Bertram Yachts will follow its new 35 with a 58-foot convertible, scheduled to begin construction in June and launch in late 2017.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida, company will base the 58 on the 1980s Bertram 54, with updated naval architecture from Michael Peters Yacht Design. The 54, which debuted in 1981, became an icon for Bertram — a reliable, good-looking sea boat with a big cockpit for fishing and a luxurious interior for the family.
“We know the 54 set the standard,” says Bertram general manager Susan Davids. “It was known as a great fishboat with great performance in big seas.”
The 58 will retain some of the 54’s DNA but will also show its own identity. A raked deckhouse, flybridge and windshield and a broken sheer give the 58 a contemporary look with a nod to tradition. “I like to say that it has some attitude,” says Davids.
The boat will have three staterooms, including a full-beam master, and two or three heads, says Davids. “We’re spending time with boat owners and captains to foresee the design variables and uses above the waterline,” she says. Bertram will remain flexible with the interior layout, Davids adds.
Twin Caterpillar C32 ACERT diesels (1,925 hp each) will power the 58 to a projected top speed of 40-plus knots.
The company plans to splash the Bertram 35 this summer. Bertram has retained Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding in Thomaston, Maine, to construct the prototypes of its initial designs but plans to eventually build the vessels in-house.
This article originally appeared in the June 2016 issue.
