1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

[1gabby]

Hello everyone,
I am doing the research on how and if I want to repair my leaking (Aluminum and riveted) 16' Smoker Craft.
It is a open "V" bottom with a carpet wood floor.
www.smokercraft.com/showroom/default.aspx?typeid=5&seriesid=17 (not sure if the link thing worked).
I love the boat and it's layout.
Stable, can handle some water, plenty of storage and paid for....
I now use it for (saltwater) small bay fishing, crabing and family sandbaring/playing. It was used in (saltwater) big bay fishing with lots of water in it several years ago but always dried out and it is always on a trailer covered.
Anyway this past year a got a small corrosion hole at my bildge area. This area is about 10" square that you can see into which you can see the hull.
I patched with a product by Marine Tex designed for aluminum. It held initially but later put some 3M 5200 on it.
Last trip of the season and water started coming in again. Not sure where but at a rate that is too much to enjoy your day in the boat. Never had any leaks prior to any of this.
In looking around the web and reading some forums my plan of attack is to fill boat partially with water to see if I can see where the leak is.

1st senerieo:
My patch is still leaking and I need to repair better.
What would you suggest?

2nd senerieo:
I have a rivet leaking under the layed flooring.
How to repair if I can't get to both sides of the rivet?

3rd senerieo:
Have more corrsion leaks up under the layed floor. With possiable thin metal due to corrsion.

I have come to the conclusion it is possiable I might have a boat restoration project on my hand and have to completly remove the seats, storage compartments carpet and flooring.
I'm thinking a coating like the truck bed liner products being applied to the inside hull, re-foam, new deck wood.
Then do I install outdoor/marine carpet or go with easier cleaning vynal?
Others have mentioned applying a barrier coat to the underside/bottom of the hull.

I know a lot of questions for a new bee on the site but your site seems to have a lot of good info and a subject towards my situation.

 

[HONKER1]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

I purchased my '86 Starcraft from a party that lived on the coast. Claimed he never had it in salt water, but when I started to replace the plywood floor, I found the water soaked flotation had to be removed. That is whe the real trouble started. The aluminum inside was deeply pitted and you couldn't see the trouble from the outside, because the paint was still holding.
If your boat was mine, and it only being January, I would start removing the floor, flotation, and anything else that would keep me from doing a full inspection. I would be sanding, grinding. scraping, and sand blasting my way to find the cause of water coming in. Then I would make the decision, is it worth trying to save. This website can help you save it, but 1st get to the root of the problem.
Sorry for the bad news, but I've been there and done that. I did save my '86, but it was alot of work and male pride not to have to admit to momma I made a mistake on the purchase. And I did actually enjoy working on the boat.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[1gabby]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

After you found the pitted alum., what did you do to coat/repair it?

I have had many hours on this boat and if it were decided to scap it, although hard and a loss, at least I got many years of use out of it.
I just feel it's worth some elbow grease to keep her afloat if possiable and feasable.

 

[HONKER1]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

On the inside (where I knew it would never be seen again) I used a grinder with a wire brush and cleaned the aluminum until it was fresh and shiny. Used a small sand blaster to clean out the pits that the wire brush didn't get clean enough to suit me. They I vacuumed and wiped the area down with lacquer thinner. Before it would oxide I used a trowel and sometimes a 4" wide putty knife and spread marine tex (gray) over the pitted area.
I only mixed enough Marine Tex that I could put on in 5 minutes. Once that stuff started to set, don't keep trying to pack it in.
It wasn't very pretty on the inside with a thin layer covering the aluminum, but on the outside where the Marine Tex came through, after it was dry, I sanded it down smooth. I also replaced some rivets (with the help of my son, make sure he is on the inside, but be nice and give him earplugs). After this work was completed I repainted the whole boat and redesigned the interior.
I was working on a Starcraft and because the transom board had a little dryrot I decided to replace it. I found most of my pitting in the aluminum behind the old transom board. The salt had gotten in there and had a feast. Don't know about a Smokercraft, but you my want to check your transom area, seeing how you are doing a major overall.
I added a 30" ski shoot in the floor for stockage, but more so I can open it up and let the air get to it to dry it out between trips. I am not a lover of permanent carpet because it traps and holds water. If I had carpet, I would snap it in so it can be removed between outings.
Hope this helps

 

[1gabby]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

Now having some time tollok at what I might be dealing with it seems there are two small pin holes about a foot in front of the tramsom.
These two areas are located under the decking.
The easiest fix is from the outside.
My local boat dealer is recommending www.evercoat.com/productDetail.aspx?pID=164"

Aluminox Epoxy Sticks.
They say to clean surface and apply.

What's everyone's thoughts?

I relize a decking tear out is probably the best way to go but I am kicking around trying this type of product and see what happens.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

First I would plan on getting under the decking. You have to get a real idea of what to use.

