I have a good friend who is building a teak swim platform for One More Girl this winter and thought I would share the progress of the project. I know there has been debate on the board about swim platforms, but we use the boat primarily for family cruising and the platform won't impede any fishing we would do on Lake Erie. If any of you have instagram you can see some of the other stuff he is working on at: https://instagram.com/greatlakesyachtsm ... 3phxsfxang
And here is a really nice cockpit table he did for a customer:
You can sunbathe on it and be out of the way too. Extend your arm into the water and take the heat off your face and body. Read a book, eat without making a mess on deck, rinse your stuff while keeping your deck dry, step down from a dock as oposed to jump onto the gunwale that might be wet and slippery, stow away stuff when chairs and crew are too numerous, clean fish without bending your back, leave your dirty shoes before you enter, shall I go on?!! A swim platform is another boat on a boat.
Nothing wrong with a Swim Platform. Yes they get in the way if you are a heavy fisherman especially offshore.
Just make sure the water will go through them pretty easily. Ones that do not drain well have been know to cause issues in a heavy sea hitting the stern. Those tend to hold the stern down, allowing the next wave to join you in the boat.
Progress on the platform continues. A smaller scaled version of the platform was built to ensure the design and spacing was proportionally correct. If anyone every builds a remote control 31 and wants a swim platform let me know!
Update. Work is almost complete, the platform is coming out better than I ever expected. There will be no holes on the topside of the platform everything will be screwed and countersunk and plugged from the bottom. Once this is done we will test fit for mounting on the stern and have the stainless mounting brackets fabricated. The platform should be done this week and hopefully mounted in the next week, so I can finally splash for the season.
I can’t think of anything more pleasing to the eye. Congratulations to the brave carpenter and to the...fearless boater!
(Fearless, because that thing seems to cost ...two arms and three legs!).
Finally (almost done). Test fit, temporarily attached in the water to make sure the position we thought would work on land was right. After lots of checking and rechecking for level holes were drilled in the hull and it the platform was mounted. Waiting on the fabricator to make the two outboard mounts that will sit just outside of the exhaust. I'm very pleased with the final outcome of the platform - pictures really don't do it justice. My buddy really did an incredible job, especially given it was the first swim platform he's ever built.
There is still wax on the hull on the first few pictures, multitasking at it's finest.
Fantastic! Should be a well-used piece of the boat. Great for a swim in the lake or topless dance contest at Put-In-Bay! ( I assume that place is still wild like the ol' days)
1963 Bertram 25
1973 Boston Whaler 13 - sold!
1998 Scout 172 SF - beach taxi