Jon Boat Leaking

[wefish]

Have a 12' Jon Boat that I took out today for the first time this year. It has rivets and after couple hours, it had taken on quiet a bit of water. Does anyone have any good remedies for stopping leaks in a riveted aluminum boat?

[CrappieHusker]

I had a similar boat years ago that my son and I used for fishing strip pits in Illinois. It started leaking and I got this product at a hardware store. I can not remember the name, but it was for stopping leaks in metals and may have bore a name with 'marine' in it. I believe it was from a tube or a small can and was gray or black in color. It worked great, go to either a hardware store or similar place and they should be able to help you!

[wefish]

Marine Tex Gluvit is one product, but I have never used it. Don't know if it wroks or not or how difficult it is to use.

[coony278]

If it is the rivets leaking , it is a fairly easy fix. Get a hammer and a block steel. Set the boat on some saw horses and hold the block of steel on the back side of the rivvet and hit the top of the rivvet with a hammer. This will tighten the rivets back up and they will stop the leaking.

I know this to work cause I have done a couple of boats myself this way and it stops the leaks.

If it is a crack or hole just have it welded up by a welding shop


Coony

[CrappiePappy]

Have a 12' Jon Boat that I took out today for the first time this year. It has rivets and after couple hours, it had taken on quiet a bit of water. Does anyone have any good remedies for stopping leaks in a riveted aluminum boat?

is a old, riveted Tracker TX17. Many of the rivets were loose, and leaked. We used the "fill the boat with water, add food color dye" method, to locate all leaking rivets. Once marked, rivets were removed and holes were filled with "Knead-it" compound. http://www.selleys.com.au/Selleys-Kn...e/default.aspx
This was done >10yrs ago .... no leaks have reappeared from any of the patched rivet holes. (I'm guessing, but estimate that >12 holes were patched)

There are other products, similar to, or possibly better than Knead-it ... but, it's what we had on hand, and it has held up, with no re-sealing needed to any of the previously patched holes. The boat is powered by a 50HP outboard, is run in rough water/waves, driven on the trailer (with outboard), and trailered on highway/Interstate for up to 6.5hrs (one way) .... so it has not been "babied", due to the patch jobs.

...... cp

[jlaughlin72]

If it is the rivets leaking , it is a fairly easy fix. Get a hammer and a block steel. Set the boat on some saw horses and hold the block of steel on the back side of the rivvet and hit the top of the rivvet with a hammer. This will tighten the rivets back up and they will stop the leaking.
Coony

Thats what I would do, simply because there is no COST involved in it, then if it still leaks I would look at alternative ways of fixing it.

[Dn.liner]

I don,t know what you location is but in Charlotte NC there is a store called Harbor Freight, they have an aluminum repair rod like a welding rod, but you use a propane torch. They come in tubes with 8 rods each.

[wefish]

There is a Harbor Freight in Dillon SC about 30 miles. Thanks

[volfan]

go to an rv store and get the sealant they sell. it will stop leaks in anything. It is the same thing used in gutters to seal the corners. Stay away from silicon. There's only one good use for that stuff.....

[NIMROD]

If it is the rivets leaking , it is a fairly easy fix. Get a hammer and a block steel. Set the boat on some saw horses and hold the block of steel on the back side of the rivvet and hit the top of the rivvet with a hammer. This will tighten the rivets back up and they will stop the leaking.

I know this to work cause I have done a couple of boats myself this way and it stops the leaks.

If it is a crack or hole just have it welded up by a welding shop


Coony

You are right ,atleast in my book. Also it's cheap ,a little elbow grease. Besides if you put anything on them and it does need welding it will all have to come off .Otherwise it will contaminate the weld .