Sealing aluminum boat

[aftergrass]

Hi guys, I'm new here and heading out for a walk down kokanee lane. My question involves my old aluminum boat. It's a 14' Montgomery Ward Sea King Aluminum boat and the seals where the two pieces of sheet are starting to leak just a bit. I'd like to seal these with a caulk or paint, do any of you have experience with this kind of thing? Thanks!

[SilverBullets]

I think an epoxy would be the way to go. I've never used this product by it looks like it would do the job...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjO-QufNd6o

[SuperD]

can we see a picture? it is kind of hard for me to visualize exactly where the seam is.

[Mike]

My Smoker Craft Alaskan is getting a bit long in the tooth aswell. I carry a couple sticks of aluminum boat patch in my tool kit for emergencies but haven't needed to use it yet. Here's a link so you can check it out first hand.

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=699968&WT.z_mc_id1=43000000118075156&WT.srch=1&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=google|boa_Boating+Accessories_Boat+Care+ Appearance|USA&rid=20&pcrid=8444941458


Mike

[SuperD]

I don't know if this is the same stuff Mike referenced from Cabelas but I have been in awe of this stuff for some time. Watch the video!

http://www.aluminumrepair.com/video_new.asp

[02gtdbzfan]

a polyurethane industrial sealant like "Sikaflex" will work well.

[aftergrass]

Hi Guys, thanks for all your suggestions. We just got the boat back in the water with a new transom, new paintjob and sealed seams. We ended up using quite a few products for sealing the boat. Attwood 7200 (which is pretty similar to 3M 5200) sealed the seams along the aluminum and any big gaps were sealed with Attwood epoxy putty stick. The epoxy stick is pretty darn impressive. The boat holds the water out 99% I did find one little drip that was probably just a lazy job on my part, however it is so slow that the water evaporated before it could puddle.

With the transom I used the shape of the old transom to start with but then made the new one deeper into the boat. I used 1/2 plywood and cut out 3 versions of it and clamped and glued together with PL375. When it was set I used fiberglass resin to coat the entire thing. I also used fiberglass cloth on all the edges to give something to hold sealant. Once it was installed I used the 7200 to cover anywhere water could get in. I had to redrill a couple holes but all in all it works like a charm and the transom is very very sturdy! I'm ready for a bigger motor but for now we picked up a cheap 2hp on craigslist and hit the water. I still use the electric troller for kokes and we've already put dinner in the boat a few times. Now I'm ready to start talking technique with you guys!

Thanks again!
-Eric

[mjbosko]

Great thread. I have a 16' aluminum with a floor - a floor thats pretty well held down... sigh. I take on a lot of water, having to bilge pump quite a bit several times a day. The leak, I think, is along every seam since I can't seem to locate any holes.

I've been told this is par for aluminum, but really? Thats a lot of water. Is there any way to seal the seams from the outside?? without having to tear the floor up?

[Full_Monte]

There are two kinds of aluminum boats....the riveted and the welded. The welded ones generally don't leak at all. The riveted ones work loose in the pounding of the water on the hull and eventually leak. A friend of mine re-sets the rivets every couple years with a hammer and a backing weight to keep the leaks in check.

[aftergrass]

Great thread. I have a 16' aluminum with a floor - a floor thats pretty well held down... sigh. I take on a lot of water, having to bilge pump quite a bit several times a day. The leak, I think, is along every seam since I can't seem to locate any holes.

I've been told this is par for aluminum, but really? Thats a lot of water. Is there any way to seal the seams from the outside?? without having to tear the floor up?

Get yourself an attwood epoxy stick and do your seams. Be sure to use a small propane torch (don't over do it, just a bit) to sweat any water out before you seal them. I'd say that you're gonna need to remove the floor to find the leaks so you don't have to epoxy every rivet, that would slow ya down quite a bit.

[mjbosko]

Sounds like a (fun...) summer project. Heh. And yah, mine is riveted.

[Trout Tracker]

No need to pull the floor to find a leak. Just put water in the hull while on the trailer and watch for the drips. If it is just a rivet or two or small area on a seam just seal with caulking, silicone or maybe epoxy. I have used the waterproof version of Shoe Goop with great sucess and can last for years.

[bfloyd4445]

Hi guys, I'm new here and heading out for a walk down kokanee lane. My question involves my old aluminum boat. It's a 14' Montgomery Ward Sea King Aluminum boat and the seals where the two pieces of sheet are starting to leak just a bit. I'd like to seal these with a caulk or paint, do any of you have experience with this kind of thing? Thanks!

all you need to do if the rubber is intact is to pound the rivits to tighten up the boat. Sometimes u have to remove the rivit and instal a new one or even several with a new sealer strip. These boats are easy to fix and much quieter than the welded ones in a chop.