Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Swim Platform Cover


doughickey

Recommended Posts

I have a 1998 RLX with a teak swim platform. Just finished doing some sanding and teak-oiling... and again, it looks nicer than my dining room table.

However, by mid summer, it starts to gray a bit. Mostly because my mooring cover does NOT cover the swim platform, and my boat at the dock has its rear end in the sun most of the day.

I know I can buy a new cover that fits the entire boat/platform.... but I'd like to hear if anybody has come up with some kind of nifty "platform-only" cover. Something that is cheap, and quick to install/remove.

I leave my boat moored at my dock a lot. I know I may run the risk of water-snakes crawling inside any loose fitting cover.... so that will be a consideration.

Anyhow, before I try and get creative on my own, I'd like to hear if anybody has already solved this.

Thanks folks.

Link to comment

Doug, I can't find my Overton's catalog but I know they have a swimstep cover. It's on the page that shows a Malibu with a "custom-fit" cover and a spare tire cover with the Malibu sunset logo on it. I just checked their website and it doesn't come up but I know that it was in the catalog. Might be worth a call to find out how much. Good luck, hope you find what you're looking for.

Link to comment

Doug,

Does your boat actually sit in the water or on a lift? Just curious, I'm not sure how well a cover would hold up to sitting in the water the entire time, but if it's on a lift you'd probably be fine. FWIW, Malibu has offered a swim platform cover like Michael describes for a couple of seasons now that can be had through your dealer.

Link to comment

I had my local canvas shop make me one. He called it a "pocket" cover. Back of the cover was held on by a C-fold type of pocket, then there are two snaps that hold the cover on which is closest to the boat portion of the deck.

Think it was around $80.

I am apparently too stupid to attach a picture so I will e-mail you one.

Link to comment

A few $$ for some oil and apply it every couple of weeks to the top will keep it looking nice, and its cheaper.

Link to comment
I had my local canvas shop make me one.  He called it a "pocket" cover.  Back of the cover was held on by a C-fold type of pocket, then there are two snaps that hold the cover on which is closest to the boat portion of the deck.

Think it was around $80.

I am apparently too stupid to attach a picture so I will e-mail you one.

I guess you have to be a paid member in order to upload pics???

I'm a little gun-shy on spending money on forums these days. (and for good reason) I may wait a little while to make sure this one doesn't go public also! :lol:

Edited by R1LOVER
Link to comment

Fair enough R1, I can totally understand that. There are a lot of places on the web that you can post them for free, I think that photbucket.com was mentioned at one point (might want to search, I can't remember for sure if that's the name). Then you can just link them in.

Link to comment

Doug, I had a custom cover made for my last 2 boats. Each having a separate cover for the platform. I would definitely recommend getting one. The oil will last allot longer. Mine snaps on which would be pain with a boat docked. My buddies who dock their boats have snaps at the transom side of the platform and elastic on the other side. Much easier to install and remove.

Ken

Link to comment

Great ideas folks. I'll check Overton's and the local dealer. Thanks skislut for the picture offer... I just sent you my email. Worst case, the custom build with snaps sounds ok.

Re how I plan on using. Yes, my boat sits at the dock, attached by whips (not a lift). I pull it out every couple of weeks to clean and dry the hull. In the meantime, the swim platform gets full sun all day long. (The interior doesn't, I keep the cover on.) I do try and oil the platform during the summer.... but did it once on a real hot day... bad move.... the oil kind of gelled before soaking in.

Man I love being on the The Crew!

Thanks so much folks!

Link to comment

Oh yes, water snakes.

Last boat, I had parked at the same dock. It was a 20 foot bowrider with 200 Merc. The mooring cover included a built in cover section for the motor cowling.... except it was too large.... hung down almost touching the water.

One day I unroll the cover, and am walking up from the dock to the shore to store my cover for the day... the rolled up cover in my hands.... and I look down and I'm face to face with a snake.... starting to crawl out from the folds in the cover in my arms that I'm carrying against my chest.

Scared the living yogurt out of me.... I dropped the cover and the darn snake slithered back into the water. It had found the cover portion hanging 2" from the water and decided that was a nice place to crawl into for the night.

So.... whatever I install.... will be removed with caution every morning.

You know.... maybe I'll just oil the platform every week and forget the cover Shocking.gif thing!

Link to comment
Fair enough R1, I can totally understand that.  There are a lot of places on the web that you can post them for free, I think that photbucket.com was mentioned at one point (might want to search, I can't remember for sure if that's the name).  Then you can just link them in.

