Aluminum boat. Hole repair on a budget.

[Weldorthemagnificent]

I see many questions posed regarding fixing rivet, screw or perforation holes in boats. As a welder by trade, a forever fix is easy for me. Many however don't want to pay to have it done or wait for it to be fixed. As a welder I should hang my head in shame but I have been known to use JB Weld. I am replacing my fish finder and the new transducer is not going in the same spot so I have a couple holes to fill. I didn't feel like dragging it across the street to weld it so here's an opportunity to share how simple a fix can be.

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[Weldorthemagnificent]

Using a wire wheel on a drill, the holes and area are cleaned down to bare aluminum

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[Weldorthemagnificent]

I like the JB Weld steelstik. I keep a tube in my tackle box. It will harden enough in 5 minutes that you can do shore repairs during a trip. Slice a small amount off and knead it until it's one color.

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[Weldorthemagnificent]

Sticking a pebble sized piece on the outside and flatten a bit. The putty is fairly sticky at this point so I just stick it on and leave it for a minute. Same on the inside. After it starts to set, a moistened finger is used to smooth it down and make sure the edges adhere well. This will harden enough in 5 minutes that you can put it in the water. The repair can simply end here or you can sand it to a desired profile and paint over it which is likely the route I'll go. This will last a long time. How long I don't know exactly but I did own a boat for 5 years with this repair on a missing rivet on the bottom and it was still good when I sold it.

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[MrGiggles]

You should try to chip it off with a screwdriver and film it.

Not that I'm skeptical, I think it would work fine, just want to see how hard that stuff really sticks.

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

Good idea, hope this is what you had in mind.
https://youtu.be/puM-lEK2DM8

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[508]

Well I'm sold.

 

[DaleH]

The concept is surely sound, of making a 'mushroom' on each side that mechanically bonds to the hull, versus just relying on the epoxy chemical bond. In the future though, I'd advise anyone to prime the tin first, as some goop curing agents actually attack and corrode tin, not sure of JB Weld ...

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

JB Weld says safe for aluminum on the package. I wouldn't prime it because then your product is just stuck to the primer and not the substrate.

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[DaleH]

I wouldn't prime it because then your product is just stuck to the primer and not the substrate.

Good to know about JB Weld though, where clearly I never read the package I have downstairs, LOL! FIW though, a good 2-part etching primer actually imbeds itself into the surface or converts to be part of the surface itself, hence the 'etching' part of the term.

As shown below, this is what other goops can do to unprimed/prepped tin:

.....

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

That's a great illustration! Thanks for adding that.

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[eeshaw]

I've got about a 2 inch crack to fix on the keel of a 1436. My plan is to sand the area on both sides to bare metal after stop drilling the crack to stop propagation, wipe with acetone and let dry. I'll try this Steelflex product to see how it works out. Welding this thin aluminum doesn't work well for me since I don't tig.

 

[gogittum]

This one has me going a bit. The epoxy repair looks good and if it's safe for aluminum, go for it. If not, rivet a piece of aluminum to the Inside of the hole, then fair it to the hull.

Yah, there'll be drag from the rivets, but there are already 100s of rivets in that hull, so what's a couple more ??

What "really" concerns me is the picture of what 5200 did to aluminum. I had to replace 170 rivets in the bottom of my 16 ft Starcraft Seafarer recently and people on the forums were insistent that I seal the closed end pop rivets with 5200 to prevent leaks.....so I did.

I smeared a small gob of 5200 on each rivet, pushed it into the hole, popped it, then smeared the 5200 on the outside to smooth it some. The boat doesn't leak.

Now I'm concerned. That picture is ugly. On a small surface like a rivet, will the chemicals in the 5200 leach out fairly quickly ??

If not, I may have 170 oozing leaks in my future.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

This one has me going a bit. The epoxy repair looks good and if it's safe for aluminum, go for it. If not, rivet a piece of aluminum to the Inside of the hole, then fair it to the hull.

