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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default New swim platform

    I’m taking my background in composites (We built carbon fiber jet ski hulls for a few years and ended up selling it all) and making a new platform for my boat. I recently had mine removed by waves while docked. So what better time than now to make one.

    I went after the design of the newer style boats and ran with it. I also added in 1.5” riser blocks to the lower half. I made my prototype out of MDF board, this will later be coated with duratec ez sand. It’s a polyester primer that can be sanded and buffed to a shine. Once that is done I will be taking a fiberglass mold from the top half. After that I will be removing 1/4” all the way around and then coating and polishing the lower half to take the second half of the mold. When the two parts are cured and trimmed they will fit snugly into each other and be bonded permanently. Where the riser blocks are molded in there will be 1” thick HDPE embedded in the fiberglass for the bracket screws to bite into. I may end up making a few of these as some have already asked. Stay tuned for more later in the week when my materials show up. Don’t mind the dirty shop:


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    Last edited by Brian_289; 09-07-2020 at 08:11 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default




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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default

    Top side of the platform is ready to take a mold.


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default


    Got the gelcoat down and a few layers of glass down on the top half mold this evening. Tomorrow I start working on the bottom half.


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  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default



    Upper mold is complete. Need to trim the edges. Later I’ll be making the bottom half to hopefully lift a mold from before the weekend is over.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    200

    Default

    Your making some pretty good progress, can’t wait to see the finished product. What boat is this going on?


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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Turbinesurgeon View Post
    Your making some pretty good progress, can’t wait to see the finished product. What boat is this going on?


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    06 21v. But it should fit others. The raised areas on the bottom for the brackets to attach are a larger footprint than they need to be (width wise at least) so it will handle some variance in width of the brackets from model to model. The only part that’s going to matter is the curve of the transom. When I’m all done with this one I’ll be updating my website with dimensions. Once the site is built that is! I have been out of the composites game for about 4 years. I swore I wouldn’t get back into it, but this is a different story compared to what I was doing.


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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default

    Sprayed some white gelcoat tonight. Making the first top half of a platform for Bryan at SurfMode. Should be out of the mold in the morning!
    Bottom half is still in the works. It’s primed with duratec and needs to be sanded and polished. I hope to be making that mold tomorrow at some point.


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  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    200

    Default

    My boat is the same colors as yours


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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Posts
    108

    Default

    Well I had a little setback. The gelcoat stuck to the mold. I used sealer and release and several coats of wax. I didn’t have problems lifting the mold from the prototype. Oh well back to making the bottom half. Tooling gelcoat is down waiting to dry enough to start laying glass up to make the mold. I need to turn the heat on. I’m working in 50 degree temps! Nothing wants to cure very fast.
    Here you can see the built in risers that will elevate the platform up almost 2”. I made them bigger than I needed for my brackets to account for bracket placement variances from model to model.


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