F28 Swim Ladder Installation

Posted by lioneldmp7 (doug.payne@…>)

Was able to find an original F30 swim ladder from another Freedom
owner to install on my F28. A very solid piece of hardware I might
add. In researching the old emails from the old message board,
unfortunately some related material didn’t load properly and couldn’t
be pulled up. So, I need to cover some old ground.

Is the transom on the F28’s balsa cored? I have hull number 2, which
I understand is really hull number one. The backing hardware didn’t
come with the ladder. There are two round four inch stainless plates
with three bolt holes each to mount the laddder. Should there be a
stainless backing plate or is plywood better as a backing plate which
I hear cushions the blow if the ladder takes a hit? Anyone remember
seeing the back side of your ladder installation down there when you
are lubing that rudder assembly!

Assuming it is balsa cored, how do you fill an oversized hole with
epoxy on a vertical surface without it running out if you are
creating a solid epoxy plug to then redrill after the epoxy dries to
seal the mounting hole??? Assuming the stern is balsa cored, I get
nervous poking holes in a balsa cored area given all the warnings I
have heard about water intrusion. Thanks for any help in advance!

Posted by Jeff Chale (jwchale@…>)

I have an F-30, and I am pretty sure that the backing is with stainless washers. Keep in mind that the transom is near vertical so much of the water will run off. I would not go to great lengths to dig out the core and use epoxy, but would be careful to make sure it was well sealed with silicone. I can pretty much guarantee the factory did not go to extraordinary lengths when the boat was built, and I have not heard of problems developing over time.

Jefflioneldmp7 <doug.payne@…> wrote:
Was able to find an original F30 swim ladder from another Freedom owner to install on my F28. A very solid piece of hardware I might add. In researching the old emails from the old message board, unfortunately some related material didn’t load properly and couldn’t be pulled up. So, I need to cover some old ground. Is the transom on the F28’s balsa cored? I have hull number 2, which I understand is really hull number one. The backing hardware didn’t come with the ladder. There are two round four inch stainless plates with three bolt holes each to mount the laddder. Should there be a stainless backing plate or is plywood better as a backing plate which I hear cushions the blow if the ladder takes a hit? Anyone remember seeing the back side of your ladder installation down there when you are lubing that rudder assembly!
Assuming it is balsa cored, how do you fill an oversized hole with epoxy on a vertical surface without it running out if you are creating a solid epoxy plug to then redrill after the epoxy dries to seal the mounting hole??? Assuming the stern is balsa cored, I get nervous poking holes in a balsa cored area given all the warnings I have heard about water intrusion. Thanks for any help in advance!
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Posted by svbagatelle (rmasson@…>)

I removed my F30 swim ladder when I added a swim platform (sugar
scoop stern) and gave it to another F30 owner on Chesapeake Bay–it
may have ended up with you!
The transom on the F30 is not cored, and the bolts holding the
ladder are just backed with washers–works fine. In order to fill
the outside of a hole with epoxy, just use epoxy with as much
additive as possible, and make a thin coat. You may have to repeat
several times in order to get the required thickness.

— In freedomyachts2003@yahoogroups.com, “lioneldmp7”
<doug.payne@t…> wrote:

Was able to find an original F30 swim ladder from another Freedom
owner to install on my F28. A very solid piece of hardware I might
add. In researching the old emails from the old message board,
unfortunately some related material didn’t load properly and
couldn’t
be pulled up. So, I need to cover some old ground.

Is the transom on the F28’s balsa cored? I have hull number 2,
which
I understand is really hull number one. The backing hardware
didn’t
come with the ladder. There are two round four inch stainless
plates
with three bolt holes each to mount the laddder. Should there be a
stainless backing plate or is plywood better as a backing plate
which
I hear cushions the blow if the ladder takes a hit? Anyone
remember
seeing the back side of your ladder installation down there when
you
are lubing that rudder assembly!

Assuming it is balsa cored, how do you fill an oversized hole with
epoxy on a vertical surface without it running out if you are
creating a solid epoxy plug to then redrill after the epoxy dries
to
seal the mounting hole??? Assuming the stern is balsa cored, I
get
nervous poking holes in a balsa cored area given all the warnings
I
have heard about water intrusion. Thanks for any help in advance!