Swim Platform Refurbishment Ideas

[Serene]

Boat is now out of the water for the next phase of my refit and have removed the swim platform. Idea was to refurbish it and put it back in place.

The brackets look to be made of bronze and are in serviceable condition, but upon closer inspection the timber swim platform has numerous cracks and some soft areas.

Looking for ideas, as to whether I refurbish or replace?

Do I keep the bronze brackets and have a new wood platform made? Problem will most likely be in finding new teak/beech, which I would expect is the required timber due to the wood being in a semi-submersed location. i.e. when underway.

Other option is to have an aluminium item made, with aluminium welded brackets to replace the bronze items, which also gives me the option of making it a larger area. Concern with this idea is possibility of electrolysis given it will be partially submerged and close to the bronze rudder and propellor.

Other option would be to have a stainless steel frame made and use some sort of composite planking to make the deck. But not sure what material to use.

Anyway have attached some pics for context and looking for suggestions.

Will talk to the boatbuilder tomorrow to get his ideas, and also visit the on-site metal fabrication shop to see what they say.

 

[BruceK]

I faced this issue with my IG. I was having other work done on the hard and the shipwrights advised conserving by replacing the bad sections and sanding the rest back to green teak. It worked, but I guess depends how much is bad.
The cost of replacement teak can be eye watering but a whole new platform won`t be cheap either.
Some New Guinea timbers have good marine properties, one might be kwila, I`ve got a folding timber table made of that. A saturation type decking oil with some colour in it might even up the appearance, and help preserve the timbers. In a way, it`s the front doorstep, good if it looks nice, and doesn`t break and drop you in the water.

 

[rslifkin]

If the brackets are in good shape they can stay unless you put on a platform that would need different brackets. Another option would be to build a fiberglass platform that can be bolted to the existing brackets.

 

[PierreR]

Okay, I am going to share some of my secrets here and the expense of probably getting hammered by the purists. This is cheap, fast and will last a long time. When you are done it will look great and be quite functional.

Step one. Go to Harbor Freight and buy a gallon of yellow degreaser, $10 per gallon. This is the best product on the shelf at Harbor Freight. It makes Simple Green look worthless and will remove bicycle chain grease from white clothing. It works perfectly on teak and is near neutral Ph.

Wet down the swim platform and spray it with the concentrated degreaser. Leave it set a minute and then power wash the swim platform with a power washer of 1,600-2,000 PSIG and a ceramic spiral tip. This will remove everything back to light teak. Do not power wash areas that are soft and rotten. Put the swim platform up somewhere where it can dry thoroughly. Do not touch the swim platform with bare hands as it transfers fingerprints, and the degreaser has prepped the surface for coating.

Coat the swim platform with UV stabilized epoxy resin. The best that I have found is a product called Raka available in kits. Choose 127 resin and 350 non blush hardener. Quart and a half should do it. Raka is a beautiful product to work with for amateurs because it is slow, bubble free and does not stink and make you itch.

Apply the resin above 70 deg F then clamp the platform together to close the gaps. Use cellophane to prevent the clamps from sticking to the resin. Raka is slow and sinks in deeply. Should cure in 24 hours or so.

When cured rough it up slightly with sandpaper or sanding sponge. Sand any drips and imperfections flat but don’t try to sand out the grain. Wash with Dawn dish soap and water. Thoroughly dry and apply three coats of varnish. I use Sekkins Cetol clear and an enamel harder I get from Tractors Supply. No need to sand between coats and this varnish will adhere nicely to the Raka surface. The enamel hardener makes the Cetol very scratch resistant and not all that slick when wet.

All total the job should be less than $200 and take a week.
For true rot do not power wash it. Brush it will a nylon bristle brush and saturate it with Raka epoxy resin, let it harden and follow the rest of the directions.

Polish up the bronze brackets with a scotch bright and degreaser. You can coat them with the Cetol and harder if you want them to look nice. Recoat everything once a year or when needed.

I’ve got thick skin. Blast away.

 

[alormaria]

Fix and cleanup the existing swim platform.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. PR. Nope no blasts at all. A repair I might try IF wood damage did not exceed 20% or so of platform. The trick might be to dry the wood sufficiently after pressure washing to allow penetration of the sealant.



What I would be more likely to do is: Keep the brackets, dissemble the platform (keeping VERY careful records of what goes where) and replace damaged wood with new. Reassemble and finish to your liking.


