Swim Platform Transformation

[Starman]

Thought I would post a few pics of the Swim Platform for Boss Lady.

We start with the old platform, removing all the old nuts/bolts/screws ect..... and use a grinder to smooth it out and get rid of all the loose paint/gel coat .

Next I installed the front edge rail. I used several bar clamps to bend this
1 3/4 X 7/16 thick plank of teak.

I repeated the process for the back side. Then started laying in the slats. All of the wood is set in 5200 and each slat has 3 screws.

The way I mill the slats , there is no open void to the base ( platform ) . I mill the slats with a 3/16 rabbit cut. This way the slats are " wood to wood" and we caulk the seam. Makes what I feel is a better waterproofing system for decking.

I still have more work to do before this is done, including the caulking. I will show pics of that process as well.

 

[Boatsb]

Are they ship lapped? Best way I ever did decking. Not only did it not leak but it was strong as could be.

 

[Starman]

Not Ship lapped. Just edge butted and bedded in 5200. Have done many decks this way, all still looking good. No leaks or delams.

I suppose if I were to lap the slats, I would epoxy that lap joint, and the " seam " would actually be just a dado cut for the caulk.

Also epoxied down a deck, no screws. Used epoxy for the caulk line as well.

 

[Boss Lady]

WOW! Paul this was a nice surprise! I just got home from D.C. This looks just killer!

 

[yachtsmanbill]

I'll bet that teak smells as good as it looks too !!! ws

 

[Starman]

Just wait till the caulk is in, and we ( Chris and I ) will have an awesome " something else" added .............

And of course there will be a stainlees rubrail.


Hey,

maybe I can market a new product ......Teak aftershave !

 

[yachtsmanbill]

... At least air freshener, to get rid of that "afromosia Hatteras aroma" ws

 

[garyd]

That looks awesome great job keep posting pictures.

Are you going to cut any holes in the platform for relief of water pressure. I remember several manufacturers making solid platforms in the late 80's and getting bit by not allowing the release of water pressure. Some needed several slats some needed a couple big holes.

I guess the problem was either from backing down hard. Or even taking off hard.

If I was going to cut holes in that platform I would use a waterjet. Then finish the cut the way you know how. You could even waterjet cut BOSS LADY into the platform or a logo or cool slat designs.

anyway great job! garyd

 

[Boss Lady]

The original solid platform has been on there for 33 years without a problem. With the added teak it will be immensly stronger than just the glass. I do plan to make some custom 316 stainless brackets that will allow for the platform to be easily removed for winter tuna fishing. I guess I better get moving since Paul surprised me with an early present.

 

[garyd]

I can't wait to she her floating. The problem they had was not with the platform per say but the structure. Ie the brackets or even the transom itself. If you are about to make new brakets maybe some basic engineering wouldn't hurt.

Just figure out at least 4-5 guys jumping up and down on it. Then think about thousands of ft lbs of uplift from a wave combined with backing down, then double those numbers and build it to withstand it and your in!

garyd

 

[Boss Lady]

I just happen to have several engineers (composite and structural) on my staff, Autocad and a Flow Waterjet Cutter. Guess what project they and the welding shop will be working on come Monday.

 

[ThirdHatt]

Chris, Are you positive that the platform was original equipment? I just ordered an exact original equipment replacement platform from Tom Slane. He has in his posession the original blueprints and drawings of the platforms that came from the factory. We discussed these platforms at length and looked at several variations of the factory platforms that were used througout the 70's and they all had relief slats to allow water flow and they were all curved on the outside edge, not angled like yours. On a 30+ yr old boat, something could have been replaced 25 yrs ago and it could very easily look like it was original. I personally have never seen one like that, particularly with the angles on the outside edge. It sure looks AWESOME with the teak though!!! WOW!!!

 

[Starman]

This platform may not be original equipment. But that does not really matter much, it does fir the transom, and will fit better when we get it installed.

The back pressure should be less now. When we installed the new engines, we also went from a 6" to a 10" exhaust. We kept the bottom of the exhaust at the same point, and enlarged the hole upward and outward.

So this platform will now sit about 4-5 inches higher than the original position and I think this extra seperation above the water will relieve some of the stress swim platforms can encounter.

