alum jon boat leak

[vanjan]

I have an alum jon boat that is quite old but my grandson wanted it so we fixed it up. It has a leak in one of the small vees actually it it a crack about 2 inches long. Short of welding what would be the best way to repair. Could i fiberglass a peice of woven roven from the inside or will it stick to alum. or is there a better way.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: alum jon boat leak

check the phone book for welders, and ask if the are acustom to welding aluminum. with it being a crack, thats the best route. fiberglass won't work, as the expand and contract at different rates. it really shouldn't cost that much. and your grandson is going to be in the boat.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: alum jon boat leak

Welding would be the best. You might try Marine-Tex FlexSet or one of the do-it-yourself welds like Dura-Fix.

http://durafix.com/index.html ] Dura-Fix[/url]

http://www.marinetex.com/PRODUCT%20PAGE_files/All%20FlexSet/Flex%20Set%20General%20Info.htm ]Marine tex[/url]

 

[steelespike]

Re: alum jon boat leak

If you try a home repair you will need to drill the ends of the crack to stop its spread.If you feel it is not structual or dangerous you could try a cob job repair by simply filling the V with some sort of caulk maybe 3M 5200.
Keep in mind a crack is usually an indication of a weakness in the structure.Though it could be damage of some sort.
I have a small hole In my 56 Crestliner utility that was patched with 2 inch square rubber patch simply glued in place about 40 years ago.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: alum jon boat leak

i think because it's on an angle, welding is the only real fix, because of flex and stress.

 

[arthat]

Re: alum jon boat leak

I have fixed several loose rivets and other holes in my 1969 Starcraft Aluminum boat by using a product from Starbrite: It's called "Epoxy Aluminum Putty Stick". A 4oz. stick from Boat US is $17.99. You can sand the putty after it dries and it is easy to work with. A putty knife and rubber gloves is all you'll need. Copy and paste this link into your browser to get a full description.
www.boatus-store.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/20002/-1/20002/81628/20002/96/11160/4

Good luck and Successful boating to you

Art

 

[Silvertip]

Re: alum jon boat leak

Provided the boat is not finished (carpeted) you can weld aluminum with a mapp gas torch and aluminum rod available at any home improvement store for about 20 bucks. Do it right. Structural repair with "a fancy glue" is not a repair. Its a band-aide".