I have a similar conundrum with our "northern" boat. The current (teak) platform is quite weathered and grooved but no rot that I can see. The fastenings have loosened and I have it temporarily braced with plywood fastened from underneath.


My plan is to remove it do a re-fastening and re-mounting it 180 degrees from original. Newer un grooved surface and secure footing.

 

[Serene]

Thanks for all of the ideas. Talking with the boatbuilder/shipwright soon, so will see what he has to say.

 

[Xlantic]

I would definitively keep the bronze brackets and repair the teak.

 

[Serene]

I would definitively keep the bronze brackets and repair the teak.

Our first preference is to keep the bronze brackets and use the teak. Working with the shipwright at the moment to work out options.

I am tempted to hit the teak with a pressure cleaner and see what happens, but I do know it may damage it further.

 

[Insequent]

Definitely keep the bronze brackets. I would think you should be able to get quite afew more years life from it.

My swim platform was in reasonable shape but the underside was also grungy underneath, like yours. So last haulout we removed it, dried it, sanded, everdure coated (penetrating epoxy), filled, sanded and painted with 2 pack.

For top surface I used Deks Olje #1 (matt) because thats what I had on hand. Use any oil that has a setting additive. The wood is protected enough but its still non-slip. Keep up re-coating at short intervals as its only a 5-10 minute job

 

[rslifkin]

Definitely keep the bronze brackets. I would think you should be able to get quite afew more years life from it.

My swim platform was in reasonable shape but the underside was also grungy underneath, like yours. So last haulout we removed it, dried it, sanded, everdure coated (penetrating epoxy), filled, sanded and painted with 2 pack.

For top surface I used Deks Olje #1 (matt) because thats what I had on hand. Use any oil that has a setting additive. The wood is protected enough but its still non-slip. Keep up re-coating at short intervals as its only a 5-10 minute job

A bit off topic, but what's the story with those exhaust extensions? Intended to reduce station wagon effect or something else?

 

[Insequent]

A bit off topic, but what's the story with those exhaust extensions? Intended to reduce station wagon effect or something else?

The yard put the extensions on during refit in 2012. I dont recall all of the thinking behind it.

Originally they were rubber, but they were not supported and sagged. That meant it was no longer possible to check for water flow after start-up. So, also at the last haulout we replaced them with fiberglass and also put a support at the end. Easy to check water flow from the exhaust now.

 

[Serene]

Definitely keep the bronze brackets. I would think you should be able to get quite afew more years life from it.

My swim platform was in reasonable shape but the underside was also grungy underneath, like yours. So last haulout we removed it, dried it, sanded, everdure coated (penetrating epoxy), filled, sanded and painted with 2 pack.

For top surface I used Deks Olje #1 (matt) because thats what I had on hand. Use any oil that has a setting additive. The wood is protected enough but its still non-slip. Keep up re-coating at short intervals as its only a 5-10 minute job

Good idea. Thanks for the suggestion, will speak with the shipwright about it Monday and see where he is up to with options.

 

[Keysdisease]

No matter what you do, consider installing a good sized rub rail (black plastic/rubber) around the perimeter. This finishes off a teak swim platform very nicely and really protects the edges from dings and nicks, hides a lot of existing ones too

 

[Xlantic]

I am tempted to hit the teak with a pressure cleaner and see what happens, but I do know it may damage it further.

According to TDS,

https://teakdecking.com/how-to-clea...wood across the grain,with ridges in the teak.

RULE #4

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER USE A PRESSURE WASHER
Teak is comprised of hard and soft wood. A pressure washer will destroy the soft wood, leaving deep ridges in the deck that will collect water and debris. The life of teak decks is significantly shortened by pressure washers. So, they should never be used.

For cleaning I would try a gentle soap and a 3M pad across the grain of the wood. If that doesn't work you can try a 2-part cleaner such as Teak Wonder.

It doesn't need to be perfect as you will probably need to sand the wood to eliminate the ridges, although sanding should be kept to a minimum so as not to loose material unnecessarily. Also, it is a platform for standing on, not work of art!

 

[Mark Myns]

Replace Swim Platform

I had a fiberglass swim platform on my 38 Marine Trader that not only was delaminating but also the design had some serious leg breaking openings. I decided to replace it with a custom built platform from PlasTEAK https://www.plasteak.com , in Copley, Ohio. Their customer support told me how to make a drawing for them to work from, and gave me some good ideas on color combinations. I do not remember the price but it was very reasonable even with shipping. The beauty of the platform is that it looks like teak but there is zero maintenance.

