Date: 6/9/03
Words and Photos: Trace Trimble

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How many scuffs have your friends put in the gelcoat on the transom of your $50,000 boat? How often do you have to re-oil the teak to keep it shining? How many times have incoming waves made it difficult to get into your bindings?

Many newer wakeboard-specific boats have modified swim platforms designed to locate the platform at the waterline when ballasts are full rather than having it sit several inches below the water. Not only is it easier to use the swim step when it's out of the water, but the teak oil finish will also last longer. You may have also noticed a ridge along the back of some late-model swim platforms which provides a backstop that the on-deck rider can beat their board against while they struggle with their bindings as an alternative to denting and scratching your gelcoat.

This article will show you economical, easy ways to raise your swim platform and add a transom protector. If you have a few tools and any woodworking experience, you should have no problem making these modifications.

Getting Started
First, you have to determine if your swim platform is designed in a way that will accept the modifications. These modifications basically consist of fabricating appropriately sized spacers to place between your swim platform and its mounting brackets and attaching a thick strip along the back of the platform. Most swim platform brackets are very similar to shelf brackets. They provide a flat horizontal surface to which the swim platform is attached. You will be installing a spacer between each bracket and the underside of the platform.

The transom guard is very simple and only really requires a flat surface along the transom side of the swim platform. The first step is to read this entire article and look at the photos and drawings. Then take a careful look at your swim platform and decide if these modifications are feasible on your boat.

You should be able to adapt both modifications to most teak or fiberglass swim platforms, but there are more possible problems with fiberglass, mostly related to the fastening methods. All fasteners used for these projects must be stainless steel. If you have a teak platform, standard self-tapping stainless wood screws should work well as fasteners. If you have a fiberglass platform, you may run into more difficulties since fiberglass does not hold threads well, some areas of the fiberglass may be too thin to act as sufficient anchor points, parts of the fasteners are sometimes molded into the fiberglass and/or the geometry of the mold itself may provide the attachment method. The fasteners may have to be bolted completely through the platform with washers and lock nuts on the backside, which may not be aesthetically desirable in some circumstances. Keep these concerns in mind as you proceed with plans for the project.

These modifications use similar materials, so it is a good idea to make sure you can acquire and have appropriate tools for the materials and fasteners before spending too much more time. You need to first decide if you want to make the spacers and guard from teakwood or if you prefer to use plastic. Lumber companies that deal in specialty hardwoods will carry, or at least be able to order, teakwood and you can usually find plastics suppliers in the phonebook.

Teakwood will match a teak platform and look very nice. No other type of wood except teakwood should be used. Plastic materials are available in a variety of colors and need less maintenance than wood. If you choose to use plastic, use LDPE (low density polyethylene), HDPE (high density PE) or UHMW (ultra high molecular weight PE). These materials are inexpensive and readily available, UV resistant, do not absorb water, and are very easy to work with. Do not use nylon or other materials that can absorb water and swell, especially if your boat is kept in the water for extended periods. Plastic and teakwood can both be cut to size easily with common woodworking tools and sanded to finish. Most plastics suppliers will even cut the materials to the exact sizes you need for a small fee. Some plastics and teak oils may react with one another. Test for any reaction with a scrap piece of material or in a hidden area.

Platform Spacers

1. Swim step spacer material

   Take a moment next time you are on the lake to measure how far under water your swim platform is when your boat is loaded down. This is how much you will want to raise it. For our project, the platform was two inches underwater. This is how thick the spacers need to be and how much longer the mounting screws need to be.

   Note: It is very important to make sure you can find appropriate fasteners for the spacers before going further with this project. Remove one of the screws that holds your swim platform to its brackets and take it to the hardware store. You will need to find stainless screws that are two inches (or whatever the size of your spacer will be) longer than the originals in the same thread size if possible. You may run into problems finding screws in the same thread size that are long enough. If you're comfortable with it, don't be afraid to increase the thread size slightly. Larger thread screws will provide a stronger mount, and can repair stripped holes from over-tightening of the original screws. For our project, the original 1-1/2-inch, #12 Phillips head screws were replaced with 3-1/2-inch, 1/4-inch thread hex head lag bolts with lock washers. The hex head bolts are easier to tighten with a socket wrench for a more secure fit.

2. Spacer cross-section (click to enlarge)

   Remove the swim platform from the boat and mark the brackets with a permanent marker to indicate their locations (port/starboard or left/right) before you remove them from the transom. Sometimes the brackets will not fit as well if they are swapped around.

3. Measure the area of the brackets that contacts the underside of the platform. You should make the spacers just a bit larger than this contact area, as shown in the photos. This will be the length and width of the spacer material and you already know the thickness and screw lengths from measuring the platform depth in the above step. Go out and buy your spacer materials and fasteners. Refer to the cross section drawing of the spacers for clarification.

4. If you could not get the spacer materials cut to the size you need, you can use common woodworking tools such as a Skil saw or table saw to cut teakwood or plastics alike. Cut the materials to the appropriate dimensions and test fit them between your brackets and platform.

5. Marking the holes to be drilled

   Once you're satisfied with the test fit, center the brackets on the spacers and mark where to drill holes large enough to clear the mount screws. Mark the spacers so you remember which spacer goes with which bracket.

