Repairing Holes In Aluminum Boat?

[xd2005]

Bring it to the BBQ, let the "experts" fix it for you after they drink up enough knowledge and skill!   

LOL It would wind up cutt in half and everyone would have a dumb look in they're face like ok, now wheres the hole?

Yeah, but then it could be used for putt putt golf! (My dad had an old Chris craft he was storing at my aunt and uncles, waiting for him to restore. They had a tavern and when they added putt putt golf to it, they included the boat) 

[Ridgeratt]

Harbor freight sells cheap rivet tools.  I would buy some aerosol rubber in a can and spray it.  A little water isn't big deal.   I like the hillbilly way as well.

You just might want to look at the rivet's used in a boat! Most are peened rivets for a reason.   
But I guess anything is worth a try once.

[KFhunter]

Harbor freight sells cheap rivet tools.  I would buy some aerosol rubber in a can and spray it.  A little water isn't big deal.   I like the hillbilly way as well.

You just might want to look at the rivet's used in a boat! Most are peened rivets for a reason.   
But I guess anything is worth a try once.

just be more crap to scrape off and prep before its fixed properly

[TONTO]

I just built some floor boards so I don't have to see the water and the dog doesn't have to lay in it, then got a bildge pump. Rivet boats leak. The hillybilly bolt method works too but use a pan head machine screw on the outside, poke the screw through a piece of innertube rubber add a dab of silicone and crank er down then grind the bolt flush with the backing nut on the inside and ping it. I had two rivets snap right along my keel, just stuffed some of that two part rolled stick putty, the underwater kind, in the holes. Stay'd dry for awhile, getting some more water now, but I'm one of those overpowered beating the hell out of it kind of guys. Going to have to pull the boards up again and take a look at it. Might try some of that flex seal.

[bassquatch]

Try this stuff? HTS2000 Aluminum Repair...

http://youtu.be/VauP9uoPsLE

[Alchase]

I would highly suggest some 'Marine Tex'.  http://www.marinetex.com  Just coat all the joints/rivets of your boat.
 
-Steve

Jackofalltrades, is that  'Marine Tex' clear?
I have a couple rivets I would like to seal up as well, I just do not want to have to paint the whole boat to do it?
Oh, and are sealers applied on the inside of the boat or the outside?

[jay.sharkbait]

I would just re-buck the offending rivets. It's actually pretty easy and doesn't take very long.

If you need any help i'm in the area and would be glad to assist.

[Alchase]

I would just re-buck the offending rivets. It's actually pretty easy and doesn't take very long.

If you need any help i'm in the area and would be glad to assist.

That is an awesome offer, I really appreciate it!

Bucking would actually require me to find the offending rivet, LOL
I was trying to take the lazy way out.

Mine hardly leaks but would still like to seal it up well.
Maybe bucking the rivets is the smart thing to do, LOL

[wildweeds]

I used to build aluminum horse trailers and custom boats,we welded the frames and buck riveted the skin on the trailers,we also buck riveted some structural components on the sides of the jet boats so as not to wrinkle the sides.

  My old man bought a 14 foot alaskan smoker craft that got dumped off the trailer going down the road for 100 bucks.it was like new,had only been used once.I smeared sikaflex polyurethane caulking over the area where the transom met the bottom,cleaned the area real good with laquer thinner after roughing it up by hand with some 120 grit sand paper.It's been 14 years and the boat still doesn't leak.Sika flex caulking is good stuff.You can also clean/etch the aluminum with a water/muratic acid mixture,apply let foam and rinse off if you go the caulking route.
WEAR EARPLUGS if you buck rivet!And regulate your air so it don't get out of control and knock a hole in the bottom of the boat.I'd use the hard alloy rivets too,We used to use a few soft ones on the trailers but those were the only ones that would fail so we gave up on them and went to using nothing but hard ones.

[Smossy]

I used to build aluminum horse trailers and custom boats,we welded the frames and buck riveted the skin on the trailers,we also buck riveted some structural components on the sides of the jet boats so as not to wrinkle the sides.

