Professional BoatBuilder - February-March 2018

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 31

1984 Bertram 26 (7.9m) that the owner

in Texas hauled in unannounced on a

trailer, requesting a total makeover.

“Some of these service jobs can hit a

million dollars,” said Truslow, adding

that there’s only one other yard on

Florida’s Gulf Coast that can haul a

100-footer and that it isn’t “big into

service.” Beyond those two, on this

ton—and the capability to haul yachts

up to 115' (35m). Among the boats on

site during my visit were an 80' (24.4m)

Marlow, a 75' (22.9m) Princess, a Hat-

teras 64 (19.5m), and an Azimut with

a burned starboard side. An 80' Laz-

zara will be back in the fall for an

extension of the running surface

designed by DLBA. Not to mention a

Where did he get his start? With Dick

Lazzara, when Gulfstar was still in

operation. e well-regarded glass

man Robert “Boston” Fournier, whose

obituary I wrote for Rovings in PBB

No. 168, learned his trade from Dick,

as did composites pro David Jones.

Craig Starns, who wrote owner’s man-

uals for Lazzara, is doing that job for

Bertram. It’s a long list. Truslow said,

“We hired a lot of old LMC guys. And

from Island Packet.”

ere are many boatbuilders on the

west coast of Florida. Why? Because

it’s warm and you can build a ber-

glass boat in the open air under a tin

roof. In the early ’60s, Charley Morgan

set up shop in St. Petersburg. en in

the ’80s, when air-quality regulations

became too onerous in Orange County,

California, a number of builders moved

to the west coast of Florida. Catalina

Yachts was among the rst, when it

bought the Morgan Yachts facility in

1984.

While trained marine industry per-

sonnel are in short supply worldwide,

the central Florida west coast has more

than most places. Truslow said, “I

came from the east coast of Florida,

where it was more like redneck boat-

building. I came here and found men

that are more experienced. e preci-

sion of these guys is impressive. e

problem is bringing in and developing

the youngsters.”

Establishing Bertram in North Car-

olina, which has aggressively wooed

builders to the state, including from

Florida, was a serious option, but

Truslow felt it was important to be

close to their market, which he recog-

nizes is Fort Lauderdale, on the east

coast. But he perceives the market is

changing.

“Ten years ago,” said Truslow, “a

50-footer was a pretty big boat on the

west coast of Florida; now there are

100-footers [30.5m] everywhere in the

Gulf. e owners don’t need to go to

the east coast now.”

While boat sales ramp up, Truslow

said he’s paying the bills with service

work through Bertram Yacht Services.

He has two lis—160 ton and 70

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