Tie down to swim platform
 

Does anyone here hook transom tie downs to their swim platform brackets? I want to get some tie downs for my 97 Supra but the lift eyes are above the swim platform so there is nothing to hook them to other than brackets.

My Prostar 205 was setup that way too. Plus when I weighted the boat the swimstep was always underwater. So I bought a couple of 2" thick plastic blocks (tapplastics.com), installed them between the swimstep & the brackets with a tiny bit more space between the hull & the swimstep. Solved two issues.... the swimstep was out of the water, even with the boat full of ballast, and the stern straps could easily slide between the swim platform & the hull to the lifting rings.

Yeah on my 01 SAN I hook the tow straps to the swim platform. I just dont get them super tight, just tight enough so its not gonna go anywhere.

Thats how our 99 was and our 05 is. The strap will run behind the platform up to the lift rings.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...oatpics029.jpg

tie down
 

On my 01 SAN i do that as well, and just like Seth said just have them snug, i dont crank them down super hard

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vaXNSY_QaP4/Sd...0/IMG_2535.JPG

I have done it off the platform brackets. I don't think it is going to keep the boat on the trailer if something really bad happens but it at least keeps the boat from bouncing around on the trailer.

I have always wondered what those black covers are on the Naqutiques. Aren't they just covers for U bolts?

It would be better if you could add stainless u-bolts below the platform. Can you get access to drill and tighten the backside?

Brett, they call them "transom cups" or something like that. Basically, they just cover the lift eyes in the back. There are holes in the swim platform right above them to gain access from above, just not from below.

you can usually run the staps behind the platform, and i would be cautious about using the platform to tie it down

Tony, are the "cups" removable? Is so why not just remove them and use the lift eyes for tying down? I guess I just don't see the point in the covers.

Sorry for the hijack Chris. I would consider moving the platform a half an inch or so away from the transom and remount the platform to the brackets.

They're removable (4 screws on each) but I think you'd have to fill the holes with epoxy because they go directly into the gelcoat. I think the purpose of them is so that water doesn't come flying through the holes on the swim platform when you're out in rough water. Other than that, I can't think of any other good reason for them.

Well I bought some tie downs today thinking I could slide them behind the platform but no luck. It is to tight so it looks like I will need to move the platform out just a quarter inch or so.

Those transom cups on the Nautiques are there to limit the amount of exhaust fumes that come up through the platform. And believe me, they are necessary. My 2005 SANTE had those cups break off (not sure why) but the exhaust was very apparent on the platform with those off.

What happened to your rudder in the picture? Looks like it was burnt or melted.

Correct Craft has included a tunable rudder in their boats since i believe 1997. It basically a fin on the backside of the rudder that you can tune left or right so the driver can feel "feedback" on the steering wheel. Or you could just leave it in the middle so you can take you hands off the wheel and have the boat go in a straight line. The tunable rudder was mainly made for use by slalom drivers going through a course.

what about notching out the platform?