[Forgottencoast]

Ok so I posted this in the wrong forum a while back... the platform on my 93 Bonefisher is very unstable....it seems to be coming from a crack on the starboard side stern mount. structurally, the stern is solid, but where the platform is mounted it has some play causing it to be pretty wobbly when the seas get rough. Does anyone have any options for me on fixing this, besides a new platform? I'm not opposed to just putting a new one on. besides that, how can I fix the crack in the cap?

thanks!

 

[lemaymiami]

The aluminum structure that your platform is bolted to needs to be solid and solidly bolted to a solid deck... Yours is probably none of those things...

The first step is to take your rig to an outfit that specializes in pipe welding aluminum. They’ll tell you whether your tower can be fixed (cracks re-welded) or whether you’re going to need a completely new tower... To repair, they’ll need to remove it entirely...

Once the tower is removed the fiberglass it was bolted to will need to be repaired and made solid again. That’s a job anyone can do with a bit of skill and the desire to learn... or that any competent glass shop can do for you.

Me, the tower on my old Maverick is not original. I had to have a new one made about 12 or 15 years ago...

Aren’t boats fun?

 

[bryson]

Pictures might help some too -- sounds like you're saying both the fiberglass hull and the aluminum tubing are cracked?

 

[Forgottencoast]

no, the tubing on the platform frame is in perfect shape. it is just the fiberglass that is cracked. I will try to get a picture asap

 

[Forgottencoast]

First picture is hatch closed, not flexing on the platform. second picture is with me putting pressure on the top of platform

 

[Boatbrains]

It is fixable, but you need to get a good look at the bottom side too. If you can get a pick of that, I can advise on repair method. But, it is structurally comprimised and gonna take some effort and skill to repair.

 

[yobata]

Sorry if this is a derail, does anyone know when the hewes went from a wood transom to a composite transom, '88?

 

[Forgottencoast]

I’m taking it down to Harry spear now and gunna let him advise on how to go about fixing it. Once the glass is fixed I’m gunna look into getting a new platform built that has the back legs sitting where the front legs are sitting now, and the front legs moved forward on top of deck

 

[Forgottencoast]

Ok- talked to Harry and I think we have a game plan. Going to take old platform off, fill holes, fix glass, then have a new platform built. Harry spent a lot of time with me and came up with a good layout for new platform. Very happy to have someone like that so close to home, even tho there’s now a bunch of pencil marks and writing all over my boat

 

[Forgottencoast]

If anyone is interested in keeping up with this- went to metal fab here in Tallahassee and got the new platform and also a casting platform planned out today. They say 2-3 weeks but who knows. In the mean time I pulled the old platform off, the damage does not seem as bad without the platform on there. Going to get it to Harry this week and hopefully have it fixed by the time new platform is finished.

 

[bryson]

Sure, I'd like to see what you come up with for the new platform design!

I don't love how the platform on my lappy is mounted, but I do like the old school look. I wouldn't mind making a new one that didn't tie into the transom, so seeing some other designs would be great.

 

[Forgottencoast]

Update: Harry is looking at next week for repair- he wants to repair it from inside the compartments, im not sure how that's going to work, but he knows more about it than me. I did run it by another well known fiberglass guy in my area and he said he could do it from the outside....any suggestions on this?

 

[Boatbrains]

Let Harry fox it from the inside. Any repair from the outside would be mostly a “cosmetic” repair. A structural repair can be done from the outside, but the repair area would be huge and I don’t know anyone that would do it that way unless there is just no access.

 

[Forgottencoast]

thanks for the reply- I am in no way questioning harry, he knows boats inside and out, literally. Hell, ill even put a Spear Boatworks decal on it when he gets done if he will let me haha

 

[Zika]

If anyone is interested in keeping up with this- went to metal fab here in Tallahassee and got the new platform and also a casting platform planned out today. They say 2-3 weeks but who knows. In the mean time I pulled the old platform off, the damage does not seem as bad without the platform on there. Going to get it to Harry this week and hopefully have it fixed by the time new platform is finished.

You're in competent hands with both shops, but you're dealing with the spring fever rush. So it may take a little longer than the original estimates.

 

[Forgottencoast]

You're in competent hands with both shops, but you're dealing with the spring fever rush. So it may take a little longer than the original estimates.

I know I am- that’s what I get for waiting till last minute. Worst case scenario, I should still have the boat by tarpon season. Hopefully will have it all completed by late April. Once I get the glass work done, I can still at least fish it until the platforms get done.

 

[Zika]

No big rush. There won't be a tarpon swimming within 200 miles of the 850 area code.

 

[Forgottencoast]

so here is a small update- to my surprise, metal fab is finished before the fiberglass guy. Harry, was too busy to do the work so I ended up taking it to Mike in St marks. He said 3 weeks tops, which was a few days ago....I talked to him and he said another week or 2 so we will see...

Here is some pics of the platform- they are waiting to install the seadeck until they put it on the boat.

 

[Boatbrains]

Man those fiberglass guys are SLOW!

 

[yobata]

Man those fiberglass guys are SLOW!

Slow is one thing, but when you go into the bragging section and the guy who is supposed to be building a boat posts on the build thread and you think oh, there must be updated pics only to realize he just posted some banter... that's when you really feel let down!