Swim platform ideas for older Sea Ray

Danny Troy

Danny Troy

Member
Oct 8, 2009
861
Candlewood Lake, CT
Boat Info
2003 280 Sundancer
Engines
496MAG w/genset
I'm thinking about adding a swim platform to a 1989 220DA. I got a price of over 1800.00 (including shipping) from a recommended online vendor, and would be a lot happier spending half that. I just added new canvas, and that set me back over 2k, and that's for a boat that I haven't had in the water yet. So I'm trying to keep the cost down on this addition.

I'd like to not use wood, and would rather use some sort of composite. I priced 1" Starboard and including brackets and swim ladder that would run over 1100.00 with the shipping.

Any ideas???
 
You have one hell'uva case of boat fever...ha...ha. I hear you on the price of a platform. I have wanted one for a long time and am finally pulling the trigger....$2100....ouch!
 
Quint, Yes, it's not 10 degrees outside and I'm thinking of swim platforms. Maybe it was the NYC boat show I went to last weekend that got the fever going again! Truthfully, the wife doesn't want to go for the $$$, and says we need to use the boat for a season before we make the upgrade. I'm meeting her in the middle by going with a cheaper upgrade. I guess you know who wears the pants in my house!

Well, good luck on your platform. If I had a boat like your's I wouldn't hesitate to go for the 2100.00. I guess you're using www.swimplatforms.com They have a great product, and most of the guys there are former Sea Ray employees. I like that!

Sibilas, I would appreciate the contact on Starboard. The price I got today was 705.00 with shipping (and crating) for a 1" 96 x 48 piece. Of course I would cut that down, and have a bit of waste. This is the Starboard AS (textured finish type).
 
Last edited:
here is the contact Info

Total Plastic Inc.
1-800-492-4695
They are in Baltimore Maryland But have 16 other Locations.

Hope this helps you.
 
I visited their location in my area yesterday. That's where I got the 705.00 price. I called King and they advised me Total Plastic is the Starboard distributer in my area. They broke it down as $420.00 for the piece of Starboard, and 285.00 for shipping. Too bad I didn't think about it when I was in Florida two weeks ago. I might have picked it up on the way home and saved the shipping, directly from the factory. Although I have a small hatchback and no roof rack. Probably not doable anyway.

I'll continue to think about which way to go, whether to buy a lesser quality pre-med platform, or do it myself for a little less money. Thanks for the info though...
 
Danny Troy said:
I'll continue to think about which way to go, whether to buy a lesser quality pre-med platform, or do it myself for a little less money.
Click to expand...

Keep saving your money for the real platform and do it right. Any time someone tries to do it for a little less, it ends up costing a lot more...and it looks terrible.
 
Yes, deep down I know you're right. I was trying to get the thing, one way or another, installed before it hits the water. I may investigate and try and get a custom fiberglass job for less than 1850.00. With most companies it's the shipping charges that put me off. If I could find one within a reasonable distance I'd take the ride and pick it up myself, but it's all midwest and west coast. I'll keep looking.
 
Hi Danny you’ve got it BAD maybe even worse than me....LOL. You’re not going to like this but I am in agreement with your wife. Get a season out of your boat, see if you really need it first. I saw your finished anchor hatch, it looks like I good job so I have no doubt that you could do a nice job of a DIY swim platform, but trust me, I speak from experience, you can’t beat a properly made item. You know it’ll to do your job exactly, straight out of the box and it isn’t going to get ripped off in a flowing sea or break when you jump on it.
 
I'm glad my wife doesn't read this forum....she would be giving me the "see, I told you so", routine.

Thanks for the compliments on the anchor locker. I think it came out pretty nice, and almost has a factory look to it. That said, I just found a site with different sized ready-made hatches, so down the road I may switch to a ready-made hatch. Like me son says "I can't leave well enough alone". I guess us retired guys have more time to mess around with the hobbies.