  My old man bought a 14 foot alaskan smoker craft that got dumped off the trailer going down the road for 100 bucks.it was like new,had only been used once.I smeared sikaflex polyurethane caulking over the area where the transom met the bottom,cleaned the area real good with laquer thinner after roughing it up by hand with some 120 grit sand paper.It's been 14 years and the boat still doesn't leak.Sika flex caulking is good stuff.You can also clean/etch the aluminum with a water/muratic acid mixture,apply let foam and rinse off if you go the caulking route.
WEAR EARPLUGS if you buck rivet!And regulate your air so it don't get out of control and knock a hole in the bottom of the boat.I'd use the hard alloy rivets too,We used to use a few soft ones on the trailers but those were the only ones that would fail so we gave up on them and went to using nothing but hard ones.

What do you think it would cost to have someone who knows what they're doing fix it up for me? It doesnt need to be pretty, Its pretty beat up but its solid, just needs some TLC.
Something me and my girl want to use to get fishing when we want to get out on the water.

[wildweeds]

All depends really,if you take it to a shop you'll get the razzoo on shop time,but they got overhead which is where the razoo comes from,if it's a boeing guy who can't get enough riveting in during the day and he's bored you may be looking at a fishing trip with some beer.It's really not to tough of a project,I suggest throwing the plug in it and filling with enough water to get the leaks to show themselves mark around them with a sharpie,Drain flip over,make a map of what your going to fix,prep area around leakers,etch,caulk and call it macaroni.OR drill out offending leakers and buck some new rivets in.If you go to buck new ones in,drill one out and replace one at a time if you have a row,the other thing I would do is re buck a few rivets on each side of the replacement to assure snugness of the whole works.

Many years ago my buddy had a hewescraft river runner,we made the 5 hour drive to fish the cowlitz for steelhead,at some point the straps came loose and the bunks split the bottom of the boat,we launched in the dark,as the boat sat in the water waiting for light it filled up the back,We did an emergency repair at the launch with the MR heater to dry it,a pop can for a patch and JB weld.We fished the whole weekend without any events.Waiting for the cure time killed us the first day though,didn't get fishing till 9 oclock.

I used to build aluminum horse trailers and custom boats,we welded the frames and buck riveted the skin on the trailers,we also buck riveted some structural components on the sides of the jet boats so as not to wrinkle the sides.

  My old man bought a 14 foot alaskan smoker craft that got dumped off the trailer going down the road for 100 bucks.it was like new,had only been used once.I smeared sikaflex polyurethane caulking over the area where the transom met the bottom,cleaned the area real good with laquer thinner after roughing it up by hand with some 120 grit sand paper.It's been 14 years and the boat still doesn't leak.Sika flex caulking is good stuff.You can also clean/etch the aluminum with a water/muratic acid mixture,apply let foam and rinse off if you go the caulking route.
WEAR EARPLUGS if you buck rivet!And regulate your air so it don't get out of control and knock a hole in the bottom of the boat.I'd use the hard alloy rivets too,We used to use a few soft ones on the trailers but those were the only ones that would fail so we gave up on them and went to using nothing but hard ones.

What do you think it would cost to have someone who knows what they're doing fix it up for me? It doesnt need to be pretty, Its pretty beat up but its solid, just needs some TLC.
Something me and my girl want to use to get fishing when we want to get out on the water.

[Smossy]

All depends really,if you take it to a shop you'll get the razzoo on shop time,but they got overhead which is where the razoo comes from,if it's a boeing guy who can't get enough riveting in during the day and he's bored you may be looking at a fishing trip with some beer.It's really not to tough of a project,I suggest throwing the plug in it and filling with enough water to get the leaks to show themselves mark around them with a sharpie,Drain flip over,make a map of what your going to fix,prep area around leakers,etch,caulk and call it macaroni.OR drill out offending leakers and buck some new rivets in.If you go to buck new ones in,drill one out and replace one at a time if you have a row,the other thing I would do is re buck a few rivets on each side of the replacement to assure snugness of the whole works.

