Makin Memories new swim platform is nearing completion. We are on the schedule to haul-out later this month to attach our custom swim platform and perform other work in preparation for the Great Loop beginning in January. I thought I would write about the materials being used by Doug at Custom Boat Work co-located with Pitman’s Yacht Service in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
I thought I would write a little about the materials being used by Doug at Custom Boat Work which is co-located with Pitman’s Yacht Service in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Doug recommended using 1708 bi-axle glass as the multiple laying fabric on top of and on the bottom of the Kay-Cel core (more on Kay-cel 
in a moment). 1708 bi-axle glass is a heavy duty glass reinforcement common in marine construction. Used where high strength and fast build-up are necessary. It contains double bias(17oz) stitched at +/- 45 degrees to provide this superior strength. The mat in this fabric is stitched and fully compatible with polyester, vinyl ester, and epoxy resins.
The core of this swim platform is made by Kayco and is called Kay-cel. The Kay-cel core makes use of polyurethane rigid foam has been growing rapidly in 
many industries due to its excellent combination of energy conservation, good mechanical strength with lighter weight than other traditional materials. It is a rigid, closed-cell, high-density polyurethane foam core panel. Its advantages are:
Excellent Strength-to-Weight ratio
Foam Reinforced with fiberglass increases mechanical properties
Lightweight – 30% Lighter Than Marine Plywood
Closed Cell Cross-Linked Polymer Foam will not absorb water
Will Not Rot…Excellent Replacement for Wood
You may note a white bar in the pictures provided also. That is the material of the blow-out sections (four of them) in the event of taking swells from the stern that would otherwise exert excessive force on the transom. They will be held in place with #8 screws.
The mold for Makin Memories new swim platform has begun.Hurricane Irma put the brakes on the pro
cess due to the craftsman’s having to evacuate. We dodged a bullet and Doug is back to work and ready to begin. The last swim platform was rotten at its core and we began to notice extreme flex at the port end. The new platform is slightly larger (deeper by 3 and 1/4 inches) and will be raised three inches higher on the transom. I added a couple photos to demonstrate the process.
Fortunately, Makin Memories weathered Irma without any significant damage, in fact, she fared better than our home. With trees down and debris everywhere, at home, Makin Memories kept all her canvas and glass and took very little water onboard. As witnessed down south of us, it could have been so much worse. Our hearts go out to those who suffered the damaging effects of Irma, and we wish them godspeed in their recovery.
We hauled out Makin Memories at Pitman’s Yacht Service this morning for a few minor repairs and to measure for a custom swim platform built by Doug Bruce of Custom Boat Works in Tarpon Springs. I always enjoy watching the lift pull Makin Memories out and giving a peek at the bottom and the running gear. She will be on the hard for three or four days giving me a chance to get a few repairs and additional maintenance items completed for the Loop in January.
