MidOcean

iTrader: (2)

An investigation is underway to determine what sank "Absolutely", a Bertram 630 in November. Bertram has developed its line of sportfishermen to a point where they are fast and light, making them more like their high performance "magnum" counterparts than the heavy Hatterases that they have been compared to in the past.

Look at the pics taken of "Absolutely" as she sits on the bottom. Note the fore-deck and the delimitation of the entry just above the waterline at the bow. Brings back memories of "The Heat is On" in Key West.

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/ge...ram-630-a.html

T.

Anarchy Powerboats

Collision damage? What power was in it?

HabanaJoe

I read all 50 pages in YF, had to hit something can't imagine a boat that big just falling apart? If you read it the funny part is the transom came off. A few people speculate it may have gotten damage and couldn't run so someone tried to tow it backwards, maybe, again I say maybe to deeper water and insure it was lost for good but the transom came off and down she went in shallow water!

I wouldn't doubt they hit a barge, how would the tug captain even though? He certainly (the tug) wouldn't feel the boat hit the barge??? They said it was early morning when they radioed, could have been dark when the collision took place. the barges scare me a night, hard as hell to see and those tow cables are long!!!!

I remember when KHov's big boat went down off of NJ, we provided generators on the barges for the failed recovery efforts and got to see some of the footage back then. They all settled but for less than insured.

wjb21ndtown

I JUST got done reading all that crap. 1) The manufacturer is crazy for even insinuating that a 250lb. bouy chained and anchored caused that 63' boat to delaminate and sink. 2) I don't think it hit a barge at all. Its a good theor and a boat could sink from that, and the tug operator could be clueless about the impact, but there is no impact damage to the underside of the hull. Infact, there really isn't any impact damage at all.

I think agree with most of the people on there and think that the boat either sustained some damage before it left the dock (it was on blocks for 8 months, allegedly improperly), or the boat simply wasn't built properly. It really looks like water impact shredded the upper portion of the hell and caused major delamination down the sides. The thing sunk in 10 minutes. If 250lb. bouy caused that then the manufacturer should be embarrassed of themselves... Bertram should have came out and said something small, paid off the captain, bought the owner a new boat, and been done with it. They're just digging themselves a bigger hole and causing more problems for the company.

HabanaJoe

I think it was a barge because when I look at the pictures I see the bow ripped right off above the waterline, the bow sticks out front. I don't see how hitting a barge which is like a brick wall could ever damage the boat bottom???

What could the chances be the boat hit the tow cable mid bow height drove the cable in the and it spun arond the whole boat?

One more thing looks weird it shows the bridge where the steering should be and whole steering wheel and controls seem to be missing? I would think if it stuffed or collided with so much force that the tower is gone, the deck peeled all the way to the salon that the two guys would have been throw around really bad and gotten hurt - after they were just standing on the bridge????

A court order not to touch the boat - wow - time will tell?

Anarchy Powerboats

walks like a duck, talks like a duck......

wjb21ndtown

I see what you're saying now. Most of the barges I see around these parts (Great Lakes) are probably much smaller than the ocean going types. That said, after the boat hit the alleged barge, I still don't see how the bow doesn't get impacted and destroyed (or take ANY damage whatsoever). Something peeled the deck from the bow, that is indisputable, but how that happened without causing significant damage to the bow of the boat is beyond me. Water is the only thing that I can think of that wouldn't do that (water would dissipate and spread the force causing the big wound with causing any little wounds... i.e. banging up the bow).

I like the cable theory a lot more, but I think the boat would look much more like the fountain that hit the pilon (where the pilon was up to the dash of the boat, split right down the center). I think the 63' would look much more like it was cut with a sawblade (and I think it would have spun the boat causing chain damage to the side of the boat).

Honestly, we'll likely never know. Bertram is DUMB DUMB DUMB for letting this carry on this long. In the Yachting world this thing is a HUGE deal. Some people think that it could bankrupt Bertram, and over what? One 63' boat? Like I said, they should have settled this out of court with a confidentiality agreement, paid off the captain, and built a new boat for the new owner (or gave him a 2009... the "new" boat that was being delivered was 2 yrs. old). That said, they've hurt themselves from dragging this out, but they'll hurt themselves even more if it goes to court. Things will undoubtably be said by the experts on the defense side that will be damning to their reputation. They can't afford the hit. They've had so much negative PR lately that I'm sure its already effecting their sales.

A lot of people were making a big deal about the court order not to touch the boat, but it really isn't a big deal. It is only a granted request by either the owner of the boat, the insurance co., or the defense to preserve the wreck from investigation purposes, nothing more.

gottahaveone

great pics for 80 feet untawata. what kind of camera? strobe used?

excalibur27

What do the two "witnesses" report, the men transporting the Bertram. Does anyone know what their statement was about what happened?

B Idol 1

ditto

will be interesting to find out what happened when it all comes out in the end