Bertram vs Seacraft

[gofastsandman]

no such thing as a "moppie" - "moppie" was richard bertram's wife - he called her that,she had wild red hair...

"moppie" is the name bertram used on their hulls,when launched - kinda like how rybovich used "charmer"

the bertram's were built like no others - in it's day,they were it.fiberglass tanks - bertram had tanks made from both a polyester resin and an epoxy resin - polyester based resin - the cheap stuff,the stuff with the styrene smell,ethanol laced fuel will disolve the styrene from the resin - epoxy is not effected.fiberglass tanks,befor ethe introduction of e10 fuel,were the best option - last forever,unlike aluminum...

This is CSC not CB.
My best friend and neighbor was Ray C. {Racy} Hunt as a young child in Padanaram, Ma. I know a little history.

Word on the street was Dick Bertram wanted a new hull design. He and his wife were in Newport for the races in `59/60? I was not there, but here is the story.

Jim Wynn brought a new design and was blasting across the harbor when he was spotted by Mr. Bertram. Mr. B. immediately went to shore and called C Raymond Hunt. He asked him to drop everything and come down and look at it. Mr. Hunt and Waldo Howland {a wonderful unsung designer} came to Newport and found the boat. They took notes.

They built a 30 ft. wooden prototype named Moppie, and the rest is history. It became the 31.

I have fished on a restored 25 H.T. It was a nice original before the resto. It is a fine sea boat and big for its size. It was a little wet and landed with a thud, but I never felt unsafe.

Good artists borrow, great artists steal.

The ole` Berts earned their reputation. I saw a beautifully restored 20` "Moppie" at the ramp a few weeks ago, but was unable to talk to the owner. Many call the open boats Moppies.

Cheers,
GFS