Swim Platform Fell Off - Gone!!!

[88 Supra Comp]

Anyone ever had, or heard of this issue before?

(Some of you may have read my other topic 'Swim Platform Bar', and my saga earlier in the summer of fixing a bent bar on my old Swim Platform. Which I was successfully able to fix to the point that no one could even tell it had ever been bent. Now I see that all that work was for no reason)

Was out yesterday (Sunday 08/07) had been pulling a lot of tubers from an outing with our Church. The last person just got in the boat (using the swim platform of course), and then I drove about 200 yards to the beach area to let out that group, and pick up some others, when I realized that in that last 200 yards, my entire swim platform was MISSING, GONE, JUST NOT THERE!!!!!!

The three brackets were still on the boat, nice and firm, but no platform, not even any remnants of it, or any bolds remaining. All I can figure is that it must have been lag bolted to wood that was glassed in, on the bottom of the swim platform, and with the pressure that the platform must take on a daily basis with the water pressure coming off the bottom of the boat, that it just finally let go???

We did a quick re-con mission hoping that the fiberglass platform would be floating......but no luck????

Supra says that they no longer make a fiberglass platform for the older boats, but do make a teak replacement one for around (I think) $500 bucks.

Has anyone ever heard of this before with one of these older platforms?

I still can't believe it is gone!!!

[wotan2525]

Wow... terrible to hear that I'm not the only one experiencing bad luck. Seems amazing to me that the platform could go from not-even-loose to completely gone!

[silvtongdvl]

I am sorry to hear about your loss - I do know that the newer fiberglass platforms float. Found this out when a friend ran over the ski rope - we removed the platform inorder to get the rope out easier.
I would measure the distance between your 3 davits and then visit a dealership and measure all the different boats there. You might get lucky - or only need to move the mating bracket on the platform alittle.
I do agree that the SS pipe around the platform is worth its weight in gold - I thought it might be problem when I was looking at the new boats years ago. Boy was I wrong. Thats one option I will never be without again.
~S~

[wotan2525]

what is this stainless steel pipe you guys are talking about -- any pictures?

[88 Supra Comp]

Originally posted by wotan2525


what is this stainless steel pipe you guys are talking about -- any pictures?

wotan2525,

Check out this thread...."Swim Platform Bar", this is from my thread earlier in the summer when I bent my now at the bottom of the lake stainless bar around my former swim platform. (Posted a couple of pics when mine was bent, there are two posts with one jpg each)

I started that thread when I had bent my old one, and was looking for suggestions on how to fix it.

You can also look close at some of the new swimplatforms on the SUPRA website, think they are pretty similar.

By the way, Supra does make a teak retro fit swimplatform for the older supras. Said it is the same shape as the old fibreglass one, and will fit on the existing L-Brackets still on the back of my boat. Local dealer price - $442.00

[Salty87]

that story sux...can't imagine what it was like at the time...who took my patform? sorry to hear it.

i've seen an i/o pull out from a dock and leave his platform behind but it floated. he was pretty happy to be able to bring it home.

a teak replacement for $442 almost sounds too good to be true. i've seen after market sites that were closer to $1k.

wotan...they're talking about the stainless grab rail around the perimeter of the fiberglass platform.

are you going to get the teak?

[88 Supra Comp]

Originally posted by Salty87

are you going to get the teak?



Agree, $442 is not bad for teak, however with shipping, and the screws, it is basically just over $500.

Strongly considering.......just didn't really want to spend the money right now. But for the rest of the summer, and in to the fall, figure it is either that, or a couple of 2 X 12's from the hardware store.