swim platform for bayliner

hi, does anyone have swim platforms for their IO's i have a Bayliner Capri and everytime someones riding they have a huge problem getting out of the water and up in the boat, so i am thinking of installing a swim platform on it so that people can put on and take of their board on.

here is a picture of the back of the boat. Does anyone have any ideas or sugestions.

Due to the fact that i cannot use normal brackets with 90 degree angle mounting the platform, as you can see on the picture showing the profile of the boat i was thinking of making something like the simplified model below. where the platform is inserted into 2 or more poles and somehow screwed tight. Here are the pics

You're going to create way too much stress that way. Make some shelf brackets that conform to the contour of the boat. A local welder can probably do it fairly cheap. Then the problem will be the actual surface. (This sounds like a potential small business opportunity.)

Looks to me like you just need more weight. You already have a swim platform. You just need to get it closer to the water.

Seriously though, I agree with Ray. You'll definitely want some kind of structural support. You'll just have to have brackets on the top. They'll be in the way but what can you do?

I actually think you can get away with brackets underneath the step. Just get rid of the old boarding ladder, make sure the transom will support (reinforce if not), fit the supports and drill some holes.

I had an '89 Capri without the built in swimstep and I would have had to create a hump for the outdrive to clear when the trim was in the up position. On yours, it looks like you can clear, but check to see that when the wheel is turned the whale fins don't hit the proposed step.

He could mount the supports on the bottom but only if he puts the swim platform up high. If he does that, however, what't the point? It would be just about even with the built-in platform.

I was just thinking that if you want to get really innovative (or ghetto?), you could try mounting to the sides of the boat. You could get some brackets fabricated out of stainless or aluminum plate that mount to the sides and extend back to support the platform. Like this:



You could probably get a piece welded to the insides of the supports through which you could bolt some wood. Or maybe someplace can bend the tops of the supports over forming an angle for the same thing...I'm not sure how they do that.

If all that is unavailable or too expensive you could just rivet/bolt some angle stock to the supports.

I just figured that if you can't get good support on the back, the side is wide open.

That's interesting. That's a good job of illustrating.

I started thinking more of Salmon's original idea. The brackets from on top could actually go horizontally through the transom and mount to the built in swim step underneath. The platform may need some outside support however, which might be accomplished with something as simple as tail gate cables.

Salmon, i really like that idea, its quite interesting, i never thought of that, and the illustration is really great as well. But shouldt i try to have some mounting in the middle of the platform as well to relieve the center pressure. I wouldnt want to damage the hull of the boat.

/Jonny

i'm not clever enough for a diagram but what about using 'L' brackets a different way. normally, the brackets are under the platform and look more like half of a 'T'. instead, put them on top of the platform (kinda ghetto) with the supports going under the platform, more like a true 'L' shape holding the platform up. it looks like there's more room above where the platform would go to attach brackets in the draker blue section of the hull. the angle for the bracket would be more than 90 degrees.

does that make sense? so, in taco's picture, the brackets would hold stick above the platform and attach in the dark blue area.

Here's what Julia did (I'm collect pics while think about my plans to add a swim deck to my I/O)



and another guys I/O swim deck

Man, I am sure glad I don't own an IO. I love having a swim platform without a big ugly monster underneath.