1998 Bertram 360 Express

[JShelton]

Looking at one with 400hp Volvos. Can anyone give me any info. on these boats? I don't see many of these around, but I'm pretty sure I saw someone on this board with one. Boat has relatively low hours (950) and is very clean.

[JShelton]

Looking at one with 400hp Volvos. Can anyone give me any info. on these boats? I don't see many of these around, but I'm pretty sure I saw someone on this board with one. Boat has relatively low hours (950) and is very clean.

Help, anyone???

[seapower]

You need to narrow down "which" Volvo's you have by model and year. I can't speak for the 360 express, but I took a customer's 1989 model "sportfish" rigged, with twin 6/92 Detroits out for 3 day's of back to back fishing for a couple of day's 3 week's ago. With the Detroit's there is alot more weight in the bilge and they aren't particularly great on fuel. This boat pushed well and the fuel consumption was not as bad as I thought it would be. I cruised it at 1950 RPM, that gave me an honest 22.5 to 23 knot's without cramping the engines (the owner had been running them at 2250, and didn't know how to trim the boat correctly. Guess that's why he hired me for the trip).The first day was slick calm, 2nd day was a little sporty and the 3rd day was down right rough. Dipping the bow on the troll, kinda day. The whole crew except the owner and myself were "huggin' the rail" sea sick. That said the boat handled extremely well in my opinion, had spray up top steaming in. I backed off to cruise at 17 knot's, to keep from beating the boat un-necessarily. The boat back down a straight as any boat I've ever run (and I've run a few), handled very well at the dock. The hull's have a very good reputation from what I know, are reported to be good "fish raiser's".
As a matter of fact I am kinda looking around for a 35 Bertram, that should tell you what I thought of the boat as a whole. Some of the Volvo's "lived" longer than other's, they all have their good and bad point's. I personally was pretty impressed with the boat over-all. Frank

[JShelton]

Thanks Frank, I definitely trust your opinion. They are TAMD 72 DEC engines. I'ver heard good things about Volvo engines other than high maintenance costs and I think 400 is the low end of the hp range for this series, as I'm pretty sure you can get the same series in 450 and 475.

[seapower]

Were painted "green" for a reason! Good luck if you proceed. Frank