swim platform soft spot

[boatman37]

so I have a soft spot on my swim platform just behind my transom door. The platform is a bolt on and the soft spot seems to be about 15" around. There are a couple tiny hairline cracks that ooze brown out that I assume is rotten wood? There is about a 4"x4" pad underneath that supports the platform brace that has a crack in it so either the water got in there or around the 'breather' holes in the platform.

Anyway, I have 3 options here.

1) remove the platform this fall and this winter cut the bottom out and replace the core (about $300)

2) buy inject a deck and drill holes underneath let it drip a few days then inject the inject a deck then fill the holes (about $300)

3) remove the platform and send it to swimplatforms.com to have them make a new one (a little bigger) (about $4000)

My preference is option 2 due to level of difficulty. Next option is #1 but my level of expertise is about a 2 out of 10...lol

So if I go with the inject a deck can I inject it from the bottom? Will it flow uphill? I could fill from the top then fill the holes and buy Sea Deck? But the SeaDeck wouldn't happen until next year so I'd have to go all summer with ugly plugs on top of my platform.

FWIW this is a 2006 Crownline 250CR. Had a survey done and the soft spot was noted but no other issues were found so this was a known.

Anyone use inject a deck? Read another forum where a few had used it and were very happy with the results.

 

[wrench 3]

I did mine a couple of years back. Older boat just slightly larger. The core rotted out around the supports.
I went with option #1. Cost me about $200 in materials. Cleaned it out good and ruffed it up. Resined in marine plywood and fiberglassed the bottom back over.
It doesn't have to be pretty. Who looks under the swim platform?

 

[tpenfield]

I vote for option #1. If you did option #2, you would probably want to remove the platform and flip it over to work on it.

 

[fishrdan]

Option #1

 

[Scott Danforth]

option 2 is simply wasting money and time

option 1 is pocket book friendly and fixes the problem - remove it like Ted suggested so you can flip it. this is my recommendation.

option 4 - follow Ted's thread and make your own.

 

[Grub54891]

I agree with removal, flipping. By doing this not only is it easier to repair, you might find a couple smaller spots to take care of before they cause the same issue later on.

 

[boatman37]

Anyone ever use inject a dek? Removing the platform for a proper repair would have to wait until the end of summer. Wondering if I could use the inject a dek as a temporary fix then do it right this winter. This probably won'y happen because the repair would then cost me double but just wondering.

Also concerned about the complexity of the job. Sounds easy but just wondering what it will look like once I get it cut open and how much trouble I'll have getting it back together. Mainly as to the configuration of the core. Seems to me it would be one 'slab' about the size of the platform then a few reinforcing ribs running front to back underneath as I can see about 4 of these under there. Then there are 2 pads about 5"x5" that the platform struts attach to

 

[wrench 3]

I'm afraid that this is the first that I've heard of Inject a Deck.
For your repair, you just screw the reinforcements to the main slab (a bit of construction adhesive wouldn't hurt) and then fiberglass over the whole lot.

 

[briangcc]

https://injectadeck.com/about/

Seems like a bandaid - injecting 2 part foam. You're not getting rid of the rot, you're masking it so it can appear elsewhere later. So my thought process is going this route is just kicking the can down the road a bit. I personally wouldn't do it, I'd go option #1.

If you're anywhere in the NE USA, the water's currently hard - you're not launching now. Pull the platform and perform the repair so that you're not worrying about it all summer if its going to collapse when someone steps/sits on it. You have a couple months - plenty of time.

 

[boatman37]

I wouldn't be able to get this repair done before launch this year. It's in underground storage and I pick it up next Friday then Saturday morning it's going 2 hours away for new canvas. They will probably have it 2-3 weeks. And if you saw my work pace....lol. I'm guessing this job would probably take me a couple of months given the amount of time I have to work on it. Even though it is the underside I'd still want it to look as close as possible to factory. Mayne I'll hold off until fall then pull it off for winter.

 

[boatman37]

So the plan is to pull the swim platform at the end of the season and work on it over the winter while the boat is in storage. Plan to cut out the bottom and re-core the right way. Only concern will be time. Son is getting married in early October and we have to have the boat in storage by about mid October but with the wedding our plan was to pull the boat early September. So will have to work fast cause getting it off cause I know the end of September will be busy for us