Yachting USA – September 2019

C

CURRENTS> A Bertram Reborn

co

u

rt

es

y^

vo

lv

o^

pe

n

ta

;^ r

h

od

es

c

om

m

u

n

ic

at

io

n

s

FROM SPORT-FISHER TO DAY CRUISER: FIDDLER

The 35-foot Bertram Moppie Fiddler, built in 1970, has had quite a few changes beyond its engine

package. First, the owner converted the sport-fi shing vessel to an open runabout with polished

wood decks. (Imagine her with nonslip soles and a tuna tower.) He plans to alternate cruising seasons

between the west coast of Florida and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he has a second home.

IPS has individual

steerable drives

and forward-facing props.

HOW 24 KNOTS BECOMES 34

The owner of a vintage Bertram converts his power package to Volvo Penta IPS.

by kim kavin

A

dmittedly, the owner of the 35-foot

Bertram Moppie Fiddler says it took him

a beat to get used to his boat’s new power

package and controls after repowering the

1970 build using Volvo Penta IPS600 with D6 435 diesels.

¶ “I’m 54, so I’m a little old-school,” he stated in a press

release. “When I put my hand on the joystick, it took

a minute—but I got it. Not as quick as my 20-year-old,

who picked it up in a second, but I picked it up pretty

quick.” ¶ With the repower, handled by Florida Detroit

Diesel-Allison, Fiddler moved from a 24-knot top speed

to 34 knots, turning her into the more muscular day-

boat the owner envisioned.¶ “Now it’s a picnic boat on

steroids,” he says. “It’s bigger, beefi er and better looking.” 

24 YACHTINGSEPTEMBER2 019