Bertram VS Hourston Conversation...

EZZ70

Well-Known Member
Hey, I know Berties are not that common on the North West but whats your thoughts on the Bertram's? Lets compare the the 25'er or 26'er Bertram to the 25' or 26' Hourston.

Ill start it of by saying the beam on the Hourston's are 8'6" and Bertram's are 9'6" - 10'.

Length Overall 26'
Beam 10'0"
Weight 5,500 Ibs
Fuel 110 gal.

Anyone have anything to add?
 
Already on to the second project!

I like it.

Always keeping my options open, my opinion only, Love both Bertram and Hourston!! wish I could afford one of each :) Only down side, Betties has 10' beam which is a bit difficult to trailer...
 
I have a 26 Bertram, 6000lbs dry, built like a tank, rides great in a chop, but burns lots of fuel. I've never been on a Hourston over 17' so can't compare. Bought my boat from a guy who previously had a 23 Hourston. He preferred the Bertram hull and the self-bailing deck. Said his Hourston collected water.

I do wish I could trailer it. I've already spent more than I'd like on moorage and haul-outs.
 
The wide beam Bertram might even accept a flybridge!
 
I have a 26 Bertram, 6000lbs dry, built like a tank, rides great in a chop, but burns lots of fuel. I've never been on a Hourston over 17' so can't compare. Bought my boat from a guy who previously had a 23 Hourston. He preferred the Bertram hull and the self-bailing deck. Said his Hourston collected water.

I do wish I could trailer it. I've already spent more than I'd like on moorage and haul-outs.

Yes trailering would be awesome, it is defiantly one of their downfalls... I believe the 25'er has a bit narrower of a beam 9'3" or something but still hard to trailer as well...
 
Bertram 23 specs...

1_4.jpg
 
Bertram 25 / Caribbean 26 specs
GENERAL

MATERIAL GRP

TYPE Monohull deep-vee cruiser

LENGTH 7.92m

BEAM 3.02m

WEIGHT Hull and dual six cylinder sterndrives approx. 2600 kg

CAPACITIES PEOPLE (NIGHT) 2/4 (DAY) 7+

FUEL 550L

WATER 135L
 
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That 23 Caribbean looks very cool,never seen or even heard of that model with 8Ft. beam.The 25 Bertrams that are common up here don't compare to a Hurston.Their extremely heavy build,a deep V that doesn't vary front to back 22* I think,big 10Ft. beam.They were generally powered with twin IO's under a flush deck,so there is a big step down to the cabin.They ride very well but you pay for the ride at the gas pump.They require a lot more power because of the weight and the deep V. The 26 Hurston hull deep V varies from front to back (modified),with a sharp entry and less as it goes back to the transom. The modified V,less weight and 8Ft.4" (I think) beam makes the hull much more efficient ,so it needs less power and less fuel.I don't think you can tow the Berty without a permit because of it's width,Hurston,no problem.
 
Bertrams are awesome boats end of story. You need to be pretty specific comparing models of both Hourston and Bertram as the later offered more options. Horuston also made some updates over various generations to their hulls as well.

I have what is considered to be a later Horuston with a self bailing deck so it is not a wet deck from my experience. I find it is a purposeful boat and was designed to be used in the Georgia Straits but beyond a 4' sea I am tied up although I can plow through anything up to that at 20 knots, albeit with the wipers going. I wouldn't necessarily put it in the same discussion as a Bertram primarily due to the beam differences although I did have someone off a yacht approach me in Refuge Cove last summer complimenting my "Bertram"...odd considering it clearly (to me anyway) isn't.

I have zero experience poking around the guts of a Bertram but I have plenty in the Horuston. The later is well built for the most part but I would guess the Bertram would be "next level". There was a 23' Fly Bertram on the docks at the NVFD derby this year and it looked like it had been completely restored, appeared to be flying the RVYC burgee...I was really impressed with it.
 
Hey all,

So please correct me if I am wrong, from the history I can gather the Hourston's was one of the first, if not the first, to build with fibreglass. Then Double Eagle, Bertram and a few others US companies follow shortly there after. The Hourston's are sought after by North West locals and guide/charter outfitters because of the seaworthiness, ride comfort, trailer ability, as well as the hull's robustness due to thick fibreglass lamination. Again, from what I can find the hulls were more than necessarily thick because no one really knew the strength prosperities of fibreglass and how the hulls would hold up, so they erred on the side of caution "more is better"...

FYI - The Caribbean 23 Bertram seems to be exclusive to Australia Bertrams. Does anyone have any build sheets, specs or manuals for the Hourston's?
 
Hey all,

So please correct me if I am wrong, from the history I can gather the Hourston's was one of the first, if not the first, to build with fibreglass. Then Double Eagle, Bertram and a few others US companies follow shortly there after. The Hourston's are sought after by North West locals and guide/charter outfitters because of the seaworthiness, ride comfort, trailer ability, as well as the hull's robustness due to thick fibreglass lamination. Again, from what I can find the hulls were more than necessarily thick because no one really knew the strength prosperities of fibreglass and how the hulls would hold up, so they erred on the side of caution "more is better"...

FYI - The Caribbean 23 Bertram seems to be exclusive to Australia Bertrams. Does anyone have any build sheets, specs or manuals for the Hourston's?
I've seen several articles stating that Hourston was the first fiberglass boat maker, including one in Pacific Yachting. The hulls are overbuilt. The weakness is how well the wood remains dry over a lifetime of modifications and stress. My stringers are foam for that reason.

I'd contact Hourston directly [in North Vancouver] for info. They come and go with websites, but they do have spec sheets and option lists for all the different models. Bill Hourston was helpful during my rebuild, and we bought a new swimgrid and motor cover from him. You'll find some old stuff here: http://hourstonglascraft.blogspot.com/
 
bertrams are worth the money! Hourstons are over-hyped.

Advocating for the Hourston's, I believe the "hype" is validated by the decades of usage, with the exception of wood rot :(.

The truth is, there is only a limited number of the oldies out there. So, supply and demand now creates a new life-cycle for these hulls.

Do you think we will be seeing, once FREE and $1000 finds become more like $2500-$5000 for a 40 year old hull? Humm...
 
Not sure you’ve ever ridden in s Hourston. Mine smokes by most other boats when it’s snotty out

Yup. On a nasty 25 knot SE day off Qualicum, I remember cruising by doing 22 - and watching the lighter boats rolling around as they scrambled to get off the water. It was my first day on the boat and I began to understand what all the fuss was about Hourstons.

I've only ridden in one Bertram 20, crossing from Port Hardy to Rivers Inlet. It was a beautiful riding boat -- separated by far too many years from my Hourston for a good comparison.

But trailerability is huge for me - my most frequent destinations are at the end of a 4, 6 or 8 hour drive - so the Hourston wins for me, even without the side by side comparison.

I still love looking at those big Bertram sportsfishers...
 
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The "more is better" mentality may have existed with the older rigs built by hourston. I have first hand experience with "modern" hourstons and my own opinion is the accountants got involved at some point.
I've seen several articles stating that Hourston was the first fiberglass boat maker, including one in Pacific Yachting. The hulls are overbuilt. The weakness is how well the wood remains dry over a lifetime of modifications and stress. My stringers are foam for that reason.

I'd contact Hourston directly [in North Vancouver] for info. They come and go with websites, but they do have spec sheets and option lists for all the different models. Bill Hourston was helpful during my rebuild, and we bought a new swimgrid and motor cover from him. You'll find some old stuff here: http://hourstonglascraft.blogspot.com/

They're definitely done with operations, best you can do for info is call hauruna as pete is there now.
 
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