Swim Deck on X22

[mvermeer]

Because my garage doors at home are not high enough to store my X22 inside with the tower folded down  , I needed to get a storage shed to house it in now.  I found one, but it is 23.25 feet deep.  On the trailer, the length measures around 26, 27, 28 feet with the swim deck on without folding in the tongue.  I can fit the boat in the shed with the toungue folded in and the swim deck taken off.  I had a heck of a time taking the swim deck off, but I finally got it off by shacking it and pulling back and forth on each side.  I noticed that it dragged a little on the supports while it was coming off.  My question for you all is if there is a better way to take the swim deck off?  I would also like to know if continual taking off of the swim deck will wear the supports out?  Answers to these questions will help me decide whether to stay in this storage shed or find a longer one next spring.  Let me know what you guys think.  Thanks

[brad]

I store my SX in my garage with the swim deck off and trailer tongue folded.

Taking the swim deck off and putting it on is pretty easy.  If you are having difficulty, you may want to lubricate the brackets.  You shouldn't have to manhandle it or rock it back and forth.  A little finesse and practice and you should be fine.

I also fold my tower down each time as well.

[mvermeer]

How frequently have you had to remove the swim deck?  Have your brackets warn at all?  I am just afraid that the continual sliding of metal on metal will eventually wear the brackets out and make the swim deck less stable.  Do you think that might happen?  After I got the swim deck off, I decided that I would lubricate it so that the next time it would come off easier.  The previous owner said he never took the swim deck off, so that might have something to do with why it was hard the first time coming off.  Let me know what you think about that brackets wearing down.  Thanks for the information.  

[phenom_1819]

Go to a marine store and get some marine grease -- I don't know exactly what they call it.  It's that really thick stuff they use on the pivoting mounts for outboard engines.  Rub some of that stuff on there and it should do the trick.

Also, when removing the swim step, be sure you're pulling from the middle, and be sure to keep it straight as you're pulling it off.  Having to wiggle it a little is normal.  

I wouldn't worry at all about damaging those brackets.

[mvermeer]

Cal

So if I get'r all lubed up, she should slide off and on pretty easy?  Like I said in a previous post that I am just worried about the circular portion at the top of the brackets would thin out and then the swim deck would not stay positioned as firmly on those brackets.  Do you think that I would have to worry about those circular hold points wearing down and causing the swim deck to vibrate and move because it is not as stirdy?  Let me know.  Thanks

[phenom_1819]

Wouldn't worry about it.  Those brackets are pretty heavy duty, and it's metal on metal.  Adding lube will make them slide easier though, because there is less resistance, and less friction. If it's friction you're worried about, grease 'em up. Git 'er done!!!

[mvermeer]

Cal

Thanks for the insight.  It makes me feel a ton better about keeping my boat where it is.  By keeping this storage shed, I save $20 a month, $240 a year.  Maybe this is not much to you, but I would rather have $240 around to play with or invest each year than send it out for rent.  Thanks again for the info and I will give it a try on the boat.  To bad that it will not be until next April or May, but I will let you know how it works out then.  

[phenom_1819]

That $240 a year is a huge deal.  I've been there too.  There are so many hidden expenses to boating that I never considered, and I had been around boats all my life.  The storage shed is always the most difficult to stomach -- because it's the one expense that you really couldn't care less about.  But it's completely necessary...

I just moved from an apartment in Seattle, where I had to have the boat in storage.  Between the two, my rent was more than I was comfortable with -- but that's the joys of ownership, I learned.  The boat was 45 minutes away from the citiy just to make the shed affordable.  Still, it was so much more than I expected to spend that I ended up trying to sublet the unit to friends (no such luck -- I ended up with the whole bill).

Anyway, I now live in rural Eastern Washington, in the city of Yakima.  My garage door is extra tall, and the garage is extra deep (sort of).  While it's a pain in the butt to make the boat fit in the garage, I'm so glad to have it fit. Been meaning to post pics for a while of the boat in the garage.  It's tighter than you could ever imagine....

but I don't have to pay for a storage shed anymore!!!  

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THREAD HIJACK:
A quick tip on boat storage, for everybody...
In Seattle, the air is very moist for most of the year.  But no matter where you're at, I highly recommend investing in one of the simple, round de-humidifiers to put in your boat during the winter.  They cost like $50.  You'd be amazed at how much moisture they pull from the air when you place them inside your boat cover.  There are no moving parts, which means very little risk of fire. But it will add years to your carpet and upholstery.
This is a great, much cheaper alternative to paying for heated storage.  If your shed doesn't have a power outlet, you can get an attatchemnt that screws into a light-bulb-socket that accomodates two power outlets and a bulb. That'll save you another $100 a month.
That's what I did anyway....

[re-pete]

Mvermeer-

The advice you got on lubing your swim platform is right on---I'll just add one more thing.  When applying the grease, make sure you use a small paint brush to get the grease in the grooved portion in addition to the round piece on the bottom of the platform.  Do not use your finger or a rag-- I got a pretty nasty cut on my finger using a rag with grease on it.  The open edge of the slotted track on the hull is razor sharp on my Epic 22 from the machining process, and I'll bet it is on yours too.  BE CAREFUL!!

[mvermeer]

Pete

Thanks for the additional advice.  Nothing worse than getting a cut on the hand.  I will use your advice when I bring her out of hibernation next Spring.