Swim Brackets Loose - '99 OB

[Waynes345]

I've been away from the board for a while, but it looks like everybody is playing well together again.

When I put my '99 Outback in the water last week, I noticed the swim platform brackets were coming loose. One side worse than the other. I removed the platform until I can get them fixed to lessen the wear and tear. A quick look inside looks like I can't get to the backside of the bolts without pulling the gas tank. Anybody have any experience with this problem or been back there to know about access? Thanks.

Wayne

[Lynn Syndrom]

Wayne,
I have not pulled the tank or looked extremely close at the bolt acess, but I did find the bolts on the swim platform bracket (mounted to transom) loose during the pre-season walk through. I was able to tighten them with large phillips screw driver got about 1/2 turn on each before they got tight.

[98Roo]

I am dealing with this right now. The brackets are just bolted on with lag bolts and the pad the bolts screw into are a pretty crappy design from the factory if you ask me. Get any number of people on the platform or use it as a step when out of the water really puts a lot of pressure on those small pads and lag bolts. I realize they were trying to make the boat without using any wood but wood might've been a good idea here..

The guy I bought my boat from tried to repair it by putting small metal pads behind it and thru bolting it which cracked the gelcoat all around the brackets out about 6". I am getting a large piece of 3/4" plywood glassed into the transom. There will also be smaller 3/4" pads behind that where the bolts go. It will be thru bolted and I will have access panels there to tighten the bolts if needed.

[kaneboats]

Please post up some pics of the process and finished product. Sounds like you have a nice solution.

[Waynes345]

Thanks Roo, that was my suspicion. If I have time, I'll be digging in this weekend.

[gammapark]

I had a leak in my '06 Outback that I traced to the swimdeck fasteners being loose. Luckily mine were fairly easy to get to by removing the back panel in the swim locker. The hardware was just high enough above the fuel tank to get a wrench onto them. A more sturdy backing would be a good idea though.