Yah, there'll be drag from the rivets, but there are already 100s of rivets in that hull, so what's a couple more ??

What "really" concerns me is the picture of what 5200 did to aluminum. I had to replace 170 rivets in the bottom of my 16 ft Starcraft Seafarer recently and people on the forums were insistent that I seal the closed end pop rivets with 5200 to prevent leaks.....so I did.

I smeared a small gob of 5200 on each rivet, pushed it into the hole, popped it, then smeared the 5200 on the outside to smooth it some. The boat doesn't leak.

Now I'm concerned. That picture is ugly. On a small surface like a rivet, will the chemicals in the 5200 leach out fairly quickly ??

If not, I may have 170 oozing leaks in my future.

This!

I thought 5200 was the goto sealant?

 

[airshot]

Just a suggestion to add to the JB weld fix....use the round side of a ball pien hammer or other tool to dish the area around that hole. Scuff it real good than add your JB weld patch !! That will give additional material surface to grab on to and less likely to come off. Also add some the the back side to lock the patch in place. Have used JB many times on my old jon boat, lasts a long time but after some years it did crack and come off. I have also had good luck with "Goop" shoe repair stuff, that stuff lasted for many years. 5 years back I found a product called " leak stopper" clear roof patch/ coating. This stuff has worked really well...my ribs on the jon boat were actually worn thru, long cracks on the ribs from dragging over sand and rocks. Still no leaks after 5 years. Just some food for thought..

 

[Tin Ark]

Definitely JB Weld is something to consider, used it on my SeaArk I just finished after a year of rebuilding. AVOID 5200 for this job NEVER. I used it very sparingly to mount some Starboard for
my transducer.

 

[CarpCommander]

JB weld definitely works, but I gotta say this is the first time I’ve ever seen a ‘welder by trade’ use it in place of actually welding. Especially if someone decides to weld that spot in the future.

I’d caution using this as a temporary fix before taking it to be welded. It’ll cause the job to likely double in price. If you don’t plan on ever welding it, this stuff works great

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

JB weld definitely works, but I gotta say this is the first time I’ve ever seen a ‘welder by trade’ use it in place of actually welding. Especially if someone decides to weld that spot in the future.

I’d caution using this as a temporary fix before taking it to be welded. It’ll cause the job to likely double in price. If you don’t plan on ever welding it, this stuff works great

On a flat spot like this it's no big deal to buff the JB Weld off with a wire wheel if it's ever to be welded. On a seam or lap joint such as a rib or strake (where it should be welded anyway) it is more of a pain as it's hard to get all the product out of the joint and it does fizzle up when attempting to weld. Makes a lovely smoke too. Will it cost double? Not likely. It takes more time to position a boat within reach of the Tig torch and set the machine, prep the area etc, than it does to do the actual welding. Anyway, the thread is about hole repair on a budget

 

[airshot]

I have used JB weld on aluminum boats in past years, way past !! After many years and rough abuse the JB did come loose. No damage to the aluminum material itself, but it had to little surface to attach and the rough abuse caused it to let loose. Make sure you use plenty to overlap the hole to allow a good grip to the metal. A coating over the top such as paint or other sealant will only add to the life.

 

[MinnesotaBoy]

Here's a DUROBOAT transom repair I'm faced with soon. There are more holes in this boat to make it both heavenly and sink. Approach:
1. Sand entire area to provide smooth exterior surface, removing poorly painted existing surface. Us wire wheel on drill, as suggested by Weldorthemagnificent to ubber-clean areas around each hole.
2. Use 1/4" aluminum plating and drill through existing holes to secure 14x14" plate to reinforce transom's exterior while sparingly using 5200 around through-bolts and backing of washers.
3. Use JB Weld on the holes still visible and where poorly mounted transducer mount was removed. Sand repaired areas smooth.
4. Paint masked transom with Pettit "Blue Green" as Larry McPhail from DUROBOAT just suggested...although I think he means, "Jade Green" EZ Poxy.