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Reply With QuoteSounds to me like you have a crack if it's all welded. If so don't think a pour in product is going to fix your problem. May stop leak for a period of time but eventually it's only going to get worse. Need to get it welded.
Slabmaster II
Need ideas for sealing keel on a Lowe
I have a all welded aluminum hull Tahiti deck boat that the keel is leaking on. I did a leak test and it seams to becoming from right under the fuel tank which I rather not remove because the floor would have to come out. My idea so far is to use the product called gulvit and poor it into the seam from inside the boat, tilt the boat up and let it run back in the seam under the fuel tank. Only problem I see is not being able to get it cleaned very well under the tank where I can't get to it. Any thoughts?
The inside pic is the keel seam forward of the fuel tank in one of the storage boxes that I cut out the floor. The other pic is the outside keel cap.
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Sounds to me like you have a crack if it's all welded. If so don't think a pour in product is going to fix your problem. May stop leak for a period of time but eventually it's only going to get worse. Need to get it welded.
Slabmaster II
I'm assuming it is welded under that keel cap. Could it be rivited, crimped, or something under there?
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I'm betting it is seam welded. Have seen a few where they had one side bent into a tight bend and the others slid into that joint then welded but that was a long time ago. Yours could even be a pressed/shaped bottom but unlikely. My point is if you have a very small crack it's only going to get worse as time goes by. Sealer may stop the leak for now but does nothing to strengthen it. Might just take one good wave to split it wide open. I always try to ere on the side of safety first so over cautious when it comes to stuff like this. If it was my boat, I would bite the bullet,pull the tank and find out what is going on.
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Slabmaster II
Okay. What about cutting out that section of keel cap and having it welded from the bottom side?
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I doubt that you'll find anyone to weld it with the fuel tank in place.Originally Posted by criddy
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Slabmaster II
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Ouch! I think the only way is to have a GOOD TIG welder fix it.
Slabmaster II
Yep welding for sure. Going to check some places next week. Just hoping someone will do it with the fuel tank in. It sits 8 inches from the bottom of the boat so I don't think it would be a problem. If it is I've been practicing my tig at work, aluminum is tough.
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and gas with HIGH HEAT is highly explosive !!
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