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Bertram 360 Open
By Marshall Brodie
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The best of Bertram’s sportfishing heritage with engineering, modern designs of Ferretti
Is smaller sometimes better? This is a question to which
the Bertram Yacht Company believes the answer is yes.
Despite the apparent industry trend toward 60-, 70- and
even 80-foot convertible yachts, Bertram has done an about-face
and introduced its smallest open boat in years, the 360. Seth
Flippen, product manager for Allied Richard Bertram, says the
360 was a smart move. Sales have been strong, enticing buyers
drawn by the Bertram reputation and the big boat features of the
360.
The 360 is a collaborative effort between the Bertram
factory and its parent company, the Ferretti Group, a large
Italian yacht building conglomerate with 15 shipyards and nine
yacht brands. Ferretti’s design and research center in Forli, Italy
assisted in the development of the all-new 360 while drawing
upon the sport fishing expertise of Bertram. Ferretti’s favorite
design house, Zuccon International, penned much of the interior
and the exterior styling. The intent was to build a tough midsize
Open and Express yacht in the Bertram tradition but with a
modern Euro design and upscale amenities to keep the crew and
guests comfortable.
When designing a new boat for offshore conditions, it all
starts with the hull and the Bertram 360 has the right stuff. Here,
the designers created a fine entry and a deep-V for slicing through
waves and a moderate flair to keep the ride dry. They gave it
wider chines for more lift, faster top end, increased stability and
faster-to-plane times. They also made it heavy. Why? Because
all other things being equal, a heavier hull is softer riding than
a light one. The Bertram 360 displaces a hefty 28,244 pounds.
Compare that to the Cabo 35 Express, which weighs in at 19,500
pounds or the Rampage 38 Express that tips the scale at 24,000
pounds. Even the Albermarle 360 at 25,000 pounds is a relative
lightweight next to the Bertram. Despite the weight penalty,
Bertram says performance and fuel economy is close to the 360’s
competitors.
The Bertram 360 is offered in two versions, Open and
Express. The difference lies in the cockpit. Anglers will want the
Open for the portside bait prep center with freezer, the starboard
live well and optional transom fish box. Weekend cruisers
who choose the Express get extra seating in lieu of the above.
Otherwise, the bridge deck, cabin and exterior of both vessels are
the same. That said, an extensive option list will allow nearly any
combination of features that the buyer wants, regardless of the
mode.
The cockpit has 80-square feet of elbow room, which is
comparable to others in this class. For stand up angling, the
gunwales give comfortable support against your thighs. Coaming
bolsters, however, are optional. An in-deck fish box with a
removable bin will store your catch along with an optional
transom fish box. Alternatively, the transom box can be plumbed
to be a second live-well. However, ordering the transom box
comes at the expense of the fighting chair, as there is not enough
cockpit space for both. Instead, a leaning post can be installed.
The portside bait prep center includes a small sink, cutting
board and a bait freezer.
The bridge deck of the baby Bertram features a clever
seating and dinette arrangement. Two bench seats on the port
side, one in front of the other, can accommodate up to four
passengers. Both seats have a reversible back rest to change
the seating direction. Swing both seat backs aft and passengers
can enjoy the view out over the bow while cruising. But, what
if they want to watch the fishing action in the cockpit? Simply
move the back rests toward the bow and everyone can see aft
toward the stern. Well, that sounds good unless a couple of tall
heads on the aft seat are blocking the cockpit view of those
on the forward seat you say? No need to worry as Bertram
designed a trick forward bench seat that, at the push of a button,
rises up for an elevated view. Kind of like instant stadium
seating; it’s pretty cool. The final seating option is to swing the
back rests away from each other and mount the dinette table
in between the benches for dining Al fresco. Or, if you prefer,
order the optional bridge deck air-conditioning
and side curtains for a cozy yet open area
protected from the elements.
Overall, the starboard helm is well
designed. The controls, switches and steering
are all within comfortable reach. The test boat
included two 12-inch Furuno displays that
were appropriately angled for clear visibility.
Vents from the cabin funnel an air-conditioned
breeze to keep the helm cool. The helm is
hinged for full service access. I also liked the
flip-up seat bottom that converts the bench
seat into a leaning post. Visibility is good in all
directions. However, tall persons may find that
the top of the windshield frame interferes with
their view at idle speeds. The Volvo electronic
engine controls are effortless and precise.
Our test boat was equipped with the optional hardtop and a
tower built by Pipewelders. Some agility is required to climb up
the narrow steps to the upper station but the ladders are out of
the way on that aft corner posts. The fiberglass hardtop is fully
equipped with locking rod storage, lighting, stereo speakers and
overhead hatch.
Captain Joe Thompson, Kari Webber of Bertram and I took
the 360 out for sea trial. Unfortunately, sea surface conditions
were calm outside of Government Cut in Miami. However, an
easterly breeze coupled with an outgoing tide stirred up a good
chop in the inlet. That and the wake from several passing yachts
allowed me to get a feel for the Bertram in rougher waters.
This is where the heavy deep-V hull of the Bertram shines as
it tackled the chop and boat wakes comfortably with only a
few drops of water to show on the windshield. I rarely needed
to use the trim tabs as the Bertram rides very level, unlike the
“bow high” running angle seen on some other boats. With the
tower, three passengers and a half tank of fuel, the twin 575-
horsepower Volvo diesels pushed the 360 to a top speed of
35.4-knots at 2,500 rpm. Slowing down to 2,100 rpm yielded a
comfortable cruising speed of 30-knots.
The 360 handles well and is responsive; although the
power steering takes too many turns lock-to-lock in my opinion.
Captain Thompson said this is an issue of discussion and
may be changed. Backing down hard allowed water to come
in around the transom door, but the scuppers quickly drained
away whatever came in. A solid fiberglass bottom with cored
hull sides and deck give the Bertram a low center of gravity
which helps with its stable handling. The 360 leaves a nice
clean wake behind it for trolling.
A sturdy inch-thick sliding companionway door leads
down five-steps to the simple but elegant cabin. Cherry
veneers and rich fabrics add a feeling of richness. Fulllength
port windows allow plenty of natural light to enter
the salon while adding a stylish Euro-look to the exterior.
Plenty of headroom and folding doors provide privacy for
the forward stateroom, but when open wide give the illusion
of spaciousness.
The cabin is arranged with the galley and head to
port. The head features are rare for a 36-footer, including
an enclosed shower stall that keeps everything else in the
compartment dry while showering. The forward stateroom
is standard in layout with a queen-size island
berth, hanging locker and storage shelves. An Lshaped
lounge is to starboard. I would expect that
most owners will choose to use the bridge deck
dinette for eating to keep the cabin uncluttered
and open, but there is also a dinette table for the
salon. The salon table will lower to accommodate
a filler cushion to convert the lounge into a
double berth. Behind the lounge is another rod
storage compartment that I like better than having
exposed rods in a rack overhead.
A day hatch allows access for simple fluid
checks. For other service, the bridge deck lifts up
on hydraulic rams. Access is good to the inboard
sides of the engines, the generator, filters and
valves. The generator is available in 5 KW or
10 KW sizes, but Thompson says most buyers
opt for the larger model. All wiring and hoses are securely
clamped and labeled. The lazarette is neatly finished with
good access to the rudder and seacocks.
The Bertram 360 is a great boat for running to the
Bahamas for the day or a weekend. It’s tough, stylish, has
good range and is comfortable. The new 360 combines the
best of Bertram’s sportfishing heritage with the engineering
and modern designs of Ferretti. It will be interesting to see
if Bertram continues to go against the industry trend with an
even smaller model.
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