leaky old jon boat?

[olduckhunter]

I got a friend, yes I have one friend, that has an old jon boat that leaks around the rivets. I seem to remember someone posting a "sure fire" way or stuff that goes on over the rivets and will stay on. any help? thanks.

[RM Fishin]

A friend helped me re do a jon boat several yrs ago and after cleaning we found some black tape 2 inch wide rolls that we cut for each rivet and or hole and it has been leak free for a long time. Started out a a stick steer but converted over to tiller with a 25hp on it that just sips the gas since I don't run it wide open much and installed a older foot opr trolling motor up front. Best one ever and only $50. Last winter same friend helped convert 16ft fish/ski over to nice wide open fishing boat. Ripped out windshield and controls, tiller steer new floor and patched many many rivets and leaks with same tape. The roll of tape is getting thin so we have been trying to find more for a while. After we cut the tape patchs to size we hit then with a hair dryer and have had no problems.

[olduckhunter]

no name for the tape?

[scrat]

I have fixed a lot of leaks with JB weld a 2 part epoxy type metal. It sets up very hard in just a few hours. It would be even better if someone could mig weld it. The thing about rivets is that if they are loose and you continue to walk on them they will still leak. It is always best if you have a aluminum boat that is riveted ( also welded boats that don't have a floor)to cut a piece of plywood to cover the bottom of your boat that will ride on top of the braces. That way your weight is distributed over a larger area and not right were a rivet would be this works best before you have the leak.

[olduckhunter]

scrat, he said someone before him had tried jb weld and it didn't hold. I suspect they didn't clean around the rivet before applying the jb weld. i'll tell him bout the boards and welding. still someone else on here named a different stuff from jb weld that worked.

[scrat]

Go to Mechanics Corner - boats, motors and trailers

on here and do a search forum on aluminum boat leaks they are a lot of older posts there oldduckhunter.

[Eagle 1]

Wal-Mart sells a putty that will last about three years . Can't remember the name but it's in the boat accessories section .

[strmwalker]

could give this stuff a try its works great and will last !!!

Marine Tex, epoxy resin, adhesives, silicone grease, engine treatment, cleaner, repair, bond, fill, seal, fiberglass, aluminum, plastics, Starboard, wood

[addictedangler]

Rivets usually leak because they get loose. Sometimes you can tighten them up by bucking them up and re smashing them with a hammer. No matter what you put on them they will leak again if they are not tight. Perhaps go on line and see what I mean. I used to work on Trailers ( tractor trailers ). And we would tighten them. This may not work 100 percent but could help.

[olduckhunter]

thanks storm walker, i'll tell him about gluvit. and i'll do the search scrat. thanks.