No need for that, I can just put them up on my site and post up a link. it seems to work fine that way and won't eat up your server space....

Like this :)

21305%20013%20(Small).jpg

Link to comment
I look down and I'm face to face with a snake.... Scared the living yogurt out of me....

Interesting visualization there, Doug!

I don't think I'd mess with the extra cover. Just clean/oil it each time you haul the boat. Mine gets sun most of the day--I oil it weekly and it keeps pretty nice all summer.

Link to comment
Dang Doug, that would possibly scare me into not ever going into that lake or even on your dock again.  But then again I hate snakes.

BTW, very pretty boat you have there.

Thanks Tracie. I bought of a gal in Maine off e-Bay about a 18 months ago. (Separate story) She treated it like it was her only child. Now I get to treat it like it's one of mine.

Re snakes. They don't spook me out as much as the "dock spiders". These guys with the 3" leg span, and hairy legs, and when you knock them into the water, they skim across at a gazillion miles an hour. Some days, I listen for the snapping turtle. He (probably a she by the way) kind of hides under the boat sometimes, with its head just barely above water... I come near the dock and it "hisses". The first time I heard it, I thought my auto bilge had turned on, and I was walking to the boat to see what the noise was. These turtles (no kidding) have a shell about 14"-15" long. They're kinda shy, but we don't go skinny dipping, just in case they get mad, or see things that look like yummy wiggly worms.

At least we don't get gators or sharks.

Link to comment

Sounds easy enough to either make a cover or just treat at your dock more often.

I've got to come up with a solution to keep the ducks off mine. I'm going to try netting. They make a mess out of the platform, then jump up on the boat and then mess that up. I'm thinking netting may keep them off the platform, then they won't be able to jump up on the boat.

Link to comment

When the water is real cold, the wiggly worms kinda disappear. Antevenin should counter-act the viagra though in warmer weather. Good plan. Thanks.

That's using your noodle!

I'm mean, your head.

Whatever...

Link to comment
Oh yes, water snakes.

Last boat, I had parked at the same dock. It was a 20 foot bowrider with 200 Merc. The mooring cover included a built in cover section for the motor cowling.... except it was too large.... hung down almost touching the water.

One day I unroll the cover, and am walking up from the dock to the shore to store my cover for the day... the rolled up cover in my hands.... and I look down and I'm face to face with a snake.... starting to crawl out from the folds in the cover in my arms that I'm carrying against my chest.

Scared the living yogurt out of me.... I dropped the cover and the darn snake slithered back into the water. It had found the cover portion hanging 2" from the water and decided that was a nice place to crawl into for the night.

So.... whatever I install.... will be removed with caution every morning.

You know.... maybe I'll just oil the platform every week and forget the cover  Shocking.gif thing!

I gotta ask... Where is this lake???

Link to comment
Oh yes, water snakes.

Last boat, I had parked at the same dock. It was a 20 foot bowrider with 200 Merc. The mooring cover included a built in cover section for the motor cowling.... except it was too large.... hung down almost touching the water.

One day I unroll the cover, and am walking up from the dock to the shore to store my cover for the day... the rolled up cover in my hands.... and I look down and I'm face to face with a snake.... starting to crawl out from the folds in the cover in my arms that I'm carrying against my chest.

Scared the living yogurt out of me.... I dropped the cover and the darn snake slithered back into the water. It had found the cover portion hanging 2" from the water and decided that was a nice place to crawl into for the night.

So.... whatever I install.... will be removed with caution every morning.

You know.... maybe I'll just oil the platform every week and forget the cover  Shocking.gif thing!

I gotta ask... Where is this lake???

I know.... sounds like it's in the Amazon rain forest. It's not, it's 100 miles north of Toronto in Canada. Or, those with a GPS, its at 45 degress, 37 minutes (plus some seconds) north of the equator.

It's not as bad as it sounds. At least the monstor mosquitos only attack humans.... they leave the boats alone. The bats stay confined to the attic area of the summer place.... and come out at night to eat the mosquitos. The timber wolves are scared of humans, so they stay away... but we still hear them on a clear night. No grizzlies, just black and brown bear.... but they usually don't come near the buildings.... they're fed well enough eating at the dump. (Record so far is 17 at one time.) They rip open the green garbage bags like my son opens a ketchup packet at McDonalds. Yummy. Fortunately I'm on an inland lake..... not part of the Canadian Shield (earth crust kind of stuff) that is so prevalent near Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) about 20 miles away. The rattlesnakes just love to bake in the sun. Folks over there say they attach noisemakers to their sneakers so the rattlers know they're coming and scurry away. Crazy, if you're caught "elliminating" a bothersome rattler on your property, you get a big fine... endangered species kind of thing. Frankly, I'd risk that rather than having one of my kids become an endangered species!

