1973 StarCraft 14ft Row Boat Leaking Rivets.

[NewtBootGoofin]

Recently purchased this. Done a lot of digging on this site about repairing leaking rivets. I’m curious if any of y’all could give me suggestions about how to remove old paint and flex seal along seams and rivets from previous owner. I’d like to strip the paint and flex seal and do a reseal with Gluvit.

 

[airshot]

Gluvit goes on rhe inside, not made for the exterior. Getting flexseal off is not easy, othwrs nay chime in here on that. If you can find the leaking rivets, just rebuck them and they usually seal back up. A tool for the rounded head and a big hammer and a helper is all that is needed. Do some research, lots of reading on rebucking rivets.

 

[NewtBootGoofin]

Thank you for the reply. The inside is where I was planning to put the Gluvit. The previous owner applied flex seal along the rivets inside of the boat.

Gluvit goes on rhe inside, not made for the exterior. Getting flexseal off is not easy, othwrs nay chime in here on that. If you can find the leaking rivets, just rebuck them and they usually seal back up. A tool for the rounded head and a big hammer and a helper is all that is needed. Do some research, lots of reading on rebucking rivets.

 

[airshot]

Thank you for the reply. The inside is where I was planning to put the Gluvit. The previous owner applied flex seal along the rivets inside of the boat.

Well that was not a smart thing to do !! Not sure what cuts that flex seal stuff. You could try acetone it cuts most anything and won't hurt the aluminum or the rivets.

 

[LaqueRatt]

I kinda dig the Flex seal tape, but it remains sticky and the glue oozes out the sides unless it's really cold out. Stuff does stick well and seems to seal well too. Worked good on a couple rips on my older cover. Not so well on the cap seal on my pickup truck. Now every time I open is just about I end up with sticky fingers!

 

[LDUBS]

Well that was not a smart thing to do !! Not sure what cuts that flex seal stuff. You could try acetone it cuts most anything and won't hurt the aluminum or the rivets.

The flex seal web site says acetone and lots of scrubbing/scraping. I think there is going to be some elbow work involved. This is a good example of why this flex seal stuff shouldn't be used on boats. Some people use it as a quick patch as opposed to fixing the underlying problem.

 

[airshot]

The flex seal web site says acetone and lots of scrubbing/scraping. I think there is going to be some elbow work involved. This is a good example of why this flex seal stuff shouldn't be used on boats. Some people use it as a quick patch as opposed to fixing the underlying problem.

No one seems to look down the road or into the future anymore, instant fix or gratification is todays moto !!

 

[NewtBootGoofin]

This is my first boat. I love it already and would love to do a full restore on it eventually. For now, I just want her in the water without leaks lol. I was underneath of it last night looking for where the water is coming in and it seems to be coming from along the seam down the center of the hull. It’s entering that seam and then through the rivets. I see where previous owners have gooped who knows what on the seam and rivets over the years to combat the leaks. What would be my best plan of attack on this? I’ve attached photos of said seam. There are a few spots like this, this is just the one that is really leaking right now. Would Gluvit on the inside seal it up for good since it’s coming in from the rivets?

 

[airshot]

I think the gluvit inside would be your best bet. If you add to the outside, that old crap needs to come off first. Keel and strakes need to be sealed from the inside for best results.

 

[thill]

Definitely re-buck any rivets you see leaking. If you smack them, and the heads come off, there is the real problem. My bro in law was going to do the Gluvit route, but we re-bucked his rivets (and found & replaced a number of them) and that boat has been bone dry for a few years now for an hour of time and $5 in solid rivets.

Many boats do NOT have a sealed keel. Guys seal the area you photo'd and it doesn't change anything, just wastes sealant.

IF you can, dry your boat floor completely with a towel and put it in the water and see if you can find exactly where the water is coming in. It might not be where you think. I have found many in sneaky areas. If your boat only leaks when moving, that is a clue.

I have a thing, where I'd rather find the leak and fix, rather than slather Gluvit inside, and I've been pretty successful. Even so, sometimes you cannot access the exact leak, so epoxy fix, it is. It's nice to have options.

 

[Rickjlittle]

Recently purchased this. Done a lot of digging on this site about repairing leaking rivets. I’m curious if any of y’all could give me suggestions about how to remove old paint and flex seal along seams and rivets from previous owner. I’d like to strip the paint and flex seal and do a reseal with Gluvit.