Black Tornado

The white/blue American Moppie was drove by Rittmaster in the 1969's American season winning the Hennessy Grand Prix.

Then in 1970 the Italian rookie Ronny Bonelli bought it and drove the Sam Griffith Memorial with the Commander Attilio Petroni. In the 1971 with the new Cigarette 36' Lady Nara the couple won the CTC with rough seas.
Mister Charlie was then repainted in yellow/dark blue colours and became one of the cafe' racer boats of the Bonelli's fleet in Viareggio.

Phil M

I was there for that Race in Freeport Bahamas, building a factory there for some clients - watched the race from a 96 ft. Burger (Yacht) - and got hooked - it was a rough race too - 500 miles - over several days - not circle inshore racing as "offshore" is called today.

Also in another Thread - my 2nd. Bertram - was a TEST boat - that Sammy James ran for the company - along with the astronaut, who I can't remember. (senior moment !) My 36 was the test boat to find out where to put running strakes- they were moveable - and were built to different sizes for experiments only.
My 36 actually came out of a 40 ft. mold - and the 38 was a Cut down version of that mold - also to save weight and improve visibility, the front sides of the boat were slanted -

The 31 Bertrams - ala Boss Nova, were dropped in favor of the new 38 - to compete with Cigarette .

PHIL

The Photo with Copper Kettle, and Blonde - shows my 36 with Sam James, and the Astronaut Gordon Cooper

the other photo is when I converted it to a pleasure boat - after using it as a Sports class boat - We ran the race around Cape Cod - almost sank it - as we tore off both running strakes at the read of the boat and were standing in water - when finishing the event - that was when racing was racing - a ONE WAY TRIP - around CAPE COD -

Many Memories - MUCH FUN too !

Black Tornado

At the Bahamas 500 of 1969 still a photofinish like the year before.
The new explosive 32' of Aronow(without the helmet) The Cigarette won the race for a few seconds on the Mona Lou of Odell Lewis.
After two attempts failed a Bertram 31' won the race the next year with the outboarded Quicksilver.

lucky strike

Phil
Your Blue Bertram Baron was the boat that got alot of us from N.J. into ocean racers back in the day. I remember looking at that and saying one day I will have a boat like that........ Thanks !!

Steve

Black Tornado

Here the stern of the White Tornado.
We can see how was modified the design of the transom with a "cut" to flat partially the transom itself to lodge the stern drives and the flaps.

Top Banana

Phil talks about the moveable running strakes onthe test boats.

I remember being with Mike Gordon in '64 at a Bertram test in Miami, where the boat had movable strakes. They would run the boat and then change the strakes and run it again.

After like 5 times, they came in and said.... this is it...we finally have the right combo...the boat came out of the water and we all crowded around to see what the magic combo was and....yup, one side had no strakes at all, they had washed off....lots of red faces after that one.

Top Banana

By the way......this sport has more than it's share of colorful characters over the years....some of which have had to...... shall we say move on, a step ahead of being nabbed by the you know who.

Well, for a guy who lives in Lithuania, Marco knows a lot about this sport and he has the real answers, not just stuff he read in magazines.....okay Marco tell us who you really are!!!

Black Tornado

The first 31'.
My Moppie. It was the last boat raced by Dick Bertram in 1967-1969.


and maybe the last.
Maelstrom of Ed Le Carreaux in 1970.


In 4 years of races the Bertrams 31' won 20 races.
The first was in 1967 with the Sterndriver of Bill Sirois.
In 1968 was three the victories; onother for the Sternwinder of Sirois,then the former Sternwinder re-named Yellow Tornado won with Don Pruett and at last the Mona Lou IV of Odell Lewis.
In the 1969 ,9 victories; 4 to Red Tornado of Balestrieri,three for Boss O'Nova for Wishnick,one each for the White Tornado of Cosentino and American Moppie of Rittmaster.
At last 7 victories in 1970; 4 to Boss O'Nova and one victory each to Red Tornado of Cosentino,Quicksilver of Silvera and Fino of Rautbord.


You can see others interesting pics of the experimental Ronda Lee with three engines drove by John Bakos in the end of the 1967's season and by Odell Lewis in 1968 on Horba site in Members Only letter "S".
Others beautiful pics in colour of the Red Tornado,White Tornado and Canadian Moppie you can find in the Graham's Library on the British Boatmad.

Black Tornado

Lithuania haven't a offshore memory. They are nothing by the sea . I live there by the moment but I'm an Italian...with the soul of some big Offshore guys inside me maybe....but without never running ....and with a lot of attention to the details....

Top Banana

Marco, you are doing a great job..... and we are all very grateful for the information that you give us here.....thank you.

If you come to the states, we will give you a ride in one of these old race boats.