by LED lights for your convenience. In the main salon, there is an enormous bed forward to the bow with oversized cushions and lockers to port and starboard. Beneath the port locker is a refrigerator with storage and a separate compartment for the Marine a/c unit. A set of custom tackle boxes is in the backrest above this locker, and to port is a custom rod locker that locks by key and holds many rods, butts, and reels. The head is located beneath the forward bunk, and a generous amount of spinning rod storage is above the bed port and starboard. Above on bridge is a custom Pipewelders hardtop and rail with rod holders and custom eisenglass. All surfaces of this beautiful Bertram yacht are finished in premium grade varnished teak and glistening Awlgrip, and she is currently listed at US$219,000.
Atlantic Yacht and Ship is America’s oldest and most respected yacht and ship brokerage, with over 53 years of experience in yacht and superyacht sales. We have a large selection of new and used luxury yachts for sale, and take great care in matching our clients with their ideal vessels. The purchasing of a yacht can be an intricate and complex endeavor. At Atlantic Yacht and Ship, we have the reputation and experience to strategically guide you through this process and make buying a yacht a joy. Contact Atlantic Yacht & Ship at 1.888.230.0439 to make your dream of yacht ownership a reality!