We are fans of gluvit for sealing aluminum boat rivets and seams. Once you are down to the aluminum and use the gluvit you are also preventing future repairs under the decking.

You may have to redo the patch you have.

Any salt intrusion to alumnum under the deck is going to create problems in the future so IMO I would do it right and feel better all season.

 

[Saskatoon2005]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

I have small leaks in my 1975 Starcraft boat, and I am going to try and use HTS 2000 Brazing Rod, there are many testimonials and it sounds pretty good...just hoping not too good to be true.

Patrick

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

I have small leaks in my 1975 Starcraft boat, and I am going to try and use HTS 2000 Brazing Rod, there are many testimonials and it sounds pretty good...just hoping not too good to be true.

Patrick

The melting temperature of the rod and the melting/destruction point of your boat are VERY close I would not risk it at all. Use gluvit on the seams and rivets.

 

[1gabby]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

Well I am taking to do it right the first time approach and have removed the decking to expose the inside hull.
Before doing this I filled the boat with water and let sit for a few hours.
I found 4 (pencil lead size) corrsion pin holes.
All about 18" forward of the transom.
2 were right where the trailer roller sits.
After removing the rear bench seat and making my cut in the decking forward of the found holes but still under the seat I feel I am going to be able to get to the area that is currently leaking and put the deck back down without it being noticable that it was ever removed.

I stopped by West Marine (Old Boat US) and they have Gluvit in the 2 lb. can for $60.00.
The can says it will cover 25-30 sq. ft. I have exposed 20 sq. ft.

Do you think one can will cover what I need?
Should I put a second coat on?
Any other place to look for it at a better price on-line?

I am planning to clean the hull with a wire wheel on a drill.
I bought a course and a fine wheel.
Any recommdations for these?

I think the photos make it look worse than it really is.
I haven't begun to start cleaning it but I believe the dirt/rust/corrison is only surface stuff.
We'll see once I get started.

I will try to attach some photos.

 

[1gabby]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

Wow photos (although small but en-largeable) worked.

In the not so clear photos with the marker is the under side of the hull where water leaked out.

The foam under the decking looked fine.
Just a little dirty where is was adhered to the hull.

I think I will be able to put the 1/2" deck back down with the foam still attached.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

I think if that were mine and I intended to keep and rely on it, I'd probably pull the entire deck, thoroughly clean the inner hull, then access the extent of the salt damage. If the boat has been used in saltwater, then most likely there will be salt trapped elsewhere in the bilge, which will sooner or later eat into the hull. I'd want to be 100% sure that the remaining aluminum was cleaned and sealed, so as not to have future problems.

Most likely your best bet to repair the small holes will be epoxy, if the metal is already corroded, it may burn through or collapse under heat, most likely you will end up with a larger hole than you started with. You could also epoxy down a patch panel in that area but that's not needed. I'd also be concerned with any salt that got trapped behind the transom wood. Properly done, the repairs should be permanent.

I used Gluvit on a 15' x 60" beam V hull a few years ago, I only did the area below the deck, it took just shy of a quart using it as per the intructions.
I then also epoxy painted over the Gluvit, which protected it even further.
The result was a permanently sealed and protected hull. I used the same epoxy paint on the outside. The boat had about 15 or so pin holes and many pits along the bottom, it had sat for years in saltwater on the beach.
The first thing I did though was to strip the hull and completely clean all sand and salt from the bilge, I then neutralized the salt with SaltX. I cleaned away any white chalky corrosion, trying not to dig open any new pin holes. The boat in the end was perfect, not a single leak. I sold it last fall to a guy who converted it to a bass boat, so it will most likely have an easier life far from saltwater.
After having done that boat, I would probably shy far away from a saltwater used aluminum boat, at least one that was left in full time. I had another larger boat which was far worse, in which the aluminum was corroded inside the keel strip, the main hull panels were corroded away from the rivets there.
I sprayed the bilge well to stop and corrosion, sealed it up with Gluvit and sold the hull as is. The guy that bought it says he didn't have to do a thing to it, it don't leak a drop, even though I explained to him what sort of damage it had.

 

[1gabby]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

Reelfishin,
I hear you with pulling the whole deck.
That was my original thought.
I'm not saying no way but what I have done is the area that I am doing is a good spot to do it in sections.
I am only seeing leakage at the area I am doing.
I know it's not the right way to do it but at least if I want to continue forward with this project, I can just continue where I cut a go forward.

If the Gulvit is under the deck does it really need to be sealed/painted?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

I was always told that gluvit can't handle UV light, so that makes me think that it needs to be protected or at least will last longer if protected from all elements.
I would think that even a basic coat of paint would make it even more durable. I just like using epoxy paint, mostly since I have a good supply on hand.

 

[1gabby]

Re: 1986 Smoker Craft "Big Fisherman"

I'll look on-line but can you give an example of an epozy paint.
I'm guessing this is a boat store item.