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Trex swim platform, progress.. need ideas for mounting!

 
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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jun 21, 2011 1:24 pm    Post subject: Trex swim platform, progress.. need ideas for mounting! Reply with quote

Hey guys. I am in the process of building a swim platform for my bayliner 2150. I picked up the trex composite decking and cut it how i wanted it. I got the 1+" thick stuff.

My questions deal with mounting it..there seem to be a couple ways to do it and I am not sure which would be best. If you have any experience with this please post up!!

here's the back of the boat..it is not flat which creates problem #1. Problem #2 is leaving space, or creating a hinge that will allow the outdrive to come up...


Option 1:
something like this i think would work VERY well. partial problem with this is I would have to somehow add 2-4 inches to this to bring the platform up to a suitable level. OR build a hinge to let the drive come up?

option 2: hanging the platform with 3-5" L brackets at the back. I think they would have to go on the top instead of under because of space issues. mounting them above puts the mount/bolts in the thin-ish fiberglass instead of the wood-reinforced part of the transom. then i would use a support bar from the ~middle-3/4 out on the platform to the lower transom.

any thoughts??

alright so here are the progress pics. this step is 27" deep and 78 inches long at this point. I plan to chop it down and curve it nicely to fit the boat. then truck-bedliner paint and some type of grippy waterproof foam.

making a mess cutting the decking to proper lenghts

loosely set on the floor to get an idea of look


4 perpendicular supports. each will probably have its own support hardware. it is very sturdy this way. my younger brother and i stood on it with zero flex (about 350-400lbs)
lined up...not screwed together yet


then i got hungry...

mmmmm

then i took a nap.

let me know what you guys think for mounting this badboy!!!!
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kartman
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PostPosted: Jun 21, 2011 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

with as tall as your boat and trailer is, you dont need to raise up the outdrive all the way. use cardboard as a template for the curve of the boat.
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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jun 21, 2011 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hey thx!

does that still apply even if there are some pretty steep inclines to get to my house? as well as the ramp?

any thoughts on which mounting idea would work best?

btw. the projects you did on your boat kfa!
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Okie Boarder
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PostPosted: Jun 22, 2011 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You might test how low you can leave the outdrive and still clear your worst obstacles. Then see where that allows you to put the deck. I would say the angled brackets like you are looking at would work well for mounting. You want something with a fair amount of support. You will probably want to have something as a load distributing backer on the inside of the transom too.
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brichter14
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PostPosted: Jun 22, 2011 10:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

II put a swim platform on my sea ray at the end of last summer. It has L brackets as well as th arms that come down. You don't have to trailler your lower unit all the way up. Just high enough to keep the prop off the ground. Here are some pics. Let me know if you need aany more in depth ones.





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coricluster
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PostPosted: Jun 22, 2011 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i tried this with a boat i used to have, same setup, it was almost pointless after going through all the work to cut and cut and modify and cut and such that i just said the hell with it and used the stock one with the ladder lol, you will be pretty pissed if you mount it and then run aground or get stuck and you NEED to lift the drive up those last couple inches and you cant. i would just stick with the stock one if you dont want headaches
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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jun 23, 2011 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okie Boarder wrote:
You might test how low you can leave the outdrive and still clear your worst obstacles. Then see where that allows you to put the deck. I would say the angled brackets like you are looking at would work well for mounting. You want something with a fair amount of support. You will probably want to have something as a load distributing backer on the inside of the transom too.


I will be checking this out soon. I usually have friends following me and i asked them if it ever looks like the drive comes near the ground. However i guess they dont pay attention. So they will be next time we head out!

I will definently use a backing plate if needed. I checked out the mounting area in the engine bay. i will try to post a pic of the inside tonight. Inside: the area surrounding the drive and IIRC following the curve of that step on the rear it is quite re-enforced probably 4-5" thick. above the curve is thinnish fiberglass.

What would you think is the best way to mount this assuming the drive up/down is no problem at all? into the thin glass with thru-bolt's? or into the transom area with thru bolts or lag bolts??

brichter14: Thanks for the pics!!! What kind of hardware(bolts) did you use for the upper and lower supports?

coricluster: thanks for the heads up! in the past (probably because of how our lakes are out here) something like that has never been an issue. However I am considering it as a possibility and i may hinge this thing (it might be just as easy/practical as any other method of install...) here is a link to what i am looking at doing if i want to hinge it. http://www.bronkalla.com/swim_platform.htm <-really cool
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Okie Boarder
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PostPosted: Jun 23, 2011 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would bolt through where you have the most support.
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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jun 23, 2011 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okie Boarder wrote:
I would bolt through where you have the most support.


sounds like the re-enforced area where it's 4" thick then? lag bolts or 5+" bolts?
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PostPosted: Jun 24, 2011 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definitely! Keep in mind the swim deck can get a lot of stress on it. I would definitely do through bolts with good sized washers. I'll see if I can get you a picture of the back end of my boat that shows how the factory did it 20 years ago. That might help you with some of your ideas.
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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jun 24, 2011 1:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sounds great! I finished installing some speakers in the boat today and forgot to snap a pic of the engine bay area. Ill do that tonight.

I think it will get a lot of stress, I am planning on using 4 supports for it. Just the wood so far is quite heavy.

I am highly considering this type of mount: http://www.bronkalla.com/swim_platform.htm
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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jun 27, 2011 2:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

alright so we have plenty of room from the outdrive to the ground... i dont think it will pose a problem mounting this platform near the water line. Maybe a few inches higher..

I am really liking the idea of hinge mounting it. I think i will attempt that. any comments?

I have found swing set chain hanger mounts to create the hinge at the boat. problem is they are mostly made of cast steel.: http://cgi.ebay.com/Swingset-swing-hanger-4-Hole-swing-hardware-playset-WS6-/360376070455?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e8167137

anyone know where i could find something like that made out of SS?

edit: more research indicates it's called a clevis mount..
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Okie Boarder
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PostPosted: Jun 28, 2011 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some brackets for sale on the Supra forum.

http://supraboats.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=3897&highlight=platform+brackets+sale

I didn't bring the boat home this weekend so I haven't snapped you any pictures. I'll see if I can get some this week or worst case sometime over the weekend.

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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jun 28, 2011 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the link! those are sweeeet! Unfortunently i need 4 Sad

do you think the 17" "support pad" portion of that is enough for a 27" platform?

no rush on the pics! I still need to figure out where/what regarding mounting. I think that is going to take some time.
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rowlex
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PostPosted: Jul 13, 2011 1:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

as promised. pics from the inside of my transom.

any suggestions on mount points? anyone know if there is anything inside this re-supported area where it appears to be about 4" thick?



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