How much weight on your platform

[gettinbetter]

I have a 1993 Supra sunsetter with the fiberglass platform.
Can't find anything on how much weight it should be able to hold. Was wondering if anyone out there has seen in sepcs in this area. I even called my dealer and he was very vague, couldn't really give me a answer.
Also with the platform in place I can't really strap the boat down for travel with out pushing pretty hard against the sides of the platform. I am worried about breaking it. The dealer said it would be okay. Woould like to here any comments.

[tg0824SSVGG]

It depends on how it was attached. One person on here had their platform pull
out of the hull! -

I wouldn't put alot of weight on them. My boat attaches to the trailer without interfering
with the platform.

[Salty87]

if you haven't seen the inside for yourself, i'd assume that there are just lag bolts in fiberglass. there might be backing plates, might not...would probably be best not to find out the hard way. the angles involved will support a good bit of weight in a downward force (standing on it) but i wouldn't expect too much else.

can you thread the straps behind the platform, closer to the hull? a friend of mine's platform is really close to his transom, has to wrap the straps around the platform. looks a little sketch to me if there's ever any real tension from the side. he has a fiberglass platform too. i've never looked under it to see if it can be moved away from the hull a bit. teak ones can pretty easily, not that it helps you any.

[OUI]

I wouldn't worry about strapping the transom. The boat's not going to move. These boats are too heavy and the trailer holds them in place.

[Ed Obermeier]

"I wouldn't worry about strapping the transom. The boat's not going to move. These boats are too heavy and the trailer holds them in place."

True, more or less. However, in a panic stop or hard swerve having the back of the boat strapped down versus not may make the difference in the boat launching off the trailer or staying on. Plenty of occurances of this out there that prove this point. On longer trips (more than 40 - 50 miles) I strap the rear down. On shorter hauals I usually don't. FWIW.

Going around or over the platform is a bad idea IMO, too much strain on the mounts and not really going to help much in an extreme situation. I'd go between the platform and hull or have some different mounting points built onto the trailer to allow you to strap to the rear tow rings without going over/arouund the platform.

Ed

[rickr]

I attach my tie downs to the swim platform braces.
My 87 TS6M platform is through bolted on the upper side of the swim platform braces (lag bolts on the bottom)
I am replacing the wood backing on the inside of transom. Rotten wood on the transom and platform will not hold much weight :(

Starboard side of pic shows original backing w/aluminum threaded plate for tru bolts.

[Salty87]

damn rick, you stripped everything. mine doesn't look nearly as clean too. you should put a glass floor in, lol.

i was able to leave most of the transom alone after adding bigger backing plates.

wish i had a shop too.

[gettinbetter]

Thanks for the input.
Going behind the platform isn't a choice. It is flush with the boat. I did think about drilling some holes through the platform to line up the straps. But dont really want to do that.
Relocating the loops on the trailer seems to be my best alternative or just take it off for long trips.

I cant see inside, the ski locker is across the back and the gas tank is under it. Would take a good bit of work to check it out. So far have found no wood in this boat, all plastic so far.

I was hoping someone would have a general idea of how many people can be back there on the platform at the same time assuming it is put on correctly.

[DKJBama92Mariah]

My platform on my '92 is attached with aluminium backing plates. At anchor I commonly have 2-3 people sitting on the platform, and have had no issues. Keeping in mind that these are cornbread-fed Alabama boys, thats easily pushing 700lbs. However, if the boat doesn't have backing plates, all bets are off.

[2002 LAUNCH SS OWNER]

I wouldn't worry about strapping the transom. The boat's not going to move. These boats are too heavy and the trailer holds them in place.

On my boat the stainless U bolts for fastening to trailer are directly above the mounts for the swim grid.Seems like they were placed as lifting rings instead of ty down mounts.

I guess for long trips I will have to fasten straps to mounting bracket of swim grid.

Who knows what could happen in a accident if your truck and trailer go off the road and into the rubarb, I sure do not want my boat coming thru the back window of my Denali .
Dave

[Salty87]

On my boat the stainless U bolts for fastening to trailer are directly above the mounts for the swim grid.Seems like they were placed as lifting rings instead of ty down mounts.

bingo. i've never bought a new boat so i haven't worried about which dealers use which trailers. if there's more than 1 trailer avail, i can see how the factory just installs lifting rings and moves on. i bought my trailer after i got the boat, just happened to work ok.

[jonyb]

I wouldn't worry about strapping the transom. The boat's not going to move. These boats are too heavy and the trailer holds them in place.

They must be heavier then this 36' Nortech because it couldn't stay on the trailer.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/jonyb1/2.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/jonyb1/untitled.jpg