The original bracing was also not the best. The back side of the platform was through bolted to the tramsom and a single bar ( 4 going across the transom ) was fixed to the platform and at the base of the transom.

We will build custom brackets that mount to the transom, then the platform will mount on the brackets. I also added solid teak on the backside of the platform, thick enough to scribe and get a snug fit to the transom, so we can fasten directly to the hull as well.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Beautiful work, can't wait to see this on the boat, with finish on it, etc. I think you are quite right to raise it a bit, the bouyancy stress when backing down on waves is something many people don't think about. Your teak work is first class.

 

[ThirdHatt]

Paul, I agree. Raising it will greatly reduce any chance of issues when backing down hard on a fish or strong following seas. I personally would still consider leaving a small (~1") gap between the platform and the transom to allow for a path for water to rush up if ever needed. You could still mount it directly to the transom, just in several places along the transom as opposed to having the whole platform touch the transom. Just a thought.

Here is a pic from Slane Marine of the original 70's Hatt platforms. Although my 1972 58YF came with a teak platform, I ordered one of these last week from Slane Marine. Hatteras used exclusively teak platforms until somewhere around 1974 when they changed to fiberglass for durability. Note the pockets along the inside (transom) edge that I was referring to. You could just make some teak blocks to shim between the platform and the transom if you wanted to. Either way that platform is going to look amazing once mounted on Boss Lady!

 

[Starman]

Th,

Good looking platform there.

Ours is about 24" deep, how deep is yours going to be ?

It does not show well in the pic, but the shape along the transom is the same as your pic.

I will get another pic, maybe today, showing the backside.

I could , and am actually thinking about installing some relief on the outside edge. But not the slits as seen in your pic. I may route out a 6" to 8" hole and then install a solid piece of teak with 4 slits . The slits would all converge near the center, like an " X " I can put one in either corner.

When I build custom teak platforms, the shape and slits are exactly as shown on yours. I have also made a few out of 1 1/2 inch thick white starboard. I think 1" starboard, even with 4-5 supports can flex in the sunlight too much.


Some projects are just plain fun

 

[Starman]

Jim,

Thank you

 

[Boss Lady]

the actual supports and attachment to the transom with proper spreading of the loads are the most important. The slits only reduce the loads involved by the amount of surface area they represent, which is rather insignificant. Try pushing a sheet of plywood through the water! If you cut some slits in it, it would theoretically reduce some of the load, you would have get out the old slide rule to calculate the difference. So unless it looks like a screen the loads will still be very large no matter the construction materials. I think that this is one area that the stresses were underestimated in the early days. The original teak platforms were not designed very well, and did not hold up to repeated loads. You need a lot of overkill designed into the mounting brackets and backing plates on the inside to keep from pulling bolts through transom. I cannot believe that my platform was still on the boat, since it had some flimsy brackets and bolts holding it on. There were several old holes where it had obviously been ripped off a couple of times and remounted. It was about to come off when we pulled the boat to start the refit.

 

[ThirdHatt]

Paul, I just scrolled back to your pics and now I see the releif slats (three) that were made into the fiberglass. They are covered with beautiful teak in the other pics, so I didn't notice.

24" is correct for that size boat. My 41TC has one 24" deep, my buddy's 43DC is 24" deep. Tom Slane said that the 53MY and 58YF platforms are 26" deep. Ed at Sam's said 26"-28" deep is what he has heard of. Tom told me that he has stretched them to 30" with great success and keeps them looking factory. This is what I ordered, the 30" deep one. I too plan on raising the platform a bit 1. to make sure that the edge stays well out of the water and 2. to allow easier step-over from the cockpit to the platform. I do not have a transom door and Hatteras doesn't recommend adding one after all these years because sometimes the transom can crack after the door hole is cut!

 

[Starman]

Wow,

Seems to me that if the transom is cut and braced right there would be no issue with that. But then I expect they know alot more about the stress factor than I do .............LOL

30" is going to be nice. Lots of room for the step over.

Perko makes some fold up steps that are really nice and you can mount one or two on the transom exterior . They list about 90 bucks but can be bought for about 60.00