repairing riveted aluminum hull?

[misterfroggy]

Just started work on a LoneStar Riviera. it's an 18' riveted aluminum semi-V hull. Some of the rivets have started to leak...

I've repaired rivets on jon boats with JB weld and they've lasted, but this hull will take more of a beating and I'm much more concerned with the repair on his boat being permanent.

I've done some digging around here and elsewhere on the internet and have a few questions. First, has anyone ever used these brazing rod-like things? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_4x3TmHs6M

I would bet it has some of the same pitfalls as welding but since it's aluminum to aluminum and it's a lower heat (i assume), I don't know if that makes a difference.

Second, the best thread I found here on iBoats is this one: http://forums.iboats.com/forum/gener...-repair-rivets


There is one poster claiming that screws and nylon washers are the best repair and that it's a watertight, permanent repair, whereas other posters suggest that re-riveting is the best way. Still others suggests that bucking the rivets is just fine, although I get the sense that simply bucking isn't a permanent solution.

One poster said that, in his experience, stainless screws rusted, even though they were above the water line in a freshwater lake.

I am happy to go through and do the screw and washer method if it's the best, most permanent fix, but I'm also happy to buy a pneumatic riveter or something and re-rivet the whole thing if that's the best, most permanent repair. Also wouldn't mind JB welding it or something (this is not a show boat by any means) if that's just as permanent. I'd rather spend a long time NOW and use the right tools and proper method to do it RIGHT. and, hopefully, do it just once!

I couldn't bring myself to arrive at a conclusion as to what best way based on that threads I've read, and, since that one is 7 years old, I figured that maybe I could start a new thread on the topic and hopefully benefit from the experience of 7+ extra years of hull repair and new technologies and such, and see if there is a consensus on the best way to repair a riveted aluminum hull.

Any insights, guidance, thoughts, etc. would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

EDIT: I guess I should ask... How reliable are rivets, generally? I think I have only a few leaky rivets and this boat is 60 years old. Should I repair just the leaky rivets, or go through and re-rivet or rescrew everything, since I'm going to be doing a few anyways?

thanks!

 

[g0nef1sshn]

Pics of the exact rivets would help these guys make decisions. For me, if its only a few here and there I would remove the old, and slobber a new 5200'd pop rivet in. If its a line of structural solid rivets, Id remove them and goober 5200 on some new solid rivets and redo them. rebucking non corroded rivets could work fine too. Whats the boats history? Fresh water or salt water? Both? Pics really would help on this along with the past history of boat and which rivets are leaking. Im no expert, they probably will be along shortly!hoto::madgrin:

 

[misterfroggy]

Thanks for the reply! I'm not exactly sure what rivets are leaking :/ I just took it out for a fast test float to see what I was dealing with. Over the course of maybe 20 minutes a cup of water pooled up in the bottom, so I'm guessing I have 5-6 rivets that have a slow leak. I plan to fill it sometime soon and see exactly which rivets are leaking. but I can definitely take photos!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Just as you said they been holding together for 60 yrs they are reliable but can loosen.

Just what Gonefishin said just make sure you use 1) aluminum and 2) closed end anywhere you want to keep water out.

Depending on how far you are going w/ your resto/rebuild there is great success in coating the seams and rivets from the inside w/ Gluvit or similar products.

 

[redneck joe]

i get hardly any water sitting in my Lone Star, but a few hours of running I get more because of the pressure. Not bad maybe a gallon after a good afternoon of running. I put in an 800 GPH pump and its gone in a couple seconds.

 

[misterfroggy]

Thanks everyone! Question about the Gluvit... does that take the place of re-riveting? or do people typically re-rivet and then add the gluvit as a secondary measure?

Like, if I wanted to just coat the inside (and outside? do people do that?) with gluvit, would I not need to worry about reriveting or screwing?

thanks!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

No replace any for sure leakers then Gluvit. I've seen a few do the outside but your best bet is to just do the inside. :thumb:

 

[misterfroggy]

thanks! So, I'm still on the fence between screws and rivets.... Is riveting a job that the hobby boat owner can do themselves? I'm don't know much about rivets, never really used them, but I do have a 20 gal/120psi compressor. Could I do a good job with just that and a pneumatic rivet gun, or will I need something much more heavy duty?

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

Can use 5200 instead if the 2part he uses but ya really not that hard

The hand tool he is speaking of is the squeeze style rivet gun, for a few rivets I'd get a riveter like he was using for more than 25-30 I'd get a pneumatic one from HF. (they come in 3/16 too if you wanted you smaller rivets)

 

[misterfroggy]

thanks! that does look really easy. One more quick question.... is there any additional value to, say, taking the whole thing apart, and then putting a sealant between all the of the overlapping panels? Or is just sealant on the rivets more than enough?
thanks all!

 

[TruckDrivingFool]

No need to pull it apart panel by panel that's where the Gluvit comes in, it is thin and will work down into the seams.

 

[Decker83]

thanks! that does look really easy. One more quick question.... is there any additional value to, say, taking the whole thing apart, and then putting a sealant between all the of the overlapping panels? Or is just sealant on the rivets more than enough?
thanks all!

There is a factory sealent between the panels that should not me separated..
There are many utube vids on installing solid rivets.. Do a google search..
The boat was made with solid rivets and has lasted this long.. You don't need to reinvent how its put together..
You will need 2 people and access to the rivets from both inside and outside of the boat when using solid rivets..
Your next best thing is to go with closed end aluminum rivets with a aluminum mandrel.. The steel mandrel is stronger but with cause corrosion over time..
Just my .02 cents worth..

 

[64osby]

+1 on what Decker said ^^^

After replacing / rebucking rivets use gluvit or coat it on the seams. If the area will be exposed to sunlight paint the area. Gluvit is not UV stable.

Add transom, foam, interior, motor and paint. Go boating with a dry happy boat and captain.