Ski Boat Forum
Repairs and Maintenance => Boat Maintenance - American Skier => Topic started by: Jed on August 05, 2011, 08:27:40 AM
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Pulled the swim platform off of my 91 Advance. Appears to have a fiberglass pan, filled w/ wood then glassed over for the top surface. The wood is deteriorating causing the screws securing the platform to the brackets to fall out and the rub rail to separate. Has anyone re-done one of these. Thinking I can just cut another piece of wood, glass the top to seal it, then re-install the carpet and rail. Any suggestions?
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I have a similar issue. My platform is more waterlogged then rotted. I was looking for a used teak deck on E-Bay, but I like your idea. If I understand it, you are thinking of separating the top and bottom, replacing the core, and then glassing it shut. If you attempt it, please post your results and photos.
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More "off-season" projects. I would rebuild with high density foam core, never rot again.
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That would take care of the deteriorating wood problem. I'll just have to figure a way to anchor the platform bracket screws in the platform. Probably a couple of layers of glass around the perimeter would be enough for the rub-rail screws to anchor in.
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On a seperate note, where are you in Florida? Close enough we might be able to get together........ Im in Saint Cloud
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In Clermont. Usually out on Lake Minneola.
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Ill have to get over that way sometime.
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If your into composites these are easy to correct, if not, ship it to me in the fall.
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Ok , got the wood core removed from the platform. Was quite a bit more of a job than I thought. Had a layer of glass on top, then a piece of wood, then more glass, then the bottom piece of wood with resin adhering it to the bottom.
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Thanks for the photos, it's always helpful to 'see' what a project may involve before deciding to undertake it. Question: What was between the wood and the carpet?
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The top of the platform was a layer of fiberglass that had mostly separated from the wood. Checking on a product called "starboard" to use in place of wood. Its a solid plastic type material. Looks like I will need a 1" thick piece.
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Starboard is some good chit. Wont rot, it should world perfectly for you.
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Avoid Starboard, it's a great material for many marine applications, I use Starlite (lighter version) for upholstery boards. The drawback to Starboard is hardly nothing out there sticks to it. I have used it as temp. molds because the cured resins release easy! I use 9# closed cell structural foam for a core but where the brackets attach I reinforce with laminates of Trevira.
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Says the man who knows what he's talking about ;D
Thanks for setting it strait Ron. I have used it but was unaware resin wouldn't stick to it.
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Has anyone used Brazilian Walnut (Ironwood) for a swim platform? It's a popular outdoor decking material and costs far less then teak.
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Like the name implies, Ironwood is both hard and HEAVY...coming it at around 70 pounds per square foot. It is used on the boardwalks in Atlantic City and Cooney Island. You have to have special tools to work with it do to the hardness of the material.
If you figure a "standard" swim platform is 15 square feet, you are looking at over 1000 pounds of swim platform! If your boat comes in with a dry weight of 3000 pounds, you have 1/3 the weight of your boat on the back end. This will really change how the boat skis/handles/etc.
I recommend sticking with Teak. It's easy to work with, easy to maintain, and still cost effective.
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New here but I have a 90 Legend where the teak swim step was to far gone to save. I built a new swimstep out of Mahogany last year. Going on the end of the second summer and it looks great.
I followed the info on this website and mine basically looks the same, but I didn't use 3m 5200, I used waterproof wood glue. And I used 1x4 Mahogany, with woodproof wood glue and stainless screws, sealed with teak colored Cetol. Might have $120 into the entire project.
http://www.glen-l.com/weblettr/webletters-6/wl48-mark.html (http://www.glen-l.com/weblettr/webletters-6/wl48-mark.html)
If I was to do it again I would stain it before I applied the Cetol. I would have perferred a darker color to the wood.
I also would have scribed the new swimstep to the transom and not just traced the existing swimstep. The curve of the original swim step does not match the transom. And the step is fairly slippery, I would mix some silca in with the first coat of cetol.
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What about using a product called Baltek Airlite? The name means nothing to me, but it's a PVC foam core product that the local marine supply shop sells.
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Rigid PVC foams regardless of brand is what I cored the 96-01 composite platforms with a density of 8lbs min. but there are caveats, this will make a strong lightweight panel but will not support the "tear-out" strength for the bracket screws, in those areas a much higher density material is needed. I also used a material called Trevira in the laminates where screws would be installed, it provides tremendous screw holding ability.
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My neighbor at the lake just saved me a ton of labor! I was about to rebuild my platform and was telling him of my plans. He told me he had an extra teak platform from a Malibu that was totalled in a fire. It has a very small gouge in it, but is in fantastic condition. He gave it to me for a bottle of wine. I just need to trim it a little for a better fit up against the hull, then clean and oil it.
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My neighbor at the lake just saved me a ton of labor! I was about to rebuild my platform and was telling him of my plans. He told me he had an extra teak platform from a Malibu that was totalled in a fire. It has a very small gouge in it, but is in fantastic condition. He gave it to me for a bottle of wine. I just need to trim it a little for a better fit up against the hull, then clean and oil it.
Nice!
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Hope that was a DAMN NICE bottle of wine!!! ;D