Many years ago my buddy had a hewescraft river runner,we made the 5 hour drive to fish the cowlitz for steelhead,at some point the straps came loose and the bunks split the bottom of the boat,we launched in the dark,as the boat sat in the water waiting for light it filled up the back,We did an emergency repair at the launch with the MR heater to dry it,a pop can for a patch and JB weld.We fished the whole weekend without any events.Waiting for the cure time killed us the first day though,didn't get fishing till 9 oclock.

I used to build aluminum horse trailers and custom boats,we welded the frames and buck riveted the skin on the trailers,we also buck riveted some structural components on the sides of the jet boats so as not to wrinkle the sides.

  My old man bought a 14 foot alaskan smoker craft that got dumped off the trailer going down the road for 100 bucks.it was like new,had only been used once.I smeared sikaflex polyurethane caulking over the area where the transom met the bottom,cleaned the area real good with laquer thinner after roughing it up by hand with some 120 grit sand paper.It's been 14 years and the boat still doesn't leak.Sika flex caulking is good stuff.You can also clean/etch the aluminum with a water/muratic acid mixture,apply let foam and rinse off if you go the caulking route.
WEAR EARPLUGS if you buck rivet!And regulate your air so it don't get out of control and knock a hole in the bottom of the boat.I'd use the hard alloy rivets too,We used to use a few soft ones on the trailers but those were the only ones that would fail so we gave up on them and went to using nothing but hard ones.

What do you think it would cost to have someone who knows what they're doing fix it up for me? It doesnt need to be pretty, Its pretty beat up but its solid, just needs some TLC.
Something me and my girl want to use to get fishing when we want to get out on the water.

I see, all the leaks on the boat are on rivets, theyre loose and spin, There's one gash in the back that looks like someone tried to re-weld but it leaks also. Then theres a small crack under the tube the  plug goes into that leaks. Thats about it.

[wildweeds]

Get mrs smossy on the head side of the rivet with a reall big hammer,hold it tight,you get on the inside and hit the rivet with another hammer,it'll tighten up.Can you hit what your aiming at? Caulk the rest with the sikaflex and the cleaning I've described,let the caulk cure a couple days and your golden,smear it on inside and out,thin layer for more adhesion area.

All depends really,if you take it to a shop you'll get the razzoo on shop time,but they got overhead which is where the razoo comes from,if it's a boeing guy who can't get enough riveting in during the day and he's bored you may be looking at a fishing trip with some beer.It's really not to tough of a project,I suggest throwing the plug in it and filling with enough water to get the leaks to show themselves mark around them with a sharpie,Drain flip over,make a map of what your going to fix,prep area around leakers,etch,caulk and call it macaroni.OR drill out offending leakers and buck some new rivets in.If you go to buck new ones in,drill one out and replace one at a time if you have a row,the other thing I would do is re buck a few rivets on each side of the replacement to assure snugness of the whole works.

Many years ago my buddy had a hewescraft river runner,we made the 5 hour drive to fish the cowlitz for steelhead,at some point the straps came loose and the bunks split the bottom of the boat,we launched in the dark,as the boat sat in the water waiting for light it filled up the back,We did an emergency repair at the launch with the MR heater to dry it,a pop can for a patch and JB weld.We fished the whole weekend without any events.Waiting for the cure time killed us the first day though,didn't get fishing till 9 oclock.

I used to build aluminum horse trailers and custom boats,we welded the frames and buck riveted the skin on the trailers,we also buck riveted some structural components on the sides of the jet boats so as not to wrinkle the sides.

  My old man bought a 14 foot alaskan smoker craft that got dumped off the trailer going down the road for 100 bucks.it was like new,had only been used once.I smeared sikaflex polyurethane caulking over the area where the transom met the bottom,cleaned the area real good with laquer thinner after roughing it up by hand with some 120 grit sand paper.It's been 14 years and the boat still doesn't leak.Sika flex caulking is good stuff.You can also clean/etch the aluminum with a water/muratic acid mixture,apply let foam and rinse off if you go the caulking route.
WEAR EARPLUGS if you buck rivet!And regulate your air so it don't get out of control and knock a hole in the bottom of the boat.I'd use the hard alloy rivets too,We used to use a few soft ones on the trailers but those were the only ones that would fail so we gave up on them and went to using nothing but hard ones.

