Mona Lou and others Bertrams 31'

[TrippM]

Think the Orion was "8" Ball - Eddie Lecarauxs boat - just repainted from Yellow to Red -

Phil

Is that a different boat from the "Maelstrom" or the same hull?

[Black Tornado]

Think the Orion was "8" Ball - Eddie Lecarauxs boat - just repainted from Yellow to Red -

Phil

Thanks Phil it is a reasonable possibility.
So few we know of Ed Lecarreaux and of his 31' Bertram 'Maelstrom' with the same #8 that had also had the 'My Moppie' of Dick Bertram.
In 1970 they(boat and owner) made know for a pair of shiver accidents and then nothing more.

[FLYING FISH]

Just to confirm the drive arrangement Marco.Also note ,it confirms the designer was Bertram`s love child !!!!!!!!!!
Don`t you just love the journo`s nonsense.

[FLYING FISH]

Not Bertram I know ,but some VBV stuff for your files Marco.The year 1965.

[NNRT]

I saw Eddie Lecaraux's boat in Freeport, Bahamas it was on a trailer there for the 1970 Bahama 500 - am not sure if it ran or not - however - years later it was at the Kings Grant Inn - still the yellow Gel coat #8 - sat there for the longest time -and I remember hearing that Eddie went into the priesthood - to avoid some problems -

Phil

[seeroy]

Marco - I don't know if these will help you or not. I received these two pages from Sammy James yesterday. They are from Bertram history listing success of their boats in various races. He told me that at one time he noticed one of the Bertram "Big Wigs" throwing a bunch of old history "junk" documents in the dumpster. Sammy went dumpster diving and saved some of it. Can you imagine how much Offshore history has been lost by people just cleaning out old "junk"? And that is not to mention how much history "junk" people currently have stashed away in drawers that will be lost if they do not bring it out to be digitized. - Steve Sirois

[Black Tornado]

Thanks Steve.
Unfortunately in the two sheets there are no new things for me.
I always think to how many documents have gone lost forever.
And how many 'survivors' will still be destined at the same end.
If you think that here in Italy several historical monuments(of Roman Empire and others ages) have done and they will make the same end.....
It makes badly even more me know that at the same end a lot of the boats are been destined of which we often speak in these forums.
Today the new owners of the historical yards devote nothing or very little space to host the documents that testify the facts for which today them he is enriching.
We can take comfort with works as Searace and others however that men as John Crouse has given us.
For don't forget our Sport.

BTW the victory list must be corrected in the Viareggio-Bastia of 1968; the winner Balestrieri drove the 28' Magnum "Tornado" not a Bertram.

[Black Tornado]

Just to confirm the drive arrangement Marco.Also note ,it confirms the designer was Bertram`s love child !!!!!!!!!!
Don`t you just love the journo`s nonsense.

I think that we can also file the drive arrangements as drive shafts for Canadian Moppie despite the nonsense on the designer.
About the Moppie in the CTC 73 have not succeeded in extracting a better frame of this post below but an U.F.O.(or better U.S.O. as Unidentified Surface Objects) is seeing in the low center of the stern.
Perhaps the survivors of the team S.H.A.D.O. of the Commander Straker in England they could help us in the identification but should we open a question-thread on Boatmad?
Also in the photo of the collective-taxi Jeans McQueen seems to be us an U.F.O. alike to a stern drives....

Thanks Graham for the three files about the VBV of 1965.
This is the first know report about a VBV edition coming from the rest of the World.

[FLYING FISH]

Thanks `Seeroy` for posting that.Chucking these things in the skip is sad to say the least.
I can remember being told that when Tony Needell died (the chief scrutineer for the early Cowes - Torquay races and the man who wrote the rule book for offshore in the 60`s),his son Tiff (who commentates for the P1 races in Europe),just threw all his archive material in the bin.These people want stringing up,they have no idea what they are doing.
Looking at the list I take it they were Bertram victories ,although some like the 1969 Catalina Challenge was won by Thunderballs II (Rothchild in a Cary),so may Zippie just took part.When it comes to the European races,well,it just goes a bit ape in it`s recording of truth as Marco has said after scraping himself off the ceiling.

[Black Tornado]

Does it seem that that old (?) list had been compiled at mind.
Also the victories in Sweden are nonexistent.
But other Bertrams victories are absent in that list.

