Boat Repair Advice Needed

[jkbrea]

I have a 16" aluminum boat a friend gave me with a trailer. Both need a little fixing up. I filled the boat with water and it had a few spots where it is riveted that was seeping water. Someone suggested taking a body dolly and hammer and hammer all the rivets, then tape the area off and spray a rubber type sealer or bedliner material. I don't want to dump a bunch of money into it. Anyone ever done this or know how.

My other question is it has a Zieman trailer. It's in good shape an will just need tires replaced. It does have a lot of rust. Someone posted a while back about a rust remover that worked great. I think he got it at harbor freight. Anyone remember what it was?

****Ok. I looked it up and I think it was Evaporust. I'll give it a try.****

[Shasta]

It's been my experience that if a riveted aluminum boat has been out of the water for some time, the seam caulking used in the boat's construction tends to dry and shrink a bit, allowing leakage. If I were you, I would let some water sit in the boat for a day or two and see if the caulking might soften up and seal again.
If it still leaks after two days of water testing, then proceed with re-setting the rivets and then try another leak test before resorting to any type of sealer that may be difficult to remove if it doesn't work. If a sealer is needed, I would use some sort of a silicone that could be forced into the leaking seam using a putty knife.

SHASTA

[stew71]

It's been my experience that if a riveted aluminum boat has been out of the water for some time, the seam caulking used in the boat's construction tends to dry and shrink a bit, allowing leakage. If I were you, I would let some water sit in the boat for a day or two and see if the caulking might soften up and seal again.
If it still leaks after two days of water testing, then proceed with re-setting the rivets and then try another leak test before resorting to any type of sealer that may be difficult to remove if it doesn't work. If a sealer is needed, I would use some sort of a silicone that could be forced into the leaking seam using a putty knife.

SHASTA

Bingo. This is how we repaired our first boat. We used a marine grade silicon caulk from West Marine. Worked like a champ. Rust removal on the trailer...sorry, no idea there. But I'll bet the axle bearings will need to be replaced or at least repacked.

[86er]

Try Rhino patches. Work great and super simple

[Chuck 100 yd]

I bet the inexpensive (rattle can) truck bed liner would work out just fine once you locate the leaks and mark them. It sounds like this rig is not worth spending much money and time fixing up anyway.

[Canuck Bob]

For the trailer I like the rust primer paints that basically turn the surface rust into a coating. They react with the oxides and form a good coating to apply paint to. For something not too cosmetically important they sure make life easier.

[Lastmohecken]

The sealer will probably work.

Just one warning: Don't put a sealer or JB weld on the rivets if ever think that you might try to have it welded. Those thin aluminum boats are tough enough to weld when the are clean, but I have had guys bring in one after it was JB welded, and want me to weld it up. You can weld them up, if you are good enough with a Heli-Arc, but if it's been patched on first with sealer, it much more difficult, to impossible, sometimes.

[2ndovc]

A little fiberglass resin would fix that right up.

jb

[Griff]

BOAT = Bust Out Another Thousand.

I bet the inexpensive (rattle can) truck bed liner would work out just fine once you locate the leaks and mark them. It sounds like this rig is not worth spending much money and time fixing up anyway.

Nope, you don't want that stuff on the outside of the hull, it'll strip off as you drive thru the water; and inside, it'll just succumb to the pressure and give you another leak in a different spot.

I just fiberglassed the entire outer hull on one many years ago... but back then, glass-matting and resin was cheap! Now it ain't quite so cheap... but it is a GOOD fix. But, you need to do a chemical strip of any coating the aluminum has on it.

[86er]

Here it is :

www.hippopatch.com

[mack]

The sealer will probably work.

Just one warning: Don't put a sealer or JB weld on the rivets if ever think that you might try to have it welded. Those thin aluminum boats are tough enough to weld when the are clean, but I have had guys bring in one after it was JB welded, and want me to weld it up. You can weld them up, if you are good enough with a Heli-Arc, but if it's been patched on first with sealer, it much more difficult, to impossible, sometimes.

I layed a bead on one for a buddy a few years back with my Miller MIG running straight Helium. There was so much dirt/sticky stuff in the seam before I started it smelled like I was frying fish. That hull had more stress cracks before I welded it that I'm surprised it held any water out.
I think I'd just try peening the rivets if I had to do it again.

[flatnose]

Drill out the rivets and open the joint enough to insert a piece of sand paper. Clean both mating surfaces. Get hold of a small piece of butyl tape from a windshield or glass supply company, it comes in black on a roll, and is real sticky when warm. Knead and stretch it out as thin as you can and carefully insert it into the seam with a toothpick. Fit new rivets, and that joint will never leak again.

[Ji in Hawaii]

You can also seal the rivets using the heat melt glue sticks used for setting arrow nocks and broadhead inserts.
http://www.bohning.com/store/ferr-l-tite.html