Anybody know how to repair an aluminum boat?

[Warhammer0351]

Can someone tell me how to repair an aluminum boat? I got the 14' flat bottom boat yesterday and it has some small holes in it. How do I repair these? The boat is in fairly decent shape other than the holes in it, but I can't complain! I got it for free!! Soooo, now i need to repair it! Any ideas? Semper Fi!!

[Bull3tBait]

I have an aluminum row boat that was leaking from the bow. I went to the boat shop and got a fiberglass patch kit. It's a bit messy but fixed the leak. It's basically fiberglass fabric that you cut to size, dip into this resin stuff you mix up and then you smooth it over the area where the leak is. I think it only took one layer but it was several years ago and I can't tell just by looking at it. I just made sure the patch was much bigger than the area that was leaking (mostly because I didn't have an obvious hole to see, only a general area of where the water was coming in so I patched a good 1/2 of the front bow). Oh and I patched it on the outside of the boat not inside.

[saviger]

Duck Tape!

[squidfamily1]

Duck Tape!
duct tape

[Bull3tBait]

Duck Tape!
duct tape


And how long is that supposed to last :? You men and your duct tape :lol:

[saviger]

Duck Tape!
duct tape


And how long is that supposed to last :? You men and your duct tape :lol:

long enough to apply more Duck Tape

[Bull3tBait]

Duck Tape!
duct tape


And how long is that supposed to last :? You men and your duct tape :lol:

long enough to apply more Duck Tape


LMAO. Well, can't argue with that. I would just prefer to enjoy my trek out and not have to worry (when I'm in the middle of the lake) if I'm going to make it back to shore before my boat sinks due to a Duck Tape malfunction.

As a funny sidenote my Boat has AFLACK in big letters across the back (joke from my uncle) so seeing Duck Tape made me laugh.

I did a google search and came up with this link. http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1221379/page/1
They don't agree with using Fiberglass on Aluminum (oh well, its worked for me for about 7 years now). They say to get it welded.

[squidfamily1]

duct tape

[Bull3tBait]

duct tape

But...but DUCK tape is a much more entertaining way to think of it. :| Brings images of taping ducks to the boat as a possible alternative floatation aide. Sheesh.

[toby2533]

Duck tape works, I had to do this company team building exercise. We were given 4 cardboard box 4 rolls of duck tape 6 yard sticks and hadto build a boat that someone had to paddle in a race. Now all the other teams listened to the PHDer and MDer they had were trying build something to get to cuba. My team listened to me and we built something that looked like a landing craft with no extras. Well we went over to the hotel pool put the boats in I inserted on the women on my team and she won the race. Most boats did not make it to the end without sinking.

[jxspyder]

Duck Tape!
duct tape


And how long is that supposed to last :? You men and your duct tape :lol:

long enough to apply more Duck Tape


LMAO. Well, can't argue with that. I would just prefer to enjoy my trek out and not have to worry (when I'm in the middle of the lake) if I'm going to make it back to shore before my boat sinks due to a Duck Tape malfunction.

As a funny sidenote my Boat has AFLACK in big letters across the back (joke from my uncle) so seeing Duck Tape made me laugh.

I did a google search and came up with this link. http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1221379/page/1
They don't agree with using Fiberglass on Aluminum (oh well, its worked for me for about 7 years now). They say to get it welded.

That's why you bring a roll of duct tape with you, duh!! :P :P

Aluminum's easy to weld...but kind of expensive if you don't have access to a welder.

[MuleTheDestroyer]

Its too simple to fix: cover hole with duct tape, cover the duct tape with plumbers' epoxy, cover the epoxy with more duct tape, cover that with guerilla glue. then put your whole boat inside a slightly larger boat that doesn't have a hole. Duct tape the 2 boats together.

[squidfamily1]

Its too simple to fix: cover hole with duct tape, cover the duct tape with plumbers' epoxy, cover the epoxy with more duct tape, cover that with guerilla glue. then put your whole boat inside a slightly larger boat that doesn't have a hole. Duct tape the 2 boats together.
:lol: :lol:

[Bull3tBait]

Its too simple to fix: cover hole with duct tape, cover the duct tape with plumbers' epoxy, cover the epoxy with more duct tape, cover that with guerilla glue. then put your whole boat inside a slightly larger boat that doesn't have a hole. Duct tape the 2 boats together.


Ooooo then when the Gureilla Glue expands it will fuse the two boats together permanently. That's BRILLIANT :D

[Ironhide400]

My suggestion isn't as cool as duct tape or as cheap, but your best bet is to take it to a local welding shop or body shop. If you know where the leaks are, then they can weld them up. If not weld them, body shops have some kick ass epoxy that could hold a space shuttle together! :shock:

[Warhammer0351]

What about using that Cool Seal stuff they use on trailer home roofs? That's stuff is supposed to stop leaks.

[Amiable Horde]

Duck Tape!
duct tape


And how long is that supposed to last :? You men and your duct tape :lol:

Forever duh!

[jxspyder]

I'm amazed that no one's suggested it yet. Since I can't do it justice though, I'll let "The Man" explain.


[youtube:2q78lfo5]Rb2bMdH1iPY[/youtube:2q78lfo5]

[River_Rat_459]

Just stick with the Duck duct tape. :mrgreen: http://www.duckbrand.com/Products/duck-tape.aspx

[MaximusR3]

i'm going to have to strongly disagree with the mighty putty. I tried to use some to fix a small leak on a water heater pipe just like in the commercial.....yeah, wasn't happening. It worked about as well as wrapping a bit of play-doh around it. And mighty putty smells like a damn stink bomb when you mix it too.

How big of holes are we talking? like rivet or screw sized holes? If they are small holes then i'd go with an epoxy of some sort, i can bet a marine shop would have something decent. And of course lay some duct tape over the epoxy for good measure and style.

if the holes are a bit large and epoxy alone won't take care of it then perhaps lay another piece of aluminum over the hole and rivet it down, applying a sealant both underneath around the hole and along the edges of the new patch piece, then line all edges with duct tape for style. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to apply sealant to the bottom of the boat where the rivets come out too.

[XxSilentxFartxX]

Jeez Max is there anything you cant fix..Ill hire you to be My Righ hand Handy Man..Free room and board lol

[MaximusR3]

lol don't worry, i took apart 25th's guitar amp tonight because the effects selector and overdrive switches weren't working and after determining i couldn't do much else without the proper tools and a working knowledge of the circuitry, i put it back together and now there's no sound at all :?

i'll have to open it back up tomorrow and see if i accidentally forgot to reconnect something or something came off when i put it all back in

[MuleTheDestroyer]

mighty putty = plumbers epoxy. billy Mays just makes it sound like some awesome new invention. I've used it to attach and seal ignition sytems onto the blast chamber of potatoe guns. The stuff is awesome. Wouldn't recommend it to seal a hole larger than a dime though.

[MuleTheDestroyer]

mighty putty = plumbers epoxy. billy Mays just makes it sound like some awesome new invention. I've used it to attach and seal ignition sytems onto the blast chamber of potatoe guns. The stuff is awesome. Wouldn't recommend it to seal a hole larger than a dime though.

[jxspyder]

Since we were talking duct tape, and gorilla glue...let's take the best of both worlds.

http://ws.mccoys.com/macservices/signmaker/imageprovider.ashx?i=3d3ca28b-36e6-4f11-a147-388aa64dc275&max=550

[Warhammer0351]

That's some great tape! I have some! I don't think it can fix my boat though! Lol!!