Installing Extended Swim Platform

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2015 9:19 pm

Help! I have wanted and ESP for years, and finally pulled the trigger. It sits in my garage now, and Im kind of "frozen" with a deer in headlights look :shock:

thinking about installing it.

I bought a huge tube (caulk gun size) of 3M 5200. However, I am nervous as all shit thinking about drilling into my 278 Vista's transom. The ESP company gave me these gigantic stainless lag screws for the transom. I'm afraid the screws are longer, than the transom is thick. :?:

Also very nervous about water intrusion into the core of my transom either way.

Anybody out there install an ESP before and can you give me any reassurance/tips? Im a very DIY guy with lotsa tools. However, I get cold feel whenever it comes to drilling into my boats. :shock:

acguy · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2015 10:02 pm

Don't sweat it. I installed one on my 97 sundowner, and have also Put in new thru hulls on the bottom of my boat. Use the proper size drill bit and put some 5200 in the holes and then on both sides after the nut and bolts in. You will have no issue.
Half the battle is getting everything set up, the easy part is the drilling and caulking.
Not sure how your esp is laid out, does it fasten just under your existing or on top?

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2015 7:12 am

It mounts on top of the existing integrated swim platform.

LouC · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2015 8:49 am

How about posting a pic of the platform and the stern of the boat?

JohnScott · **Posted:** Sat May 02, 2015 7:14 pm

I installed an after market from Four Winns on my 1995 258 and it went real well and we were completely satisfied. However, I know how you feel. I was a little hinkey about it. The most important part is in the planning making sure where you are to drill your holes to attach to existing swim platform that there is clearance and you have access to attaching the washers and nuts. You mentioned you had lag screws??? Don't use lag screws, I would thru bolt with carriage bolts ( I believe they were 7/16 or 3/8) to ensure a solid attachment and use very large washers on the underside with lock washers before the nut. Use plenty of sealant around and in the holes and you will be fine. We never had any water infiltration. Also, make sure the support brackets attach to the transom where there are no obstacles in the way and you have access to get a wrench on the nuts. Overall, get some help as you will need another set of hands and another head to think things through. Finally, best thing we ever did to our 258. Funny story....when I had it up for sale, I had guys calling me just wanting the swim platform???????????? What were they thinking? Best wishes...PM me if you have other questions.

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Sun May 03, 2015 8:30 pm

Ok... well, today we had a "swim platform install party" and between about 10 of us, LOL, we got the platform installed!!!

It wasnt as bad as it sounded. I read the directions that came with the platform from the company, and followed them. It helped. I went through a whole tube of 3M 5200. I had a friend who is a marine surveyor come over, he measured the moisture in my transom and stringers (15 & 17% respectively) as a base line.

Turns out, it wasnt as hard as I made it out to be. The hardest & most time consuming part of the whole project was the stanchons that go from the bottom of the platform to the transom - you REALLY want to take your time and NOT screw those up. Thanfully, all 4 installed without a hitch. I really, really can not wait to get the boat launched!!

Enjoy the pictures:

GottWhat · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 8:45 am

Looks awesome!

PS: Can you PM me the contact info of your mechanic, I am looking for someone I can trust for future repairs and maintenance

JohnScott · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 7:23 pm

Looks great. You are really going to enjoy the extra room. Was the swim platform a Four Winns product? Enjoy.

Jdpber · **Posted:** Mon May 04, 2015 8:43 pm

Now add the stripper pole

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2015 8:12 am

Launched the boat yesterday - get this - the swim platform made little/no difference in planing and performance

I was prepared for the worst. I had 5 other people on board, a full water tank and 3/4 tank of gas. Got right up on plane and ran GREAT!

Come on Summer 2015

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 02, 2016 3:35 pm

Just an update - a friend posted a few pictures of me pulling up to the raft off with in my Vista. The extended swim platform REALLY shines in this picture... Look at all of that new "real estate" I added to the back

I used to have the smallest (integrated) swim platform - now when I am next to all of my friends, I have the largest!! lol. It is quite the talk of the party.

Thalasso · **Joined:** Tue Jan 18, 2011 8:45 pm **Posts:** 333

Technologic80 wrote:

Help! I have wanted and ESP for years, and finally pulled the trigger. It sits in my garage now, and Im kind of "frozen" with a deer in headlights look :shock:

thinking about installing it.

I bought a huge tube (caulk gun size) of 3M 5200. However, I am nervous as all shit thinking about drilling into my 278 Vista's transom. The ESP company gave me these gigantic stainless lag screws for the transom. I'm afraid the screws are longer, than the transom is thick. :?:

Also very nervous about water intrusion into the core of my transom either way.

Anybody out there install an ESP before and can you give me any reassurance/tips? Im a very DIY guy with lotsa tools. However, I get cold feel whenever it comes to drilling into my boats. :shock:

Delete

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 03, 2016 6:58 pm

That looks really good on your boat.

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:26 pm

It really looks great and if I was younger with small kids then I might want one. The only drawbacks here are lobster pots. If you run over the line for one and it gets tangled around your prop, any kind of extended swim platform is going to make it very difficult to get the rope off your prop. I can hang over the standard platform on my boat and change props, etc. But for fun those things are really nice.

www.iFourWinns.com

Installing Extended Swim Platform

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