Which Caribbean or Bertram should I buy?

With some Bertram-sourced designs from the US and built under license and then evolving to 100 per cent homegrown and wearing the Caribbean name and built by parent company International Marine, the most popular models range from the open "super runabout" 26 through to the proven 40 Flybridge. And the Bertram/Caribbean 35 needs no introduction.

So which Caribbean or Bertram should you buy? 

You’ll need to be guided by your budget and your specific boating needs. But suffice it to say, with a reputation for a solid build and serious hardware, even older Bertrams can provide the perfect basis for restoration. With sensible repowering and refitting, it will provide a whole lot of boat for your money. 

Newer Caribbeans aren’t as thick on the ground as some models from Riviera, but they can be canny buying.

As we did with our "Which Riviera should I buy" advice article, we’ve tapped into the memory and expertise of a brand tragic to critique Australia’s favourite Caribbeans and Bertrams.

Nathan Ghosn from Sylvania Marina in Sydney’s south lives and breathes Caribbeans and Bertrams. He has a reputation as the go-to guy for Caribbean insights and has been turning out some of the best equipped and most capable craft from the brands for decades. Here’s what he had to say...

Say Caribbean to most Aussie boaties and they'll almost always think of the Caribbean or Bertram 35 Flybridge. Operated as both pleasure and professional craft throughout Australia, 35s are also a popular choice in the Pacific. They have a particular reputation among fishers but there are plenty that also have families at their heart.

Nathan explains: “The Bertram 35, latter known as the Caribbean 35, has been in production now for over 50 years. This would make it one of if not the longest production run of any flybridge boat in the world with an estimated 500-plus 35s produced from the International Marine facility in Victoria. 

“Originally powered by twin MerCruiser petrol engines, the 35 has had a number of standard power plants over the years and these can also be used as a good gauge to get an indication of year model. From the 235hp and 255hp Volvo diesels in the late 1970s to the late '80s, then the 320hp V8 Caterpillar diesel to the mid-'90s. Later there were six-cylinder Caterpillar and Cummins diesels. 

“It’s the versatility of the 35 that has made it Australia’s favourite boat for over five decades. From the huge open cockpit to the smart saloon layout that can accommodate up to seven overnight, the 35 has always had a following from both the hardcore fisherman to families looking for a large volume boat.”

Every Aussie boater has a mate who owns or has owned a Bertram 25 Flybridge, reckons Nathan. Trailerable during daylight hours with the right trailer and tow vehicle, the 25s are above all versatile – a small "big" boat.

“Production on the 25 Flybridge ran from the late 1960s through to 1988 when it was replaced by the Caribbean 26. By this time International Marine had put over 700 25s on the water," Nathan says. 

“The flybridge model was available in two configurations: the Sport Fisherman was by far the most popular and had both upper and lower controls and an open rear bulkhead; the Cruiser had an enclosed cabin with walk-in bathroom and flybridge-only controls. 

“Power was supplied by either twin 165hp MerCruisers (originally sixes then latter freshwater-cooled fours) or a single Volvo diesel... Although there were a few single V8 petrol boats produced as well, the twin MerCruisers proved to be the most popular among Australian boaters.”

This writer’s favourite Caribbean and particularly popular with Melbourne boaties, the Caribbean 26 Runabout provides the biggest cockpit in the business and remains a great drive to this day.

Nathan opines: “The Caribbean 26 Runabout was built from 1989 up until it was replaced by the Caribbean 27 in 2008. An extremely popular boat with families who were looking for a sporty day boat, the 26 has graced just about every Australian waterway. Power was from a pair of 4.3-litre V6 petrol MerCruisers that gave the runabout a top speed of close to 40 knots.

“There would have been over 150 Runabouts produced in its 20-year production. The layout varied from a pair of pedestal seats to fully customised layouts normally put together by dealers like us.”

The Caribbean 40 Flybridge was the first of the new-look Caribbeans. It benefited from a better finish to the cabin and engineering improvements similar to what Riviera has championed among local boatbuilders. Caribbean was forced to catch up, and it did.

The 40 Flybridge has been one of Sylvania Marina’s most popular craft, explains Nathan. “Since its introduction in 1998, the Caribbean 40 has been one of International Marine’s most popular boats. 

“For the first few years of production, there were two engine options, the six-cylinder 420hp 3126 Caterpillar diesels or the 450hp 8.3-litre Cummins [MS: also sixes]. From 2005, the 8.3 Cummins became the standard fitment and remains so today. 

“The 40’s functional layout with oversized cabins, bathroom and galley have made it an Australian icon that just seems to keep getting stronger. Production numbers of the 40 are over 200 with the boat still being produced and still selling strongly.”

One of the classic production flybridge cruisers, the Bertram 28 Flybridge is a popular choice of offshore fishermen in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and on both sides of the Pacific. It’s still a regular sight in marinas across the globe – especially if offshore fishing is a focus.

Nathan: “The 28 started its Australian production run in the early 1970s and ran right through until the last boat, built in 2005. And apart from a small interior modification in the late 1970s, the last 28 built featured the same hull, deck and flybridge design as the first. 

“All the way through its production run, the standard 28 engines were V8 MerCruisers petrols ranging from 228hp-260hp. The diesel options that were available were the 165hp Volvo, the BMW 185hp (later branded as a MerCruiser diesel) and the more modern Yanmar fours from 170-230hp from the mid-'90s.

“Approximate build numbers are well over 500 boats.”