1982 GB Classic Needs New Swimstep

[jdscott3]

My swimstep is getting punky, I'm a fairly accomplished woodworker but I wonder if there is a nice aftermarket swimstep available. If anyone can point me in the right direction I'd be grateful.

Thanks in advance - Jim

 

[psneeld]

You can have a custom one made, but a bit pricey.

Stock ones are available too but seems whoever's makes them come and go with regularity it seems to me

I made my own....Google boat swim platforms and I found a few places but I don't know where you are.

 

[Giggitoni]

Visit, Custom Teak Marine Woodwork by Custom Teak Marine, Inc

 

[Comodave]

I had a bow pulpit made by PlasTeak. It looks like teak but is actually plastic and needs no finishing ever. They make swim platforms also.

 

[ben2go]

I've been involved in a few swim step and swim platform builds. What are you wanting out of the platform? What size? Will you be carrying a dinghy on it? How much weight do you consider being on it, max weight? What materials would you want it built from, wood, fiberglass, synthetic/composite wood, or combination? Do you want it contoured to the transom? Do you want the bracing above or below the swim platform?


There are/were a lot of good videos on youtube about building simple swim platforms. The ones I have helped with were the vertical wood slate type that allowed for draining and were on custom 316 SS mounts. One I did some fiberglass layups on was foam cored and was glassed to the rear of the boat, a Bayliner Express cruiser.


Here are pics of some that are similar to what I helped with.

The one I helped with was something like this one but had a smooth top and nonslip foam pads adhered to it.

 

[jdscott3]

Ben2go, my thought is to replace it with similar if not the same as the original that's on it. There currently are 2 SS or bronze supports holding it up that seem beefy. I plan to have a dingy on it with this same type clips as you show in the S&P custom transom you showed. I carry a dingy on it currently, the dinghy only weighs maybe 70 lbs. I was really going to do this on the cheap as I have lot's of African Mahogany and white oak at my disposal. I'd just take the old one off and copy it, but I'd likely have to do this with teak, or maybe the white oak make it strong enough. The mahogany would look better than oak, but strong enough?? Cheers - Jim

 

[ben2go]

Ben2go, my thought is to replace it with similar if not the same as the original that's on it. There currently are 2 SS or bronze supports holding it up that seem beefy. I plan to have a dingy on it with this same type clips as you show in the S&P custom transom you showed. I carry a dingy on it currently, the dinghy only weighs maybe 70 lbs. I was really going to do this on the cheap as I have lot's of African Mahogany and white oak at my disposal. I'd just take the old one off and copy it, but I'd likely have to do this with teak, or maybe the white oak make it strong enough. The mahogany would look better than oak, but strong enough?? Cheers - Jim

My idea would be do the lower supports that hold the slats in oak and the actual platform slats in mahogany. My terminology maybe off a little.