[Black Tornado]

I have received the answer of John Bakos speaking of the true history of his Ronda Lee II;

".... After jogging my memory (it has been close to 45 years), I do recall that Mr. Kiekhaefer had ordered four 31’ Bertrams. Two of the boats were regular racing boats. The other two were very light weight boats called Bertram Nautic Specials. I rigged mine with 3 Corvette engines with 310 horsepower each and #2 speedmasters on each engine. I am not sure who set up the other light weight boat. However, I believe that it was Odell who rigged it with big blocks on standard #2 drives.
The reason for the two lightweight boats was to win the Bahama 500. A broken exhaust on one engine eliminated me. Supposedly the Bertram Nautic Specials were only supposed to last one race as they were light. However it lasted for approximately 4 more races without any structural failure. This is pretty much all that that I remember of the Ronda Lee II which was named after my daughter.
In answer to your questions, I believed Richie Powers is incorrect. Bill Sirois never ran the Ronda Lee II. Odell did race the boat after I left the race team.
When I left to go with the OEM Service in Fond du Lac, there were two more races before the end of the season. Mr. Kiekhaefer requested that I race again which I hesitantly did as I did not want to jeopardize my new position.
I decided not to run in the last race of the season which was the Miami – Nassau and that is when Odell ran the Ronda Lee II. I presently am not aware of the outcome of that race.
I have talked with Mel Riggs and Jim Emerson who was our gas man at Lake X. They also do not recall what happened to the Ronda Lee II."

Many Thanks to John Bakos.

[Top Banana]

You guys have done a great job with this. Excellent work!!!!!

What boat brand and size is next??

[NNRT]

Bertram Nautic Special - as per John Bakos - above -

My 28 ft. Bertram Baron had that "Bertram Nautic Speical" painted on its sides when I bought it - the boat was used in Bertrams orriginal brochure for the Baron as well - If anyone knows - was this boat laid up lighter than others - ? I dont know !

Here are two photos - where you can see the Bertram Nautic Special Painted on the sides of the boat near the stern.

Phil

[FLYING FISH]

From the archives 1972.

[FLYING FISH]

Part 2

[FLYING FISH]

I reckon there is a good chance `Fino` was `Mona Lou IV`.

Mona Lou IV raced in Gateway 69 May 10th and Bah 500 69 Jun 14th,then dissappears and Fino pops up on July 12th in Sam Griffith 69 and on to Miami - Key West 69 on Nov 7th.Fino also raced in 71.Hennesey GP Pt.Pleasant(M.Adler),Miami - Key West (Rautbord) and a Fino (D.Pruett) in Bah 500 but don`t know if it was a Bertram.

Master Moppie (with the forward topside light fitting) became Powell`s American Moppie.
American Moppie No 53 (No topside light fitting) became Mr.Charly.
So can`t see any possibilty of Master Moppie becoming the No 53 American Moppie.

Have `e` mailed a likely source that would know all about McQueens Jeans.We hold ourselves in readiness.

[Black Tornado]

I reckon there is a good chance `Fino` was `Mona Lou IV`.

Mona Lou IV raced in Gateway 69 May 10th and Bah 500 69 Jun 14th,then dissappears and Fino pops up on July 12th in Sam Griffith 69 and on to Miami - Key West 69 on Nov 7th.Fino also raced in 71.Hennesey GP Pt.Pleasant(M.Adler),Miami - Key West (Rautbord) and a Fino (D.Pruett) in Bah 500 but don`t know if it was a Bertram.

Master Moppie (with the forward topside light fitting) became Powell`s American Moppie.
American Moppie No 53 (No topside light fitting) became Mr.Charly.
So can`t see any possibilty of Master Moppie becoming the No 53 American Moppie.

Have `e` mailed a likely source that would know all about McQueens Jeans.We hold ourselves in readiness.

Graham, I have required to Bakos that forwards to Mel Riggs the question on the origins and destinies of the Mona Lou (IV) of the 1969.
We see if we were on the correct road.

I don't sustain that the Master Moppie can have become the American Moppie of the 1969. They are two different boats,a 32' and a new brand 31'.
Do I sustain that considering that when Powell bought the Master Moppie from Rittmaster in the 1971 this it already called American Moppie or him it re-named it in this way?
It is possible that Rittmaster in 1969 called both his Bertram American Moppie even if that of 1967 didn't use it more in competitions.

[Brownie]

I was drinking that year, but Master Moppie was Peter Ritt "Master", then Prez of Bertram, and American Moppie was Dick Bertram's replacement for Brave Moppie. What do you think?

[JO - PANTERABOAT]

Hello Brownie,
I have a question off topic BUT what are the qualifications required to be an "ICON" ?
Just curious, I have always wanted to be something so an Icon would be fine!
Later,
pepe @ pantera.

"If you are scared of dying then you are scared of living" (Rocky Aoki)

[Brownie]

Pepe, You qualify.... I CON people.....