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Swim platform, looking to learn from anyone's experience before ordering.
fiercelycasual
Member Posts: 2 ✭
Recently purchased a 212 captiva (2003), its our first boat and we love it. We are looking at swim platform options, and I have been searching through the discussions to learn from others experience. I am looking at buying the factory mold (with a 12 hour round trip I can pick up for 1700) or ordering one online for around 2300-2500 with shipping. The factory platform looks just a little bit bigger, and seems to fit the curvature of the back of the boat real nice.
A couple questions for anyone who might know:
A) It looks like the factory platform is designed to be flush with the back of the boat, but I have seen pictures where people have mounted it a couple inches lower and closer to the water. We like that it sits lower (we have a dog) to the water, but I am wondering if this would create drag during the hole shot of getting up on plane? Does anyone have experience with this?
Some of the custom installs I have seen have cut out holes for the stern eyes, but the factory mold from great lakes skipper does not seem to make this possible. Is it advantageous to cut out holes for the stern eyes?
C) We would like to eventually add a grill to the boat, it looks like there have been some custom installs of drilling a mounting bracket into the swim platform to have the grill located there. Is there anyone that has found an ideal set up for putting a grill on a captiva?
Thanks for any input, it is much appreciated!
A couple questions for anyone who might know:
A) It looks like the factory platform is designed to be flush with the back of the boat, but I have seen pictures where people have mounted it a couple inches lower and closer to the water. We like that it sits lower (we have a dog) to the water, but I am wondering if this would create drag during the hole shot of getting up on plane? Does anyone have experience with this?
Some of the custom installs I have seen have cut out holes for the stern eyes, but the factory mold from great lakes skipper does not seem to make this possible. Is it advantageous to cut out holes for the stern eyes?C) We would like to eventually add a grill to the boat, it looks like there have been some custom installs of drilling a mounting bracket into the swim platform to have the grill located there. Is there anyone that has found an ideal set up for putting a grill on a captiva?
Thanks for any input, it is much appreciated!
Answers
I bought a factory platform for the 2001 232. It sits just under the rub rail and flush with the water. I don't have any problems getting on plane. When I picked it up from the Rinker factory, it only had pockets for the stern eyes. They forgot to bore the holes out. Also, the pockets did not line up with the stern eyes. I had to relocate the eyes.
The platform itself did not have the exact shape as the transom. There was a gap at the centerline when the sides were touching the transom. When it was bolted up, it drew the center in. I have to believe this was Rinkers thought as it made it flush from side to side.
As for the BBQ grill, I would put a thick piece of stainless Sheetmetal under to transfer any load.