a month or two ago i finished my project. a bigger, wider, deeper swimstep. i used trex decking. i will let you know its pretty heavy compared to the smaller, lighter teak step, but gives so much more room when boarding and putting on your board and stuff. plus more girls can dance on it!! lol<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/595046.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/595047.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/595048.jpg" alt="Upload"> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/595049.jpg" alt="Upload">

I applaud your creativety, but can't stop thinking about the sanford and son theme song. <BR> <BR>Reminds me of when I had some 6x9's in carpeted mdf mouted to my grabrail on my old 88 ski supreme.

I am totally jibbing your swim platform.

You need to put a hand rail on that thing like my deck off my back porch.<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/rofl.gif" border=0>

Cool! Just don't put to many honeys on the platform. Have ever seen a boat with cracks all over the transom?? Also, I know it has to be tempting, specially with beauty of a platform but don't let them sit or stand on it when the boat is out of water... Just my two cents... Others will disagree, but have replaced more than on transom.

You should put some sort of foam padding on it... might scratch your board up.

how bout just rounding it off a bit?

Looks good. Couple of things though would have used 2x instead of the 5/4 you used. Also it may not work as you hoped Trex is not very structural it can wrap, twist and curl. I use a home built steam box to bend into curves. I have built around 100 decks with Trex and Choicedek. So hot summer sun and water and you can see where I am going. Have you stood directly in the middle of it yet you may have a fair bit of deflection in it. Typically 5/4 Trex is designed to span over 16 o.c. joists. The last thing is with only to points of support the middle will want to sag and the ends will rise. It’s like putting a rubber band between your thumb and index finger and pulling it back. Your middle support will help some because it will spread the load across all 4 boards. If you find that the middle sags a little to much add a board vertically as a transom guard and it will make a huge difference. Also doubling the edges will make it way stronger.

no offense...but it looks like the top of a picnic table...

it does sag a bit. i've had close to 600lbs on it and was surprised. i still have my old on, just in case. as for as scratching boards, it doesn't and you can't tell by the pics but i did round the edges with a router. but brandon, you're right thick pieces would of been better. i think for next summer i may try to glass &amp; lineX another one from wood. so far i'm please with it for now.

I wonder how much if any that would effect your wake

Hahahaaha thats some funny lookin s--t rite there

The shape &amp; thickness are a little "picnic tablish". But your gonna love the maintenance on that baby compared to the teak..... <BR> <BR><i>By Sam Ingram (wakeboardsam) on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 - 9:07 pm: <BR>Cool! Just don't put to many honeys on the platform. Have ever seen a boat with cracks all over the transom?? Also, I know it has to be tempting, specially with beauty of a platform but don't let them sit or stand on it when the boat is out of water... Just my two cents... Others will disagree, but have replaced more than on transom.</i> <BR> <BR>Hey Sam, I'm curious how it's any different when the boat is in the water than out. Is your swimstep somehow floating to support more weight? <BR> <BR>I've replaced the brackets on a swimstep after they were broken while the boat was in the water. Not sure that had anything to do with it though.

You still use composite decking material... make it look nice.. with some shape.. and rounded corners and edges...

wood is buoyant so the weight factor is a lot different in the water than out of the water

Your making an assumption that the swimstep is under the surface, Ken. Even with 900 lbs of ballast &amp; 2 or 3 people in the boat my swimstep is not underwater. <BR> <BR>With my Prostar, I had 800 lbs of ballast &amp; it <u>was</u> underwater &amp; it still broke the brackets when someone jumped down on it from the transom (maybe 10"?).

very true but still when the boat is in the water the boat will give where as when the boat is out of water there is no give at all

it does not really make a difference if the platform is under water or not, when the boat is in the water it will move with the boat, basically just sinking. When its ok land no give is present. I actually saw a very large woman step out of a boat after cleaning the interior, she stepped onto the platform and the transom gave out. She ended up on her butt with the platform hanging.

Not sure if you are into ideas for adjustment or not but, this may save you some weight and look a little more pleasing. With the weight you saved you may be able to double up the edges and add strength. <BR> <BR>DISCLAIMER: not a photoshop expert<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/596467.jpg" alt="Upload">