Bertram 54 (16.5 m), the queen of American fishing boats – Classic Boat

Bertram 54, the queen of American fishing boats

In 1981 the Bertram 54made its first appearance,a best-seller destined from the start to become a cult, a Classic Boat as marine as few and with great build quality. A thoroughbred sportfisher and all-weather boat, it was immediately appreciated by both those seeking a boat for deep-sea fishing and those more oriented toward cruising, strong in fact with as many as 3 double cabins and a large salon. Below the waterline, however, magic happened, thanks to an impressive deep V-shaped hull nestled between its 5.8-meter beam and 16.5-meter length. The 54′ was thus not just a fishing boat, but an object of desire for many, a hybrid, in short, successful on every front. Needless to say, how it influenced the market, setting a standard for what was to come.

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Exterior

Not merely big, but grand – not merely big, but grand. This (roughly) was the American reception given to him in 1981, a terse definition but one that undoubtedly did justice to Bertram 54, reflecting the standards of his time. At 16.5 meters in length overall, complete with ample space, flybridge and (if desired) tuna tower, this 54-footer immediately greets with a large cockpit, designed specifically to accommodate all the equipment needed for deep-sea fishing (including reinforcements to support the chair), but without detracting from comfort, should you want to cruise instead. Thus, there is no shortage of space for bait preparation, as well as spaces for storing live bait, equipment, and any catch.

From the cockpit, two walkways lead to the bow, which is flush and completely unobstructed but lends itself well as a solarium. Aft of the main superstructure, you instead access the fly (left), or the interior (starboard). On the fly, complete with wheelhouse and navigation instruments, are two separate ergonomic seats in addition to the ladder needed to access the tuna tower.

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Bertram 54 – Interior

Coming to the interior, the Bertram 54 immediately greets with a large salon carved out on the same deck level. Here, a sofa and coffee table area on the left and a set of armchairs on the starboard side find their place. Just beyond, again to starboard, are the dining area (consisting of round table and chairs) and several cabinets, mirrored to port by a galley complete with bar top overlooking the aft salon. Proceeding further, however, leads to the sleeping area.

Under the bow floor then, there are three cabins, with a total of six people accommodated on board. Just to starboard is a double stateroom, mirrored by a twin bedded cabin located mure to the left. In the bow, however, a third full-beam cabin is provided, with beds arranged in a V-shape. Each cabin is equipped with a private bathroom complete with shower and sink.

Propulsion

Shifting attention to the engine room-particularly well designed and easily accessible (it can also accommodate a washing machine)-here are, in addition to a generator compartment and a station intended for monitoring all equipment, 2 Detroit Diesel Allison V12 engines of 650 horsepower each, optionally replaceable by an increased torque of 800 horsepower per engine, bringing the maximum speed to 30+ knots.

The article continues below.

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Itama 38 (11.6 m), questo motoscafo sportivo all’italiana è un mito ancora oggi

Bertram 54 – Technical Specs

Discover Classic Boats from previous articles

Here are all the other great Classic Boats. If you have one and would like to tell us about it, please email us at deluise@panamaeditore.it

• Baglietto Elba, the dawn of the Italian series motoryacht (11.3m)
• Riva 25 Sport Fisherman, history of an Italian-American classic (7.5m)
• Boston Whaler Outrage 21, the Classic Boat that conquered Italy (6.5m)
• Grand Banks 42, from fishing boat to cruiser par excellence (12.7m)
• Italcraft X-44, the elegant cult fisherman of ’68 (14m)
• Mochi Craft Super 8M, the Italian way to sport cruising (8.4m)
• Italcantieri Bora 103, when the Italian state built pleasure boats (10m)
• Concorde 27 Spot Fisherman, the weekender for all that conquered Italy (8.2 m)
• Breaking the 50-knot wall: Italcraft Drago, the record boat (13m)
• Polaris & Super Polaris, the legendary 1960s cruisers by Cantieri di Pisa (13m)
• Chris Craft Super Catalina 28, the 1970s weekender that conquered the Belpaese (8.6 m)
• Baglietto Ischia, this 1960s cruiser is a timeless Italian legend (16m)
• Baja 370 ES, the American ’90s 53-knot (11.2 m) bolide
• Magnum 53‘,the muscular 1970s powerboat that set the standard (16m)
• Itama 38, this Italian-style sport powerboat is still a legend today (11.6 m)

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