On Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:06:51 +0000, Glenn (s/v Seawing) wrote:

Hi! Looking to pick your brains a little. I am making some major
changes to my boat this year. Some of you think I'm nuts & that alot of
these changes are not necessary. I remind you that my wife is eager to
go back cruising for a year or two at a time and lots of your wives are
not. :-).

One of the additions we are looking for is the addition of a swim
platform. Our boat is a Gulfstar 41' Auxillary (the sailboat hull & not
the trawler hull). This vessel is a centre cockpit. We are looking to
build a swim platform on the stern as well as a fairly substantial
boarding ladder from the platform to deck level. I'd like the platform
to be fairly sturdy.

Please post your advise, observations & experience. I need to have some
ideas on design, construction methods & pitfalls I've not yet imagined.

Thanks all!

Go for it! After cruising with a swim platform for the last 8 summers, I
wouldn't be without one. The boat is a 50' center cockpit built in 1983,
one of the first to have a swim platform at all.

The platform itself is teak, with a sturdy outside ring and 3 supporting
"joists" made from "2x3" and "2x4" sized lumber, filled in with slats that
are about 1x1. All the major joints are through-bolted. The
whole thing is joined to the hull with 2 angle plates made from 3/8"
stainless. It's sturdy as can be, still perfect after 24 years of stern
ties and minor collisions. The boat weighs about 18 tons.

A similar construction should work well on your boat. It's strong where
it counts, and would be easier to build than a grid design. It's also
easy to maintain. We have the outer ring varnished and the slats
left bare, which provides good traction and looks great. I just scrub the
slats occasionally to keep them from getting too gray and dingy from the
exhaust, which exits underneath. After living with it, I think it's a lot
better than the grid or solid designs on most other boats, and it
certainly looks better.

I don't know about structural safety in large breaking waves, but is that
really an issue where you're cruising? I suppose you could mount it on
sturdy hinges and make it fold, but I wouldn't count on that if damaging
waves are an issue.

Matt O.