It really is a friendly and relaxing place. Wait, one year we had the most incredible horse and deer flies. Seriously, in order to sit on our raft, I took out a badminton racket to protect myself. Those things were carniverous. Took chunks of flesh out. Really hurt. Wearing a wet suit helped in a way. They go for the wet/black look (it looks like sweating horse hide)... so they swarm you a lot... but they can't bite through 3 ml of rubber.

As for the "blackflies".... they attack in May/June and late fall. These little critters drive you bonkers. You wear these adhesive patches on the back of your hat. Somehow, the flies learned to attack behind the ears and the back of your collar... where you can't see them. So, the adhesive patches on the back of your hat collect them.

Skiing in Canada is fun. At least, the carnivors and critters don't get you when you're moving!

Link to comment

Boy Doug, If you didn't want any of us to come up there all you had to do was say so. :lol:

Snakes, bears, wolves, mosquitos, biting flies,....gee, sounds lovely. Crazy.gif

Edited by NorCaliBu
Link to comment
Boy Doug, If you didn't want any of us to come up there ll you had to do was say so. :lol:

Snakes, bears, wolves, mosquitos, biting flies,....gee, sounds lovely. Crazy.gif

And this is only Ontario. I hear it's worse in British Columbia!

Link to comment
Oh yes, water snakes.

Last boat, I had parked at the same dock. It was a 20 foot bowrider with 200 Merc. The mooring cover included a built in cover section for the motor cowling.... except it was too large.... hung down almost touching the water.

One day I unroll the cover, and am walking up from the dock to the shore to store my cover for the day... the rolled up cover in my hands.... and I look down and I'm face to face with a snake.... starting to crawl out from the folds in the cover in my arms that I'm carrying against my chest.

Scared the living yogurt out of me.... I dropped the cover and the darn snake slithered back into the water. It had found the cover portion hanging 2" from the water and decided that was a nice place to crawl into for the night.

So.... whatever I install.... will be removed with caution every morning.

You know.... maybe I'll just oil the platform every week and forget the cover  Shocking.gif thing!

I gotta ask... Where is this lake???

I know.... sounds like it's in the Amazon rain forest. It's not, it's 100 miles north of Toronto in Canada. Or, those with a GPS, its at 45 degress, 37 minutes (plus some seconds) north of the equator.

It's not as bad as it sounds. At least the monstor mosquitos only attack humans.... they leave the boats alone. The bats stay confined to the attic area of the summer place.... and come out at night to eat the mosquitos. The timber wolves are scared of humans, so they stay away... but we still hear them on a clear night. No grizzlies, just black and brown bear.... but they usually don't come near the buildings.... they're fed well enough eating at the dump. (Record so far is 17 at one time.) They rip open the green garbage bags like my son opens a ketchup packet at McDonalds. Yummy. Fortunately I'm on an inland lake..... not part of the Canadian Shield (earth crust kind of stuff) that is so prevalent near Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) about 20 miles away. The rattlesnakes just love to bake in the sun. Folks over there say they attach noisemakers to their sneakers so the rattlers know they're coming and scurry away. Crazy, if you're caught "elliminating" a bothersome rattler on your property, you get a big fine... endangered species kind of thing. Frankly, I'd risk that rather than having one of my kids become an endangered species!

It really is a friendly and relaxing place. Wait, one year we had the most incredible horse and deer flies. Seriously, in order to sit on our raft, I took out a badminton racket to protect myself. Those things were carniverous. Took chunks of flesh out. Really hurt. Wearing a wet suit helped in a way. They go for the wet/black look (it looks like sweating horse hide)... so they swarm you a lot... but they can't bite through 3 ml of rubber.

As for the "blackflies".... they attack in May/June and late fall. These little critters drive you bonkers. You wear these adhesive patches on the back of your hat. Somehow, the flies learned to attack behind the ears and the back of your collar... where you can't see them. So, the adhesive patches on the back of your hat collect them.

Skiing in Canada is fun. At least, the carnivors and critters don't get you when you're moving!

And people say the bugs are bad in Florida.

I will take the gators over the bugs.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...