Education
Cornell University.
Cornell University.
He owned his first boat at age 8, sailed in his first race at age 10 and was skipper of intercollegiate championship boats while attending Cornell University. After college, Bertram continued competing in numerous races throughout the world and was notably referred to by Sports Illustrated as "one of the finest ocean racers anywhere". In 1947, Bertram relocated to Miami, Florida, where he opened Richard Bertram & Company, a successful yacht brokerage firm.
Among his clients were Aristotle Onassis, the Aga Khan, King Hussein of Jordan and Prince Bertil of Sweden.
With his yacht brokerage business successful, Bertram continued racing and set standards in the World Offshore Powerboat circuit. Often, he raced in his own 31" Bertram Lucky Moppie.
He founded Bertram Yacht, a Miami-based manufacturer of production pleasure boats, in 1960. Bertram Yacht began the first large production runs of boats with C. Raymond Hunt"s revolutionary deep-V hull design.
In 1963 Richard Bertram licensed International Marine of Scoresby, Victoria, Australia to manufacture Bertram yachts.
However, he left Bertram Yacht in 1964 to focus on his brokerage business, and Bertram Yacht changed ownership several times in the decades after that. Southern Ocean Racing Conference 1949, Champion Tiny Teal
Southern Ocean Racing Conference 1950, Champion Ticonderoga
Southern Ocean Racing Conference 1951, Champion Belle of the West
Havana-San Sebastian Transatlantic Race 1951, Champion Malabar XIII
Cat Cay Race 1955, Champion Finisterre
Newport - Bermuda Race (Bermuda Race) 1956, Champion Finisterre
Miami-Nassau Race 1956, Champion Doodles II
Miami-Nassau Race 1957, Champion Doodles III
Newport - Bermuda Race (Bermuda Race) 1958, Champion Finisterre
America’s Cup 1958 Vim
Newport - Bermuda Race (Bermuda Race) 1960, Champion Finisterre
Miami-Nassau Race 1960 Champion Lucky Moppie
Miami-Nassau Race 1961, Champion Lucky Moppie
Miami-Nassau Race 1962, Champion Lucky Moppie
Miami-Nassau Race 1963, Champion Lucky Moppie
Miami-Nassau Race 1964, Second Place Lucky Moppie
Cowes Torquay Race 1965
Transatlantic Race Malabar VII
Transatlantic Race Ondinne.