There is a swim platform mounted on the boat's transom. It's made of teak -- 18 pieces! (The color here is not correct -- much too "warm.")

I've thought of replacing it with a new one of marine plywood, but friends think it would be better to salvage the teak.

We've thought about media blasting it. Rick Miller says he'll do it for the cost of the media, but if he does, I'll have to deliver the platform to his shop in Steelville.

Today, 1/28/12, I tried sanding two of the pieces in my shop. The color here is quite accurate:

Tom C. has offered me the use of his big sander, but it woud probably only handle the long pieces.

I'm also thinking about how to fill the nine mounting holes and re-drill them. This close-up shows the problem. I'm thinking it might be good to replace the three pieces that sit on the three brackets with new wood, then drill and dowel the long top pieces to the new wood.

Well, we did some sanding, but not with Tom's machine. And Larry asked about the height of the platform compared to the water line:

3/28/12 -- Painting has been delayed, so maybe I'll get back to this project. Removed the brackets to paint the hull (above waterline) and tried cleaning the cast aluminum with a wire brush wheel. Probably a waste of time unless I smooth, then polish them.

Robert Mann (FB Century Group) said: "Aluminum is best cleaned with acid. Do not use muriatic (HCL)! Phosphoric is available at Home Depot in gallons and will work well. Oxalic is an alternative, but slower and weaker.
    "If your comfortable working with chemicals and have PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), nothing cleans aluminum better than hydrofluoric acid. HF was the active ingredient in old school mag wheel cleaners. Due to it's hazards it can be a little more work to get. Primarily sold under an Aluminum brightener label."

(3/29/12) Seems there was trim around 3 edges of the swim platform. Don't know what it was made of or what it looked like. I've searched and searched for metal and/or plastic "d" section with no success. Have heard reports of very nice white plastic, but unable to locate. Would also consider one or two strips of that aluminum stuff with "pop-in" rubber(?) bumper stock, but unable to find it. Any ideas? (Sam Shapiro -- local metals dealer -- says he'll bend me a pice of flat stock around the wood. Should I go see Sam? -- after I rebuild the wood, of course.)

Helpful responses included:

Bob Ulrich -- Grant have you checked
WEFCO
or
TACO;
they make all the rubrail stuff; they may have something. WEFCO will actually make what you need if you have a piece of what you had for anything. I haven't used them for that but there's a lot of folks over on the other Glass site I belong to who have used them; very easy to work with.

Mark Gustin -- It's very similar to this stuff.

3/30/12 -- Started to rebuild the platform today. It has 19 pieces, I think. I'm not taking it all apart at one time; making new parts and/or refinishing old by sanding, then coating with Penetrol, one piece at a time.

4/1/12 -- The platform now has about 70 screws and six glued dowels holding it together. The strip on the bottom across the aft side has been glued in place. The two sides and the back now measures about 88 inches, total.

I ended up taking it all apart, sanding all 6 sides of every board, making 3 new pieces and putting it all back together with 70+ screws, glue and dowels. Gluing that greasy teak requires sanding, & cleaning with acetone before assembly. I'm really pleased with the results. I'll re-attach to three aluminum brackets with 5 SS bolts (not 6) in slightly new locations. (Sure like to find a powder coater for brackets.)

Here are some TACO "sections" of rub rail that might work:

Here's a sketch of what I'd like to see:

I wonder . . .

Wish I could find this stuff:

"Meanwhile" with her rebuilt and refinished platform:

Thomas Martin's 1966 Fibersport has a platform in addition to a ladder:

Here are some photos of the platform with dimensions shown via tape measure. Click on numbers to see the photos: