Cobaltchat.com

Hi,

I currently own a 2012 276. The fiberglass flip down swim step has broken in half. I checked with my cobalt dealer to try and order a new one but they no longer make them. Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I could buy one of have an after market one made? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you

I would expect a 2012 276 step to no longer be made, but have you looked into if a step from a new model boat would fit? As far as making a new one, definitely possible, expensive, unless you are going to do it yourself. I think I would look into making one out of King Starboard.

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So glad you found us c99.
Any pics of this broken swim step?
It may give some others here an idea for you.

Great Lakes skipper can be another resource. Maybe give them a call.
Really you need a part’s boat…but they’re unicorns.

Keep us posted.

And welcome aboard mate.

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Maybe you could use the broken swim step as a guide and make a replacement out of Mahogany wood?
Could look very cool if done well and last a long time in treated with oil or spar varnish.

Here are a few photos

There's some pretty impressive automotive glues out, have you talked with a bodyshop? Ive glued some snowmobile hoods back together for short term fixes and they never did break again

Did you put the engine in gear with the step down?

No I didn't

Is there a coring material in there - looks like it, but I can't tell from the picture. Hard to say why this happened, maybe was not laid up correctly and the fiberglass did not bond to the coring water could have gotten into the core -- who knows and it really doesn't matter at this point. It can be fixed, but it needs fiberglass work -- no glue is going to do the job. If it were me, I would press on the dealer or even call Cobalt directly. That step cannot be a unique size to just a 2012 276.

billk2632 wrote: Tue Oct 03, 2023 8:53 pm Is there a coring material in there - looks like it, but I can't tell from the picture. Hard to say why this happened, maybe was not laid up correctly and the fiberglass did not bond to the coring water could have gotten into the core -- who knows and it really doesn't matter at this point. It can be fixed, but it needs fiberglass work -- no glue is going to do the job. If it were me, I would press on the dealer or even call Cobalt directly. That step cannot be a unique size to just a 2012 276.

Quarter panels and roofs are glued to automobiles but a swim step can not be glued together. Noted

dustinm wrote: Tue Oct 03, 2023 10:11 pm

billk2632 wrote: Tue Oct 03, 2023 8:53 pm Is there a coring material in there - looks like it, but I can't tell from the picture. Hard to say why this happened, maybe was not laid up correctly and the fiberglass did not bond to the coring water could have gotten into the core -- who knows and it really doesn't matter at this point. It can be fixed, but it needs fiberglass work -- no glue is going to do the job. If it were me, I would press on the dealer or even call Cobalt directly. That step cannot be a unique size to just a 2012 276.

Quarter panels and roofs are glued to automobiles but a swim step can not be glued together. Noted

At this point it can't hurt to try anything - the swim step is a mess and it does not look like there is enough coring to glue anything - looks like just some blocks of something that were used to bond the two pieces together. Also noticed the crack on the STB side where the hinge mounts, not sure if that is related. It's a shame if Cobalt won't help, like I mentioned that piece I doubt is unique to a 2012 276. Another thing I thought was to reach out to Swimplatforms.com, they build aftermarket swimplatforms for all makes and models of boats and do a lot of custom work. Or like mentioned earlier, make a piece out of starboard.

The same thing happened to me. I cut out a little of the foam and and insterted some 1x2's. I then used 3m 4200 on the edges, stainless steel mounting points and on the wood. It has held up for a year so far. If I did it again, I might use 5200 instead.