I am including pictures and hope the come out ok. If you have any questions please contact me.

 

[RonR]

I’ve restored one that was in ok shape on my last boat.
Lots of work but turned out nice.
Currently I am building a new one for the current boat.
I don’t recommend this unless you have some skills.
Cost for teak is very high!

If I was to start over, I would have a glass one made by a pro.

 

[mcgann454]

Check out this thread in https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f55/building-my-own-swim-platform-new-product-163795.htmla different forum. This platform looks like it did when first made.

 

[mcgann454]

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f55/building-my-own-swim-platform-new-product-163795.html

Made this one years ago. Looks as good as the day it was made.

 

[koliver]

This project has been a recurring theme among owners of Taiwan built trawlers. It has been discussed at length. Use the search function, but see this thread first: https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums...im-step-53561.html?highlight=Swimgrid+project

 

[The Jeepster]

I’m in the process of doing a refurb on my swim platform and have gone for Aluminium checker plate (2 x 8x4 sheets) that is being laser cut to the exact profile of the swim platform that I’m intending to bolt to the existing platform.

 

[Serene]

I’m in the process of doing a refurb on my swim platform and have gone for Aluminium checker plate (2 x 8x4 sheets) that is being laser cut to the exact profile of the swim platform that I’m intending to bolt to the existing platform.

Do you have concerns about having dissimilar metals in contact though? My worry about replacing the teak with aluminium is that I would then have a problem with the bronze brackets, so would need to replace them too.

i.e. have welded aluminium brackets on the platform and bolt the whole thing to the transom using the existing bolt holes.

 

[KnotYet]

I can't imagine reusing worn or damaged teak at such a vulnerable location.
I also don't want to get hit by a bobbing metal blade when I'm in the water.
I would find your nearest plastic fabricator and have it duplicated in UHMW-PE.

This material goes by many trade names but is readily available and indestructible.
Other advantages are no growth will stick to it and it will stay cool in the sun.
Have it cut to shape or do it yourself. Router the edges round, drill and install.

 

[The Jeepster]

I’m going to lay the alloy straight over the existing teak, drill thru the alloy, the teak and into the bracket and use 316 s/s fastners with plenty on Duralac on the fastners threads. As I made the template to hide the teak you wont see the teak from above when the alloy is fitted. Quick and easy and removable if needed.

 

[Serene]

I’m going to lay the alloy straight over the existing teak, drill thru the alloy, the teak and into the bracket and use 316 s/s fastners with plenty on Duralac on the fastners threads. As I made the template to hide the teak you wont see the teak from above when the alloy is fitted. Quick and easy and removable if needed.

Got it. Thanks.

 

[PM]

I would keep those supports, simply because they are so neat.

Replace any rotten teak with new teak. (yes teak does rot)

Wash top and bottom with real TSP, then rinse with a vinegar water solution.

Use a good primer and PAINT the top, bottom and insides.

pete

 

[Serene]

[SNIP]

Wash top and bottom with real TSP, then rinse with a vinegar water solution.

[SNIP]

What is real TSP?

 

[Serene]

Decision has been made. Will be fixing and cleaning up the existing swim platform and re-using it with the current bronze brackets.

A few pieces of teak need to be replaced, as well as the stainless rods holding it all together, but will be a lot cheaper than replacing.

I will do the cleaning and sanding and the shipwright will do the wood replacement pieces.

Will probably then just leave it natural teak.

 

[Comodave]

A bit off topic, but what's the story with those exhaust extensions? Intended to reduce station wagon effect or something else?

I would guess that it would help keep the exhaust off the transom and help keep the transom cleaner.

 

[Serene]

Decision has been made. Will be fixing and cleaning up the existing swim platform and re-using it with the current bronze brackets.

A few pieces of teak need to be replaced, as well as the stainless rods holding it all together, but will be a lot cheaper than replacing.

I will do the cleaning and sanding and the shipwright will do the wood replacement pieces.

Will probably then just leave it natural teak.

Project update. All of the rotted wood has been removed and will be replaced with new teak. The entire unit has been pulled apart and new pieces of teak scarfed into place where required. Has now been re-assembled with epoxy holding it together, but will also replace the stainless rods passing through each piece.

Working on the finish now before it goes back on the boat. Will be left raw teak to weather naturally.

Is not perfect, but a lot better than it was and cheaper than replacing.

Here are some progress pics;