Hi folks -- Hope everyone's season is going good so far. I have a 1997 Gulfstream with a Gill Bracket and a swim platform mounted on the bracket. Over the weekend I noticed that the nuts/screws that hold the swim ladder on are pulling up from the bottom thru the platform. I'm not sure but I think this is a wood-cored piece of fiberglass. Question is will it be just as well to replace the platform with an all aluminum unit or try and patch the existing one. The original assembler left off any type of washer to reinforce the mount for the ladder on the underside where the nuts are. I'm not sure yet how far the rot may go but the rest of the platform seems intact.
Swin Platform --Fix or replace
- Thread starter grady23
- Start date
Sea Shift
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2012
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- 191
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- Model
- Express 265
I'm not sure they are exactly the same but the swim platform I have on my 265 express did the same thing about two months ago. I looked into a new one and they wanted $265. So I said screw that and trimmed the broken edge, sealed it with epoxy and had a Stainless steel 90 installed to cap the piece and bolted it on. Custome and very solid. My step did not have a wood core. Hope that helps.
What year was your 265? So far the thing is still together and hasn't separated. Maybe I can fix this with Marine-Tex and back-up the bottom side with a piece of stainless on each side or even all the way across.
ROBERTH
GreatGrady Captain
Grady23, I have found and attached the link over to THT where I documented the core replacement for the swim platform. The problem was water getting to Balsa where bolts go through, therefore rotting out the balsa. As a temporary measure, first year with boat, I just put a large piece of starboard underneath to help support the stress from the bolts until I could take it apart and replace the core.
Here is the post with the details:
http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-how ... edure.html
Here is the post with the details:
http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-how ... edure.html
Took a different route to fix this for now. I used a 1/2 inch thick piece of starboard and cut it to fit under the platform. I chalked the area with high quality silicon and clamped the board in place. Then placed the ladder in position and drilled the 4 screw holes and 2 additional ones. I made sure that I added enough size to the board so I could place the other 2 screws forward and center. I guess only time will tell for now. While the stuff was drying, the guy that runs the marina invited me to fish with time for about 3-4 hrs. on his boat. It turned out to be a good decision to go. I ended up boating the largest Rockfish of my fishing career. A 48 Inch 39.7 Lb fish --- My personal best for rockfish.