6. Drill all the holes in the spacers in a large enough diameter that the mount screws easily fit though the holes.

   Use a drill press for straight holes

   Note: It is very important to drill the holes perpendicular to the spacer faces. A drill press is very helpful here. If you must use a hand drill, be careful to drill them as close to perpendicular as possible. You may end up having to drill the holes to a larger diameter to allow for misalignment.

7. Sand any sharp edges on the spacers. You can remove ink and most other marks from plastics with acetone. Test a hidden area or scrap piece of material for any reaction first.

8. Spacer installed on platform

   Reassemble the brackets and spacers onto the platform with the longer screws, but do not tighten the screws down completely.

   Note: You may need to drill pilot holes in the platform if you are using mount screws with a larger thread size than the originals. Pilot holes should be approximately the size of the screw shaft in the threaded area if you removed the threads, so that the threads have solid material to bite into. DO NOT DRILL THE PILOT HOLES TOO DEEP OR YOU WILL HAVE HOLES IN THE TOP OF YOUR PLATFORM! If you're not using a drill press, a good way

   The finished product

   to drill to a consistent depth is to wrap a piece of tape around the drill bit at the depth you want and drill only up to the tape.

9. Install the platform back on the boat with the spacer screws still a bit loose. Make sure there is no excessive binding in the brackets.

10. Tighten everything securely and enjoy.

Transom Guard

1. Measure the thickness of the platform along the transom edge of the swim platform where the guard will mount.

   Note: If the platform is made of teakwood and has good thickness in this area (more than 1/2 inch), you should be able to use stainless self tapping screws to hold the transom guard to the platform. If it is fiberglass or less than 1/2 inch thick, you may have to drill completely through it and use lock nuts on the underside instead of relying on threads in the platform material to hold the guard.

   Purchase material with some extra length

2. Decide what size and design to make the guard. The transom guard in this article was made from one solid piece of 1-inch square profile plastic. The material was purchased in a greater length than required and cut exactly as long as the swim platform width. There are different design variations such as making the guard in different dimensions, in multiple segments instead of one piece, or cutting a negative angle on the platform side of the guard to help hold boards down when they're pushed against the guard. Use your imagination here if you desire, but keep in mind that a one-piece guard will be the easiest to install.

   Transom guard cross-section (click to enlarge)

   Note: You will need mount screws that are long enough to go through the guard material and into the platform far enough to hold it firmly, but not break out the bottom side unless they are to be bolted through. Take a look at the cross section drawing of this setup. In the project for this article, the heads of the mounting screws are countersunk so that the heads sink below the top of the guard material, so be sure to account for this if you plan to do the same. The 1-inch thick guard for this article is fastened to the platform in an area that is about 1-1/2 inch thick with seven 2-inch #8 screws.

3. Measure the width of the swim platform. You will want to purchase material for the transom guard that is about 3 to 6 inches longer than the width of the swim platform. This will allow for errors and cleanup.

4. Decide how many mounting screws will hold the guard to the platform. The guard for this article has seven mounting screws at 9-inch spacing, which has worked very well.

   Note: It is helpful to use an odd number of mounting screws so that one screw is at the center of the platform and you can work your way out from there. This makes measuring and locating the guard much easier. You will also want the outermost screws fairly close (about 1-1/2 to 3 inches) from the edge of the platform. Too close to the edge and the teak could split, too far and the end of the guard won't be supported well. For example, if your platform were 58 inches wide with seven mount screws at 9-inch spacing, the hole pattern would be 54 inches wide overall which would leave 2 inches at each end.

   Use woodworking tools to make cuts

5. If you could not buy the guard material cut to the size you need, you can use common woodworking tools such as a Skil saw or table saw to cut it to size. Cut the material to the appropriate dimensions leaving a few extra inches at each end.

6. Drill the mount holes in the guard material carefully, starting at the center and working your way out. All mount holes should be as close to perpendicular as possible (refer to the notes for step 6 in the spacer instructions).

   Align guard with transom edge

7. Mark the exact centerline of the swim platform, and place the transom guard center hole over this centerline. Align the guard to the transom side of the platform (flush or inset a bit from the edge) where you want it keeping in mind that you will need to maintain this alignment across the whole transom edge. Mark the center hole on the platform with a punch or a nail.

8. Drill a pilot hole for the center mount screw, and mount the guard by this single screw (refer to the notes on pilot holes in step eight of the platform spacer instructions).

   The finished product

9. Align the guard with the edge of the platform, as in step seven, at the first hole from center on one side, mark and pilot drill this hole, and install the mount screw. Repeat this process for the first hole from center on the opposite side and continue to work your way toward the sides of the platform until you are finished. This will account for curvature of the platform along the transom, and ensure all the mount holes line up.

10. You will now have some guard material hanging over the sides of the platform. Mark where to cut off the excess, using the platform as a template.

    The finished product

11. Remove the guard from the platform again and cut the ends to the correct length and angle you marked in step 10.

12. Counterbore the holes for the mount screw heads in the transom guard if desired as shown in the transom guard cross section drawing. Refer to the drill depth notes for step eight of the spacer instructions.

13. Sand any sharp edges of the guard. You can remove ink and most other marks from plastics with acetone. Test a hidden area or scrap piece of material for any reaction first.

14. Reinstall the finished guard on your platform and enjoy.

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