Leaks in fishing boats

[caznik]

Hello GLF members,

I have a 14' fishing boat that I like to fish in the rivers and on inland lakes. Well the past 5 times that I had been fishing in my small boat there has been alot of water run in my boat latley. So Saturday I thought I try and find where that water leak is at. Well I found it and it is a nasty crack that is about 3" long and is in the front of my boat. What is the best stuff to try and fix this leak. I been thinking about trying JB weld or some kind of gas tank leak stuff. Can someone help me out here, I like to get this leak fixed and not buy another small boat.

Thank you,

Rich

[Mike]

Well I am not an aluminum boat expert but I have some metal fabrication experience.

The most important thing is to make sure that the crack can not spread. The easiest way to prevent this is to drill a hole[Yes drill a hole] on each end of the crack. This will prevent spreading.

Now you can make a patch and rivet it on top of the crack using some silicone to seal the leak.

or take the boat to someone who has a tig welder and then you will never worry about it again.

[Midway97]

Rich,

I used Gluv-It to seal all my rivet lines on my Islander. Its a 2 part epoxy that dries hard yet flexible and takes paint very well. you can put it both interior and exterior to seal up a crack. you can pick it up at most marine centers, I bought it at West Marine but have seen it several places.

[GLF]

I have used the JB weld on an aluminum boat before. Which ever way you go, make sure you clean it up good first. I used a scotch wheel on the end of a drill to clean the area I used the JB weld on.

[caznik]

Thanks guys,

I dind't think about a tig welder. Maybe I will check with a friend that I know that works with steel and see if he can tig weld it for me. If not I will try JB weld and see if that will work.

Thanks guys for all your info,

Rich

[Mike]

Which ever way you go, dont forget todrill a hole[Yes drill a hole] on each end of the crack.

This will relieve the stress and prevent the crack from spreading further..

[Sixshooter]

Caz,

Did you FART in your boat again?

[caznik]

No that would of been Sarah C. He was in the front of the boat and that is where my leak is.

Caznik

[DangerDan]

I been thinking about trying JB weld or some kind of gas tank leak stuff. Can someone help me out here, I like to get this leak fixed

Just get a bigger bilge pump and slap some duct tape on the gash.

Seems to work great from what I hear...

[caznik]

Well guys,

Just thought Id let you all know I did get my small boat fixed on good Friday. My father inlaw helped me out and what we used was some aluminum rod. Which we had to use a torch at low temp. and kinda melt it on. Well after doing that we put it in the water and it didn't work. So the my fater inlaw had some epoxy glue and we put a bunch of it on the crack where we put the aliminum rod on it and it is not leaking no more. So im good to go now.

Thanks everyone for helping me out,

Rich

[GLF]

Alluminum is hard to weld. Glad to hear you got it fixed.