Bertram 28' Baron Comes Home
 

Today the 28' Bertram Baron SUPER MOTH, Long Shot came home to Michigan. It has taken MANY YEARS to find this Baron no thanks to a OSO member who new it's location BUT WHEN ASKED MANY TIMES after he posted pic's of it, & were it was WOULD NOT SHARE it's location.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/c...ce-boat-3.html

Funny or Sad this same member is always asking info on boats he had, has, or wanted and has always gotten helpful info back from myself and many other OSO members as that is what this site is about.
Using satellite map technology I found the Baron in a marina Sombra Ont Canada . Mr Bill [ olredalert ] & I are now partners on her so when we decide to restore her it will be better than new.

What a cool and rare boat that you have. I'm sure once it gets fully restored you'll be turning a lot of heads.

Mark,

Bravo on your 28 Baron find!.......your due dilgence paid off!.........I wasn't familiar w/story just read it all..........not really surprised who that
selfish person is :eekdrop:............... Your partnership with Bill should be a fine colaboration.................., Good luck with the restoration!

Mark ,

Congrads on a great find,, its sad,,, we are all here in this unique offshore boating sport and some people just want to take and not give back and share. Am sure that you and Bill will do the Baron proud when you restore her back

Best of Luck

Bill & I did not need one more boat as we both have a few classics boats waiting to restore in the wings, but I could stand to think of letting this one fall into the wrong hands & not giving it it's justice due. I have watched this Baron since it came to Lake St Clair back in the early 70's, & even raced against it back then. It last raced around 1980 when Dave Belcovson raised the Volvo drives 5" & that made it fly. Whats also cool about the Baron it has Wolverine beryllium bronze gimbals & other Volvo parts that Pete Smith's company made back in the day, a real Lake St Clair time capsule. When we start this it won't be a quick winter project but rather a proper restoration this classic deserves.

Congratulations Mark! Looks to be pretty solid. Get yourself a time lapse camera ( for the rest of us). Let me know when you are going to have a sanding party and I will volunteer.

I'm glad some A hole didn't get a hold of it.
Good work Mark! You're the best.

Jeff

Mark Congratulations!!!

I'm happy to see that you were able to get such a classic to compliment the collection you and Bill already have. I can't wait to see it. Have you decided how far your going to go on it? Meaning are you thinking of just cleaning it up or going the Fino route? Either way it's a great looking boat that really belongs back on St Clair. Let me know when I can meet you I would love to take a look at it and pick up the GLOPRA sticker to have Phil make us some new ones for the old girls on the lake.

Joe

Joe the backyard collection is always open, some in my yard, Lee's yard, & Marine City. :eek: I don't know what the plan is yet for her, back to stock, or the way Jerry Miller or Don A raced it.

This Bertram is solid but will need lots of love, but just like your Mirage well worth it.

Plenty of room in my yard right next to it's old friend the Cobra.

Mark

We may have the great weather out here,, but all of you in the Lake St Clair Area have all the fun, with finding all these great classics and restoring them

Thank you
jim

Yes Jim we had many of the classics here, but if we had your good weather 12 months of the year I would go crazy keeping up with maintance & fuel cost. :lolhit: Here is one more pic of the Baron from back in the day...

Can you explain what difference with wolverine OD bells are they Casted with more material
Brass or Magnesium?

Pete Smith cast them with beryllium bronze, much stronger than Aluminum. Back in the day many of the racers all owned specialty shoppes that could make better parts [ exhaust, props, gimbals, & shafts than the OEM guy's, and they did.

Miller001 needs to check this thread out.

Awesome job Mark at finding the ol girl!!!
I was told that my dads boat was destroyed..Im so happy you found her!! (man is someone cutting onions in here?? lol)

You know im going to ask would you sell her back to us?
Id restore the boat back to the Super Moth of course. ill put my William Clay Ford Donzi on hold for this boat

Home Port Miller Marina

how the hell do you load pics!

[IMG]/Users/chipmiller231/Desktop/00000001.JPG [/IMG]

Love it! Congratulations!

Chip, If Bill & I don't restore her you were are first choice to contact, racing against your Dad was one of my racing highlights. There were two blue Bertram Barons on the lake but this is the SUPER MOTH.

Can't wait to hear about the resto. Very cool boat!

Very cool story, great job on finding it!

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I got it! lol

The one pic is my cousin, little sister and me watching my dad taking some friends for a ride

I'm glad to see you're going to restore it. If you do it right it will be a real head turner. Do you plan on using era correct power or going with modern power and drives? We brought our Baron 28 to the 40th Winnipesaukee Antique and Classic Boat Show this summer and took home a first place trophy. You'll get a ton of attention at the docks with it. Good Luck

Chip very cool pic's, is that your place on the south channel we had those great LSCORA parties at ???

----Very cool pictures, Chip!!! These pics are priceless. Fast boat history runs deep in your backround. Im just happy to be included in all this, and have Mark to thank,,,,Soooo,,,,,Thanks, Mark!!!!!!..........Bill S

Mark in the picture (above) with Chip and the kids, the Baron look's to be a pleasure boat. How long before she was coverted to race?
Also, In one race shot what type of exhausst did she have?.........Love the pipes thru the race engine hatch!!

OT Pipes
 

I believe the Baron came stock with twin 302 Holman Moody Fords & raced with the stock exhaust right away in the stock APBA P Class around 1973-4. Jerry than moved into the modified M class [1975-6 ] with 302 Chevy engines with the Wolverine Aluminum OT exhaust pipes that Pete Smith had cast up. Many of the Magnums @ the time ran them. By 1976 Don A bought the Bertram & raced her with the LONG SHOT name.

Awesome Mark!...Jeff just told me about this. I'm stoked.

Chip...great shots...can I share them on my Facebook page?.... https://www.facebook.com/ClassicFiberglassPowerBoats

Aaron

Thanks! Yep that was at my parents cottage

Great find Mark! Can't wait to see it restored!

Absolutely! Thanks i already liked your page..check out my page..https://www.facebook.com/lscpowerboatclub

Check out the exhaust on smidgen. Two sets. Love the drive gaurd made from a car bumper. cant believe I have not seen that before. Very cool.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]510469[/ATTACH]Some Barons had 290 Holman Moody Fords on Volvo 250 drives - (mine did - I owned Needle Nose - which was sold to Ken Black - he painted it Pink for his wife - and it burned in the Emerald Marine Fire- - Also some Barons came with I think straight 6's -with Merc drives - big Merc Drives - stronger than the #1 drive - A friend of mine had a Red Baron with them, he installed Olds. engines eventually. I remember the problems with the drives - Dante Tagnoli told me to bungie cord the drives - so they would not kick up while racing - a good thing to do at the time ! Great fun back in the Day - Steve Berk also had a Baron here on the east coast - Lucky Strike ! ( I think if my memory is correct)

That trailer became my trailer under the Magnum sport that I raced, the bumper was off a 70's Chevy station wagon.. :D

Was this Baron ever knowen as ZOOMER?

Not that I remember, but it may have been call 7-11 Hell Of A Time. Chip may have info on the 7-11.

"bellive it" or not the guy in the green shirt had hair and only 1 chin ------now days , im under cover

Were all getting thin [ hair ] in the wrong places. :party-smiley-004:

Great face for radio :)