I hear you about going with a pro platform, and I'm now leaning toward one of the better fiberglass platforms. I just called swim-platform.com, and will be getting a price from them, as well as the 1850.00 price I got from swimplaforms.com.

I have a rigid kayak that I electrified, and use that as a retrieval boat for my r/c airplanes. So the platform will be my area to fly from, and also be the place my kayak is mounted while at dock and while underway. My last boat, a pontoon boat, had plenty of room to store the kayak. No so with the 220DA. The swim platform will be the perfect place for it.

I never thought about it, but you have another nice seat when docked with the platform, so that's another plus for the platform.

So, I really don't think I can let a season go by without the platform. The biggest downside for me will be backing in to an already tight slip area. I'm hoping the power steering and 5-blade prop will help with this. It wasn't very easy pulling straight in with the pontoon boat, especially on a windy day, so I'm somewhat ready for it. I always felt the pontoon boat was like putting a square peg in a round hold sorta thing. I'm old enough to remember what it was like with a straight inboard wood cruiser. Always a lot of fun backing in with no rudder control while in reverse!

UPDATE: I'm getting close to pulling the trigger on the platform. Turns out the wife had wanted to get it for my birthday in August. Way too late, since I can't pull the boat out to install it. So discussions are ongoing right now!
 
Last edited:
As one who has added the platform from Swimplatforms, Inc....Add the platform or wait until you can afford it. These platforms are made for your model boat and look like they belong. It will be difficult to make one out of starboard and have it look like anything other than a home made platform.

Remember....there's never time or money to do it right but there is alwas time and money to do it over.
 
Earlier today I spoke to both www.swimplatforms.com and www.swim-platform.com and although they both sound like very qualified manufacturers, I like the idea that the non-dash company has the mould already made for the 220DA. They sent me the photo of the platform before it gets installed, and it look like it will fit like a glove. As you know, it has such good support from it's horizontal and vertical mounting bolts that there's hardly a need for bracing, but I understand they include two for extra support. Both companies pricing is similar.
 
Danny Troy said:
Earlier today I spoke to both www.swimplatforms.com and www.swim-platform.com and although they both sound like very qualified manufacturers, I like the idea that the non-dash company has the mould already made for the 220DA. They sent me the photo of the platform before it gets installed, and it look like it will fit like a glove. As you know, it has such good support from it's horizontal and vertical mounting bolts that there's hardly a need for bracing, but I understand they include two for extra support. Both companies pricing is similar.
Click to expand...

Scott Samuelson, the owner of Swimplatforms, Inc. is a former Sea Ray factory employee. I can speak from experience. His company makes a superior product and the customer service is second to none.
 
NorCal Boater said:
Scott Samuelson, the owner of Swimplatforms, Inc. is a former Sea Ray factory employee. I can speak from experience. His company makes a superior product and the customer service is second to none.
Click to expand...

Yes, I spoke to Paul yesterday, and he was with Sea Ray for 25 years. This is no fly-by-night operation!
 
Good Luck Danny! Keep pluggin away. By the way have you tried e-bay? every once in a while I see stuff like that.:thumbsup:
 
Yes, I tried Ebay. I found one person that sells them for 600.00, but it looks like he's using Ebay to steer traffic to his website, where you'll find a higher price. Not anything like the one at swimplatform.com. I'm just going to get the best, or in the end I'll probably wish I had. I sold my old boat for 6k less than I paid for the 220, so I have some $$ to play with.

Opps...reverse that last line.... bought the 220 for 6k less. (I should proof-read my posts)
 
Last edited:
I think you're being smart by doing it properly and not trying to built your own.
 
I built mine out of Starboard for 290DA.It's a bit of work and every bit of $800 said and done in my case.2 days to do it.Nothing better than a nice big deck.
swimdeck.jpg

swimdeck003.jpg

swimdeck009.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,154
Messages
1,427,384
Members
61,060
Latest member
Danileo
Back
Top