Swim Platform Replacement

Need to replace the original swim platform on my 2004 Mainship 400. Any suggestions on where to get one would be helpful. Also would like a longer ladder. Maybe 4 or 5 steps rather than the usual 3 steps.

T MACDONNELL
Bay Retriever
2004 Mainship 400

I recommend Butler Marine Products:
https://butlermarine.com/


He did a fantastic job on a new platform for my boat, and I couldn't be more pleased.

We had a swim platform extension made for our Formula. It is 63” fore and aft. Really nice. Don’t know if they make one for your boat or not. Swimplatforms.com

Here's a source for replacement swim platforms I had investigated. Wound up selling the boat before I got around to replacing the platform so can't attest to the actual final product. But they were helpful working on a design and cost estimate.

https://beachfiber.com/

Bay Retriever said:

Need to replace the original swim platform on my 2004 Mainship 400. Any suggestions on where to get one would be helpful. Also would like a longer ladder. Maybe 4 or 5 steps rather than the usual 3 steps. View attachment 131281

T MACDONNELL
Bay Retriever
2004 Mainship 400

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Curious what you ended up doing. I am needing to do same on MS 430.

Derek said:

Curious what you ended up doing. I am needing to do same on MS 430.

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Will be replacing within a platform made by Beacomber.

https://beachfiber.com/

Bay Retriever said:

Will be replacing within a platform made by Beacomber.

https://beachfiber.com/

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If you don’t mind sharing, what was the cost for the Beachcomber swim platform for this particular boat and did that include new supports, or are you able to use the original supports? I repaired my swim platform, but I’m not entirely happy with how it turned out.

Bay Retriever said:

Will be replacing within a platform made by Beacomber.

https://beachfiber.com/

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Thx. I sent a quote request to them

Can't help you with swim step replacement... I'm confident you will resolve that issue.

However... you can build your own large swim ladder that fastenens onto swim step.

Best Luck!

Mermaid said:

If you don’t mind sharing, what was the cost for the Beachcomber swim platform for this particular boat and did that include new supports, or are you able to use the original supports? I repaired my swim platform, but I’m not entirely happy with how it turned out.

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I believe the cost is $8,000 to me through my Yard. That includes the 4 stainless steel brackets and a 4-step stainless ladder.

Here is an update on the photo of Black Dog with the black dog on the new swim platform.

Comodave said:

Here is an update on the photo of Black Dog with the black dog on the new swim platform.

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Your speedy newer boar come with that swim step? If not what is the general cost to add that big of a fun flat area aon transom?

It came with a fairly large builtin platform but we wanted the larger one. The new one is 63” fore and aft. It cost about $4,800 with shipping from Phoenix to Michigan. My wife and I installed it so there wasn’t any labor costs. Radar loves his new platform…

Comodave said:

It came with a fairly large builtin platform but we wanted the larger one. The new one is 63” fore and aft. It cost about $4,800 with shipping from Phoenix to Michigan. My wife and I installed it so there wasn’t any labor costs. Radar loves his new platform…

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Dave

That seems a very understandable cost for that good of a looking product, and with shipping too. Did you need to have plans drawn to have it built... or... was that boat already on their computer program, you simply needed to chose its dimensions?

You surely knocked off a big extra cost by having your wife install it for you - jus kidden! Sorta... lol

Art said:

Dave

That seems a very understandable cost for that good of a looking product, and with shipping too. Did you need to have plans drawn to have it built... or... was that boat already on their computer program, you simply needed to chose its dimensions?

You surely knocked off a big extra cost by having your wife install it for you - jus kidden! Sorta... lol

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They had a mold for our boat. We had to do a bit of minor grinding on it to get it fitting just right but overall very nice product. She is pretty helpful when I am working on the boat…

Bay Retriever said:

I believe the cost is $8,000 to me through my Yard. That includes the 4 stainless steel brackets and a 4-step stainless ladder.

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Thank you. Good to know. I think I’ll try to like mine for a little while longer. LOL. I’m pulling all the coolers and servicing them, together with hoses, gaskets, seals, etc. this year while I’m still in the hurricane storage....and a rack adjustment. Maybe I’ll do the platform in a couple more years.

Bay Retriever said:

I believe the cost is $8,000 to me through my Yard. That includes the 4 stainless steel brackets and a 4-step stainless ladder.

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Forgot to mention, please post photos if you can of the install and finished job. I’d like to see Beachcomers SS brackets for that platform. Thanks.

Dave did you install railing across the outer aft of the swim platform??

General question about swim platform: Why are they installed so they drag through the water when underway??

Dave

Looking at photo on post # 11.

Is the large swim step layered over the orig swim step? Have you photos of the support structure and fastening agenda for that large a platform?

OldDan1943 said:

General question about swim platform: Why are they installed so they drag through the water when underway??

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Many aren't, but on some of the more partying / hang-out oriented boats with large platforms, the designers would rather have the platform low to the water than have it never drag. My platform never hits the water, but it's only 20 inches long and the lowest part of it is 6" above the fully loaded waterline.

Mermaid said:

Forgot to mention, please post photos if you can of the install and finished job. I’d like to see Beachcomers SS brackets for that platform. Thanks.

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Forgot to mention, when the brackets and through transom bolts were removed, we found water intrusion in the transom core. This is common with Mainships so be prepared if you do decide to remove/replace anything on the transom.

rslifkin said:

Many aren't, but on some of the more partying / hang-out oriented boats with large platforms, the designers would rather have the platform low to the water than have it never drag. My platform never hits the water, but it's only 20 inches long and the lowest part of it is 6" above the fully loaded waterline.

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Haven't put a tape to ours - seems equivalent to yours.

Art said:

Dave

Looking at photo on post # 11.

Is the large swim step layered over the orig swim step? Have you photos of the support structure and fastening agenda for that large a platform?

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Yes, it is on top of the original swim platform. There are 4 support rods from the aft end down to the transom. They said to just screw the rods into the transom but I made some 4” round plates out of 316 S/S and made studs in the plates to bolt the rods to. Then used 5200 and 8 #12 screwed to secure the plates to the transom. We love the huge platform for sitting in deck chairs and Radar loves it too.

Bay Retriever said:

Forgot to mention, when the brackets and through transom bolts were removed, we found water intrusion in the transom core. This is common with Mainships so be prepared if you do decide to remove/replace anything on the transom.

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When I made new support brackets for my swimgrid extension, I had to remove the originals. After ~20 years, the SS bolts holding it on had corroded to less than 1/4 of their original size. They were through the FG transom cored with airex. Those were all below the waterline. The new supports only have through bolts above the WL

Old Dan: The water the swimgrid is riding in is moving with the boat, especially where the at rest position is higher off the water.

Bay Retriever said:

Forgot to mention, when the brackets and through transom bolts were removed, we found water intrusion in the transom core. This is common with Mainships so be prepared if you do decide to remove/replace anything on the transom.

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How did you repair the transom? Did you have to do a recore or were you able to repair the rot through the holes in the transom with epoxy?