First boat....walk through transom?

So, I am in the process of most likely buying my first boat. This will be used for diving in Lake Michigan. My only gripe is that it doesn't have a walk through transom.

I know the Stamas boats have a very heavy hull. Do you think it will be an issue to add a walk through to the below boat? It doesn't need to be flush with the swim platform, so I was thinking of leaving a few inches for more support that people can just step over...

Any thoughts would be GREATLY appreciated and I will be around more as I keep messing with this upcoming purchase

Thanks in advance and this is the boat:

http://www.boats.com/listing/galler...r/21663431?r=21663431&entityid=21663431&pic=2

Re: First boat....walk through transom?

I'm doing the same thing for much the same reasons.

Here's what you have to consider: The hull strength almost doesn't matter, the stiffness of the transom is what you need to worry about.

If you cut a piece out, you're effectively lowering the transom horizontally to a height equal with the bottom edge of the cut-out. That makes the transom weaker.

For an inboard boat it wouldn't matter much, but for an I/O (or outboard) you need the stiffness and strength.

So you'll have to reinforce the transom, either all over by replacing or augmenting it, or by providing extra support around the edges of the hole, such as extra braces between the transom and sides, and bracing between the stringers and the most unsupported corner of the hole.

People have cut out a hole before in boats and just used it, but without support you're asking for problems.

If you want ease of boarding consider a ladder/stairway that lets divers walk over the transom... check out the ladder on the Seeker (east coast dive boat that runs to the Doria) for an example.

Erik