Hello! I am new to this site and just purchased as 1989 Catalina 36 in excellent condition. Just wondering if anyone has added a swim platform to their boat and would have any suggestions as to where to purchase one or is it something I will need to custom build? Thanks!
Greg
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Welcome to the forum, Greg.
We added a platform last spring to our '85 MkI, and we've found its a very worthwhile upgrade. Go to this forum thread -- www.catalina36.org/forum/technical-discussion/mk-i-transom-angle --- and scroll down a bit for photos of the completed installation on our boat. I had it built by Stainless Outfitters in Ontario, www.stainlessoutfitters.com/, who shipped it to us via UPS.
Email John at sales@stainlessoutfitters.com, he should still have the specs I gave them, but attached is the sketch I sent them of the measurements of the transom.
We designed it to be as low as possible, and without side rails, so that we can flip the dingy up on its side and store it there. One of the nice things about the telescoping ladder is that one can lower the ladder from the water -- in other words, if you fall overboard, you can get back in on your own because the ladder is reachable.
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Thank you so much for the information. I will get in touch with them and see what they can do for me Have a Merry Christmas!!
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Hi Greg,
We also have a 1989 C36 and had a swim platform built by Stainless Outfitters in Barrie, Ontario. Not sure where you are located but I can provide the contact info if you like. The platform has a starboard deck with a telescoping ladder mounted underneath. As a safety bonus, the ladder can be deployed from the water.
We also had the bottom rail of the stern rail removed to make access over the transom more convenient. Have a look at the attached photo. The davits were also made by Stainless Outfitters. Hope this helps.
Tom & Janis Grover
C36 #0949
SR/WK, M25XP
Midland, ON
Matt & Tom, could you share with me what is roughly the size of your swim platform? How wide and how deep? Talking with stainlessoutfitters and they told 40" wide, what sounds good and 24" deep, what seems a bit big. Would like to confirm how big it's on your boats.
Ludovic François
Hotel Catalina - Catalina 36 Hull #883
Marina Del Rey, CA
I'll try to remember next time I'm at the boat -- which should be within the week. But if you look at the picture of my platform in this post - www.catalina36.org/comment/55329#comment-55329 - I'd say its easily that deep.
Did you ask them if they still had the pattern from the build they did for me (it was in the first few months of 2014 -- I dealt with a fellow named John). (I've recently noticed that the picture of my platform is used in their ads in Good Old Boat.)
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Measured it. The platform is 20" deep, and stands off the transom by 4", so in total its 24" from the transom to the aft end of the platform.
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
My boat came with a swim platform on it. It is very sturdy. Set at a height to make it easy to get in and out of a dinghy. The way the ladder was installed it supposedly holds a dingy on the step as well. I have not tried it in practice yet though.
Here is a photo with it in the photo. I will try to get better photos when I am at the boat tomorrow.
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Ben Lobaugh
s/v Shadow
1987 MKI #724
Tacoma, WA
Cruising and Racing
Looking good! Could you measure the dimensions of your platform? Very interested to know them.
Ludovic François
Hotel Catalina - Catalina 36 Hull #883
Marina Del Rey, CA
Hi All,
I realize I am overdue on this. Apologies. I snapped these photos when I was at the boat last, but the wife was eager to get sailing and it did not get the measurements :(. Bad me. Was trying to sneak by till I am back to the boat in a couple days. I will be sure to get the measurements this time!
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Ben Lobaugh
s/v Shadow
1987 MKI #724
Tacoma, WA
Cruising and Racing
Nice pictures, Ben.
For Ludo's benefit, since he's still ruminating on this project: Our original design concept had a swing-up ladder like those pictured on Shadow (we were thinking of the way the ladder works on the MkII). The fabricator that we consulted with at Stainless Outfitters convinced us to go with the telescoping ladder instead, and we're glad he did, as we've discovered several benefits, including the following:
1) It leaves the platform unobstructed when the ladder is up. We often store our dingy there, turned up on its side, especially when we're away from the boat (and sometimes for short trips), its very handy for that.
2) The telescoping latter means that a person in the water (whether intentionally or accidentally!) can easily open the ladder and get back on the platform (and the boat) even if the ladder is stowed. I find this particularly reassuring when single-handing ....
Mais a chacun son gout!
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Your second point is good. I was looking at the photos after posting them and wondering how difficult it would be to get back onto the boat if I fell overboard.
As far as the dingy, supposedly the last owner carried a dinghy on Shadow's swim step. I have not tried it yet myself.I am not a fan of the windage that would bring with it. Have you noticed much impact on performance with the dingy back there?
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Ben Lobaugh
s/v Shadow
1987 MKI #724
Tacoma, WA
Cruising and Racing
No impact per se on performance that I can notice (to the extent I would -- we're not racing types!).
But having said that, we rarely will sail with the dingy stored that way -- first, it sort-a blocks the view, and secondly, if we're going to weather at all and the boat is heeling, the leeward bottom edge of the dink may dig into the water (at which point things can get messy).
Works OK if we're motoring, and great place to store it when we're away from the boat at the slip (in fact, the marina doesn't let users leave dingies in the water, so we'd either have to stash it on the bow (where its in the way), or deflate and stow it (which takes time).
When we're cruising with it we usually tow it (if its not a long trip and the sea state is sane) or haul it up (using the spin halyard) and tie it down forward of the mast.
Back to the first point: One solution (particularly if single handed) is to have a line tied to the bottom rung of the ladder that trails into the water (perhaps poly so that it floats), so that you can put it down if need be.
Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY
Sorry all for the delay. Here are some photos of my tape measure. I got out there and realized that I did not know what exactly to measure. If you want something different measured let me know.
Edit (second): I was able to resize the images on my computer and get them uploaded :)
Edit (first): photos from my phone are too large to upload. Here is a link to a Google folder with them.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-6TGv2Ht0P5WnUubzqiMf8P5rcTBN-Cl
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Ben Lobaugh
s/v Shadow
1987 MKI #724
Tacoma, WA
Cruising and Racing
Exactly what I wanted to see! ~40" x 14"
Ludovic François
Hotel Catalina - Catalina 36 Hull #883
Marina Del Rey, CA