Need advice on mounting swim ladder

Rapidroy5858

Rapidroy5858

Member
Sep 23, 2018
82
LaPorte In.
Boat Info
1990 searay sundancer 270
Engines
Twin 4.3 mercruiser
Our 1990 270 da did not come with a swim ladder the original brackets are on the platform but I have had no luck finding the same original ladder.
I purchased a 4 step collapsible style to replace the original .
My question is what is the best way to secure it to the platform.
Stainless lags?
heavy duty stainless self tappers?
or is there a better method?.
I do not know how thick the platform is and that's a concern as well.
Any advice is appreciated.
 
I think if you search around this forum a bit you'll find a few postings about how folks have properly installed items on their swim platforms. Try searching for davit installs as well since that's likely more common than swim ladders.

Proper install is important since your swim platform is likely cored (wood). She'll rot in short order if you just start poking too many holes in her!
 
Through bolt, drill larger than needed holes, then epoxy them full. Then drill the correct size. This guarantees that you will not have any water leak into the swim platform internal and rot it.... If you are using 1/4" hardware, do 3/8"holes that should leave 1/16" of epoxy to seal the fiberglass..... go with long screws then replace them with the correct length the next weekend
 
Chris-380 said:
Through bolt, drill larger than needed holes, then epoxy them full. Then drill the correct size. This guarantees that you will not have any water leak into the swim platform internal and rot it.... If you are using 1/4" hardware, do 3/8"holes that should leave 1/16" of epoxy to seal the fiberglass..... go with long screws then replace them with the correct length the next weekend
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply, I did not realize it thru bolted looks to be almost impossible to get to the underside of the platform to install the nuts.
 
Rapidroy5858 said:
Thanks for the reply, I did not realize it thru bolted looks to be almost impossible to get to the underside of the platform to install the nuts.
Click to expand...

Could be different than my past 3 boats then, i think one needed 2" screws....
 
Rapidroy5858 said:
Our 1990 270 da did not come with a swim ladder the original brackets are on the platform but I have had no luck finding the same original ladder.
I purchased a 4 step collapsible style to replace the original .
My question is what is the best way to secure it to the platform.
Stainless lags?
heavy duty stainless self tappers?
or is there a better method?.
I do not know how thick the platform is and that's a concern as well.
Any advice is appreciated.
Click to expand...

Call around to marine wreckers in your area. You can probably find one that way. I really wish they had on-line inventory, but they normally don't. Takes some time on the phone.
 
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