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The spacious (142-square-foot)
cockpit features thick bolster padding on all three sides along with heavy-duty
hatches and console lids. A waist-high fishbox along the transom will
hold your fill of dolphin, and bigger game will find a new home in the
removable in-sole fishbox. The five-foot-wide transom door is the largest
I’ve seen, and according to Bertram’s production development
manager Jose Milan, the width is based on the girth of a grander.
Forward in the cockpit
you’ll find the usual fishing consoles, including a bait-prep station
with sink, raw- and fresh-water outlets, and two Starboard tackle drawers
that latch positively. Our boat featured an optional bait freezer to port
and a circulating livewell to starboard. Shore ties are tucked neatly
away inside boxes at the forward corners of the cockpit (they double as
side deck steps), and the entire cockpit drains via an unusual gutter
system with two drains on-center and close to the waterline. The design
does a good job of preventing water from sloshing into the cockpit when
backing down yet can empty the cockpit in seconds once the boat is moving
forward.
The flying bridge offers
a U-shape lounge for six just forward of the angled helm console. Visibility
is good forward and excellent aft and into the cockpit, but I found the
two optional Murray Brothers pedestal chairs too close to the helm for
my liking. Still, it’s simple to lock yourself in against the chair
when handling the boat in rough seas, and the Murray Brothers engine controls
(coupled with Mathers Electronic controls in the engine room) make backing
down and docking a breeze.
When you’re tied
up for the night, you’ll enjoy relaxing in the saloon. A vinyl, L-shape
lounge sits across from a 27-inch Panasonic TV just inside the companionway
door, and forward, the dinette can seat four across from a well equipped
U-shape galley. The most notable feature here is the SubZero electronic
refrigeration system, which has four drawers, two for the refrigerator
and two for the freezer, both lit and covered with Plexiglas lids so you
can see your prey before you go for it. But perhaps the most telling feature
of the area is the two overhead grabrails that lead from the companionway
door to the centerline hallway. They remind you this is no condo but a
rugged sea boat.
Fortunately rugged does
not mean uncomfortable. The 510 has luxurious accommodations for six in
three staterooms. The master to port features a
centerline double berth,
entertainment center with TV, and its own head with enclosed shower. The
starboard guest stateroom has two single berths, while a third in the
forepeak has another centerline double berth and direct access to the
day head (with shower stall), which is well situated between the guest
cabins. With cherry wood, Corian countertops, solid doors, and positive
latching hardware, the interior is reminiscent of a luxury motoryacht
in terms of both size and workmanship.
Of course, on the tournament
trail performance matters more than comfort, and the 510 doesn’t
disappoint. Even with a full Pipewelders tuna tower, our test boat broke
the 40-mph barrier once I removed our DZL meters, which appeared to be
restricting the flow of fuel to one of the 1,050-hp MANs. I can’t
comment on offshore performance since I was met with glass-flat water
on test day, but Milan said he recently brought the boat across from the
Bahamas in four- to six-foot seas and she ran comfortably at 18 knots
and could have done so at 22. That, he claims, is due to the 510’s
sharp entry, 31-degree amidship deadrise and relatively deep 17-degree
deadrise aft. Two strakes forward help the boat plane quickly and according
to Milan, "get the water moving in the right direction away from
the boat," which contributes to her dry ride at speed. I can, however,
attest to her rock-solid lateral stability at speed and the nimble way
she pirouettes around the docks with only light touches of power.
The 510 Convertible
testifies that this time Bertram really is back. And given the fact that
the company’s dealers have scooped up all of this year’s production,
it looks like they were the first ones to realize that the eagle has landed
again.
Bertram Yacht Phone:
(305) 633-8011. Fax: (305) 635-1388. www.bertramfactory.com.
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