What do you think it would cost to have someone who knows what they're doing fix it up for me? It doesnt need to be pretty, Its pretty beat up but its solid, just needs some TLC.
Something me and my girl want to use to get fishing when we want to get out on the water.

I see, all the leaks on the boat are on rivets, theyre loose and spin, There's one gash in the back that looks like someone tried to re-weld but it leaks also. Then theres a small crack under the tube the  plug goes into that leaks. Thats about it.

[Smossy]

Get mrs smossy on the head side of the rivet with a reall big hammer,hold it tight,you get on the inside and hit the rivet with another hammer,it'll tighten up.Can you hit what your aiming at? Caulk the rest with the sikaflex and the cleaning I've described,let the caulk cure a couple days and your golden,smear it on inside and out,thin layer for more adhesion area.

All depends really,if you take it to a shop you'll get the razzoo on shop time,but they got overhead which is where the razoo comes from,if it's a boeing guy who can't get enough riveting in during the day and he's bored you may be looking at a fishing trip with some beer.It's really not to tough of a project,I suggest throwing the plug in it and filling with enough water to get the leaks to show themselves mark around them with a sharpie,Drain flip over,make a map of what your going to fix,prep area around leakers,etch,caulk and call it macaroni.OR drill out offending leakers and buck some new rivets in.If you go to buck new ones in,drill one out and replace one at a time if you have a row,the other thing I would do is re buck a few rivets on each side of the replacement to assure snugness of the whole works.

Many years ago my buddy had a hewescraft river runner,we made the 5 hour drive to fish the cowlitz for steelhead,at some point the straps came loose and the bunks split the bottom of the boat,we launched in the dark,as the boat sat in the water waiting for light it filled up the back,We did an emergency repair at the launch with the MR heater to dry it,a pop can for a patch and JB weld.We fished the whole weekend without any events.Waiting for the cure time killed us the first day though,didn't get fishing till 9 oclock.

I used to build aluminum horse trailers and custom boats,we welded the frames and buck riveted the skin on the trailers,we also buck riveted some structural components on the sides of the jet boats so as not to wrinkle the sides.

  My old man bought a 14 foot alaskan smoker craft that got dumped off the trailer going down the road for 100 bucks.it was like new,had only been used once.I smeared sikaflex polyurethane caulking over the area where the transom met the bottom,cleaned the area real good with laquer thinner after roughing it up by hand with some 120 grit sand paper.It's been 14 years and the boat still doesn't leak.Sika flex caulking is good stuff.You can also clean/etch the aluminum with a water/muratic acid mixture,apply let foam and rinse off if you go the caulking route.
WEAR EARPLUGS if you buck rivet!And regulate your air so it don't get out of control and knock a hole in the bottom of the boat.I'd use the hard alloy rivets too,We used to use a few soft ones on the trailers but those were the only ones that would fail so we gave up on them and went to using nothing but hard ones.

What do you think it would cost to have someone who knows what they're doing fix it up for me? It doesnt need to be pretty, Its pretty beat up but its solid, just needs some TLC.
Something me and my girl want to use to get fishing when we want to get out on the water.

I see, all the leaks on the boat are on rivets, theyre loose and spin, There's one gash in the back that looks like someone tried to re-weld but it leaks also. Then theres a small crack under the tube the  plug goes into that leaks. Thats about it.

So you can kinda re-set them just with some pressure? and where can u pick up that sikaflex stuff?

[wildweeds]

You could rebuck the rivets in the whole boat if you wanted to with a gun and bucking bar,re tension and then smash em some more,the last time I bought sika I got it at the lumberyard and Hardware sales,Hardware sales is a store up here in bellingham that has every gidget/gatget part/piece tools known to man.