Has anybody moved/removed a swim platform?

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crazy4salmon

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Mar 29, 2009
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C Dory Year
2006
C Dory Model
23 Venture
Vessel Name
C-Therapy
I want to install my kicker on the port side for better balance and would be mounting back about 6" on a bracket. This will give room for the handle on the kicker and room for the new trim tabs I am planning on putting on.

I removed all the bolts and was hoping to just lift up or push down on the bracket to break the sealer/caulk loose. Of course didn't work that easily. It sure seems like the Cape Cruiser guys in '06 used 5200 on it. I bet I could lift the boat off the trailer and the sealant would hold. I cant get it to budge and don't want to screw up my fiberglass.

Is there a secret that somebody could share or am I stuck with all the weight on the starboard side? Batteries, kicker and skipper. I like to fish alone so it would be best on the port side.

Thanks for your time. Tight lines.
 
5200 becomes much easier to remove if it is hot. I would use a heat gun and a piano wire garrot to separate the swim step from the hull. Some small wedges would probably be useful too.

You want to cut the caulk, not force it off. Mechanically forcing the caulk (if it is 5200) will probably pull some of the gelcoat off.

I believe that there is a thread somewhere here about someone who took a swim step off.

I added a swim step to my boat and used a fair amount of 5200 along with through bolts. I certainly did not want it coming loose.
 
Crazyforsalmon,
Good advice and there is recent testing in Practical Sailor, that test different chemicals to aid in removal of 3M5200. Will you be installing the swim platform of the starboard side of your boat?
 
srbaum":hpka4k5y said:
Crazyforsalmon,
Good advice and there is recent testing in Practical Sailor, that test different chemicals to aid in removal of 3M5200. Will you be installing the swim platform of the starboard side of your boat?
Click to expand...

There are some chemicals that soften 5200. It stays soft as long as the chemical is on it and wet. The chemical only works fairly shallow on the 5200 so there is a lot of mechanical work still involved (soften-cut-pry, repeat as needed), but the chemical helps. Be advised that the bits of 5200 that you manage to get off with the chemical will bond wherever they land and you'll need to use more solvent to get those off.

Razor blades are useful for cutting through the caulk. The solvent is most useful for getting remaining caulk off surfaces, not really for dissolving the bond between items.
 
If I take the swim step off, it will most likely stay off. Not much swimming for me up here in the PNW, and one more thing to catch lines and net fish around. If I happen to end up in the water? Lower unit will be my step :wink:
 
Rethink that lower unit as a step. We tried that with a tired swimmer a year or so ago, and it doesn't work that well. Every boat should have emergency access for boarding. I have seen several deaths from hypothermia, when the person could not be brought back aboard.

DeBond the liquid is better than the spray. You have to get a cut started to get this into the top of the 5200. Yes, heat, and a piano wire will cut the 5200. It is slow but does work. Methy Ethyl Ektone, will also cut it--but be sure it is the real stuff--not the synthetic "safe" kind. Put the debunking agent on the top of the 5200 so it is adsorbed into the bond--and work the wire, back and forth, keep some weight on the swim step.
 
crazy4salmon":1hpnrmey said:
If I take the swim step off, it will most likely stay off. Not much swimming for me up here in the PNW, and one more thing to catch lines and net fish around. If I happen to end up in the water? Lower unit will be my step :wink:
Click to expand...

We use the swim step more for boarding and exiting the boat at the dock than when swimming. We like it so much I added an additional step so there is one on both sides of the boat.
 
thataway":38ubbv1x said:
Rethink that lower unit as a step. We tried that with a tired swimmer a year or so ago, and it doesn't work that well. Every boat should have emergency access for boarding. I have seen several deaths from hypothermia, when the person could not be brought back aboard.
.
Click to expand...

The "swim ladder" which came on our boat only had 2 small steps, and did not extend very far into the water. There was nothing to grab onto to pull yourself up. A person wearing winter clothing would have a tough time getting back in the boat if they fell overboard.

Even if my wife were aboard, she would have a tough time pulling me over the transom.

I removed the old ladder and bolted a 4-step ladder onto the platform.

I am confident that I could get back aboard now.

IMG_3331.jpg


IMG_3329.jpg
 
PNW_Wesley":23lh8aze said:
thataway":23lh8aze said:
Rethink that lower unit as a step. We tried that with a tired swimmer a year or so ago, and it doesn't work that well. Every boat should have emergency access for boarding. I have seen several deaths from hypothermia, when the person could not be brought back aboard.
.
Click to expand...

The "swim ladder" which came on our boat only had 2 small steps, and did not extend very far into the water. There was nothing to grab onto to pull yourself up. A person wearing winter clothing would have a tough time getting back in the boat if they fell overboard.

Even if my wife were aboard, she would have a tough time pulling me over the transom.

I removed the old ladder and bolted a 4-step ladder onto the platform.

I am confident that I could get back aboard now.
Click to expand...

I added a handle at the back of the transom to aid boarding. Before that I had a rope attached to the aft cleat.
 
Success. Only took about 30 minutes once I found out what worked best for me. Heat gun, Sharpened putty knife, wedges and hammer. Went really well and not much damage to the boat or swim step. Cleaned out the holes and will go stuff them with some MarineTex. Then time to swap my kickers. 2016 9.9 Yami on the Port and the 2008 T8 down the road to another boat. Thanks for all the help/suggestions. Now just have to figure out the easy way to add pics???
 
If its' like ours and his held on with some evil, magical white elixir (probably 3M 5200)...bring patience, a large putty knife, a good razor knife, a window scraper single edge razor blade type and some of your best swearing/cussing.

I removed ours and moved it to port, so I could mount our kicker to starboard. It did not come off without a struggle...but I vanquished it with might, tools and perseverance.

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=16466&highlight=swimstep
 
crazy4salmon":2v55mdnc said:
Success. Only took about 30 minutes once I found out what worked best for me. Heat gun, Sharpened putty knife, wedges and hammer. Went really well and not much damage to the boat or swim step. Cleaned out the holes and will go stuff them with some MarineTex. Then time to swap my kickers. 2016 9.9 Yami on the Port and the 2008 T8 down the road to another boat. Thanks for all the help/suggestions. Now just have to figure out the easy way to add pics???
Click to expand...

Might offer it for sale on this sight. Last time some swim steps came up for sale they went quick.
 
It will be heading to Virginia to enjoy life on a 26' Venture. Will get great use on another C-Brats boat. Thanks for all the advice. Such a great resource here.
 
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