Re: 16' Nescher ski boat complete restore- SPLASHED!!
Here is the step by step on the layout...which I'm sure you all know is the hardest part. I started by "leveling" the boat, which of course is finding a reference surface that is level with the horizontal plane. Easier said that done on a boat, you need a freaking surveyor with all the curves. There should be a law that manufactures have to provide some bench marks for us to reference in a rebuild! I don't know how many hours I have spent measuring to round corners to square things up or find an angle
.....there is no good way.
I did figure out during the build that the top of the transom is more or less "level" that is parallel to the two "ribs" that run from it towards the bow. Using the transom as a reference is a bit hard with Max bolted to it. So I used the two ribs, a level and a floor jack to "level: the hull, parallel to the transom.
Once I jacked it up and got it the hull level I could use the level to layout the swim platforms so the would be "strait across" the back. I also went to great lengths to center Max so he became my second reference point. I needed this to figure out where to place them vertically on the transom and keep both sides at the same height relative to the bottom of the hull....or top of the transom depending on how you think about it. My worst nightmare was to have them at different "heights". I put tape (3M automotive paint tape, pricey but works great) on the transom at about the height I thought I would mount them. I then arbitrarily measured down from a mounting bolt on each side of Max. Now I had two points that were the same height on both sides. That point is the mark with the arrow and RET (should be ref) pointing to it.
I then took the level and then compared the point to the pinstripe coming down the side of hull. You can see in this pick that it is a inch or so above the water. I want the platforms about 2" above the water.
It turns out that the point lined up almost exactly with the pinstripe so I measured up about 1-1/2" and marked where the top of the bracket should be. Then I put a horizontal line on a piece of tape across the back of the transom. I held up the transom with the brackets on it and measured from Max to the inside bracket and marked that. That gave me both horizontal and vertical references for the brackets. Next I laid the bracket / platform assembles on top of some chip board and traced out the brackets and holes.
I trimmed of the top and outsides of the template and taped it over the reference points.....triple checked my measurements....sweated some then drilled two of the top holes! Both assemblies fit like a charm....now hopefully they are the right height and angle...but I won't know that till she is in the water.
I have no clue if that makes any sense...but that is my best shot at explaining the process!
