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Date: 10 September 2020. The List (swim platform edition)

© janice142

My new-to-me eBay netbook is not quite as easy as my last one. I'm still learning it, installing programs, etc. Thus, please accept my apologies for the delay in uploading. J.
 

When making an appointment to go into a boatyard for non-emergencies, the yard will want to know your list of requirements. This is so they can schedule the proper amount of time for the haul-out. Of course things do not usually go as planned. Inevitably additions are made to the initial plans.
 

 

The Seaweed List:
 

1. Haul, pressure wash and paint the bottom.

2. Raise the waterline.

3. Remove the old exhaust pipes and seal those holes.

4. Remove the swim platform braces, replacing with hinges so the whole platform can be raised. This is because marinas charge by the Overall length of the boat. If I can raise the platform, I'm going to pay for 2' less of boat. Additionally I will be eliminating six holes beneath the waterline.

5. Close the drains that were in the two lockers outbound in my cockpit. Seal those holes. (There is another drain in the cockpit so the boat won't flood. I wanted those lockers to stay dry. Because the waterline was so close to those drain holes, salt water ended up in my lockers.

 


The List for Salt Creek Boatyard was a long one for someone on a budget. The initial items included removal of the old exhaust pipes, closure of two cockpit drains that are now at the waterline, removing swim platform brackets and raising the platform. I also wanted to put the platform on hinges so it could be folded up when underway.



Skipper likes to hang out on the swim platform with me...
 

You may have noticed a common theme in The List. That is that I wanted under the water holes closed off and removed. Currently Seaweed has one water intake for her engine, a second for the watermaker and a third leftover from when I had a holding tank. That last one is closed off.


When I had the overheating issue on the way to the yard, I decided that the solution would be to add a secondary propulsion method. I believed that adopting a similar system as
Manatee Moves utilizes would be ideal.
 


Little Manatee ↑ is the tender to M/V Manatee.
 

Manatee has Little Manatee, a bright orange go-fast dinghy. M/V Manatee is a single engine 36' Kadey Krogen. By virtue of harnessing the outboard on Little Manatee the owners of Manatee can safely navigate when/if their main engine has an issue.
 

TowBoatUS captain Jason
 

I wanted a similar outboard set-up for Seaweed. The idea came to the top of The List while I was being towed to the boatyard after the engine overheating fiasco...


First, the swim platform was removed.
 

In the meantime the new waterline was taped in preparation for bottom painting.


As you can see from the previous picture, the original holes through the transom have been cleaned out, patched and glassed over. Salt Creek Boatyard did a wonderful job. Those two large holes were my old exhaust pipes. The other six were from the original swim platform.
 

I have been extremely concerned about the unused holes below my waterline. The largest have now been eliminated. This relieves a tension that I've been holding inside for literally years. Those of us on a budget often have to wait longer than we would like. Thankfully, I saved enough to pay for all my Needs and a couple of Wishes too.
 

 

The addition of an outboard to the transom
would require the swim platform to be smaller.

 

The original was a creation of Mabe.

Mike took the old one, cut out the
middle and then put the two pieces
together seamlessly. It's a work of art.
 


I wanted my outboard offset. I had seen a 5hp outboard on a sister ship to Seaweed that was for sale in the Carolinas when I was shopping for my home. That boat had the motor on the starboard side of her transom, not dead center. I wanted the same set-up.
 

The old support brackets for the original swim platform after 30-plus
years had deteriorated. Salt Creek arranged for new ones to be made.


As you can imagine, I was delighted by how nicely my new swim platform turned out. I'm not so young anymore so the platform needed to be large enough to easily get onto from the water. Those dinky little step/seats some go-fast boats utilize simply would not work.
 

This platform is perfection:

A new black MOTOR MOUNT that raises and lowers was also ordered.


Of course a new outboard was needed. That's a story for another day... soon if all goes as anticipated. Thanks for reading.


I'd love to learn how many under-the-waterline holes you have in your hull.
And, do you have one of those cool sea chests?!?
 

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