Got a tear in my boat, now what?

[acdc96]

Last week I took my 14' alumnium boat out of the water. The ramp I used is only accessible during water foul season (winter) it's a small dirt ramp that is back in the woods. Must have 4x4 to go back their or will get stuck. I got the boat on trailer and started heading out got to the top put the transom strap on and started leaving. I turn the corner to leave and the trailer didn't turn the way I planed on and it went into the bushs. I hear a thud but everything looked fine and went home. while emptying the bow compartment i saw daylight coming out the side!! i look on the side and theirs a 3 inch tear 5 inches above the water line. It looked like someone used a box cutter and sliced it open (no one did) I guess the the thud was a tree or debri in the bush.
I plounded the tear flat and was going to see if I can fill it with some aluminum brazing rods but could not get the alumnium hot enough to melt it. I tried using propane and mapp gas.

My plan is to get a thin sheet of aluminum (maybe 21 gauge) and make a 4"x4" square and pop rivet it on with some carb gasket material & 3M 5200. With the rivets being 1/4" apart from each other (16 rivets perside)
thoughts or better fix?

 

[dozerII]

Are you planning on putting the patch on the inside? That would be my preference, then only the rivets will show. I don't think you need the gasket material, just 3M 5200 in a nice thick layer that will squeeze out and eliminate any voids that could cause corrosion, just wipe the excess off with varsol.

 

[smokeonthewater]

you're on the right track.... 86 the gasket material tho
make a patch that will overlap good metal by 1".. for a straight gash a strip of 2" flat stock is all you need and it should be about the same thickness of the boat.
Fastenall sells closed end rivets... ideally get stainless or aluminum rivets with stainless mandrels. Steel mandrels will work fine but will rust... only matters if the looks of the tiny little rust spots bothers you.

I rebuilt a canoe that was tossed by a storm and then trampled by horses. It had a dozen holes and was smashed in multiple directions..... two big hammers to straighten, 20 feet of aluminum flat stock is 2" 4" and 6" along w some aluminum angle for the gunwales, a tube of 5200 and about 300 pop rivets.... worked good as new.

Little trick... I sanded the oxidation off aluminum first and then I would shape the patch as needed to fit PERFECT and then drill the first hole in a corner, put a rivet in it, drill the second hole in the opposite corner, if needed to hold securely in place go ahead and pop em, drill all the rest of the holes... now remove the first two rivets, drill the heads off if you popped em, apply a 1/8" bead of 5200 outside the rivet holes (patch on the outside) and apply patch with 2 rivets in place to line up and avoid smearing the 5200. a small bead should ooze out... spritz it with water and use your finger LIGHTLY with plenty of water to shape it into a fillet.

also you can cover the sharp edged inside with 5200, seals out water n dirt and also protects fingers from getting cut.


EDIT, before you install your patches round the corners and sand the edges... makes for a MUCH nicer patch.

 

[Scott Danforth]

or for $35 take it to your local radiator shop and have them tig weld it.

 

[Woodonglass]

This ^^^ sounds good to me!!! But...I'm just an Old Dumb Okie that's a Glasser to boot!!!!

 

[bruceb58]

I would go with the TIG method. Of course, I have a TIG welder and would just do it myself that way.

 

[sean.deangelis]

I would go with the TIG method. Of course, I have a TIG welder and would just do it myself that way.

+1. Even if you have to pay its going to be the most sanitary repair. All the aforementioned methods will probably work but it'll be nice to avoid adding more material than is absolutely necessary..."Like it grew there" is the rule of thumb. That said, a bad welder can cause you a lot of headache so find a good one if you go the TIG route.

 

[Woodonglass]

Like SD said, A radiator shop will either be able to DO the job or KNOW someone who Can!!!

 

[Grandad]

My plan is to get a thin sheet of aluminum (maybe 21 gauge) and make a 4"x4" square and pop rivet it on with some carb gasket material & 3M 5200. With the rivets being 1/4" apart from each other (16 rivets perside)
thoughts or better fix?

If you choose a patch over welding, I'd choose a heavier gauge aluminum and space the rivets about 3/4" apart. If you've any doubt about the adequacy of the hull's existing gauge aluminum to support the rivets, I suggest that you place a patch on both the inside and the outside with, as others have said, a layer of 3M5200 under both. - Grandad

 

[Watermann]

If patching listen to Grandad and don't make a ton of holes to weaken the material even further and if you don't want a patch on each side then use backers on the rivets for sure. I would think some 080 or 090 AL would work fine too.

 

[Flukinicehole]

I would not patch but weld. I'm sure you have a welding shop around and then you would have no rivets sticking through your hull.

 

[acdc96]

I'm going with the plate, rivet, 5200 method. Looks I don't really care. Its no show boat, I'm don't plan on paying someone to weld the tear. I use the boat in my local tidal River. It flexs a lot I don't want a weld to break open when going over a wake. It's a work/fishing boat if were a 1950's - 70's tin boat I would make it a show boat.

In March I plan on taking the bench seats out and clean the inside, paint it with some sealer (I think it's gluvit), and re-wire the boat for the 4th time then put it all back together.

 

[jbcurt00]

GluvIt is epoxyx so it isnt UV stable, have to paint over it in an open bench fishing boat

 

[Woodonglass]

You might check out Marine Tex "Flexset" It's some BAD STUFF!!! It stays flexible after curing and sticks to just about anything. You could fabricate two pieces of aluminum for patches on either side use this stuff to glue em on the crack, clamp em overnight and you won't need any rivets!