Hole in my Alumaweld

[Fish Junky]

Hello All,

About a month ago I bought a 1993 20 ft Alumaweld Formula Vee. Before buying it I looked it over for dents, pitting, electroless etc... Everything looked ok. The boat had a up graded motor 2004 Mercury 150 Optimax and a 2004 Merc 9.9 kicker, Also the trailer was up graded also. Anyway I used the boat a couple time with no problem untill now. On my way up to Pyramid we stopped and as I was walking down the side of the boat I noticed a small hole right above the water line. The hole is on the starboard side about even with the drivers seat and just above the water line. My first thought was electroless but as I looked closer the hole looked almost perfectly round inside. I thought maybee someone drilled it or shot it. I have no idea. It also looked to me maybee someone tried to fill it with a filler or something and it broke up. I went ahead and used the boat for the two days and got some water in but not alot.

Today I took it to my welder friend and had it spot welded to seal it up. He said as he was welding it another one started right next to it. He welded it also.

I also noticed the boat don't have a sacrificial anode attached to it. It has one on the motors but not the boat. Should the boat have one as well?

Here's some pics of the hole.

So what do you guys think? Electroless?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hole in my Alumaweld

I would be more concerned in patching the hole.

Do you leave the boat in the water? I would not be too concerned about an anode unless the boat is left in the water around other boats.

 

[Fish Junky]

Re: Hole in my Alumaweld

Didn't get much done today but found the back side of the hole. It was just above the floor and next to the drivers seat. Indeed there where two holes. The holes where behind carpet that was glued to the gunnels from the factory. I peeled back enuff carpet around the holes to look for any more corrosian or holes. A little ways down I did find something that could more corrosian but I dont know. When I pulled back the carpet and buch of white powder fell from inbetween the gunnel and the carpet . The aluminum looks a bit ruff and looks like something ate away at it.

Here somemore pics

Holes from the inside

The other place of concern. You can see the white powdery stuff.

Now it's got me wondering if some saltwater got trapped behind the carpet and caused the hole?

I also looked the boat over real well for anything that can be grounded to the hull. The only thing I can come up with is this.

It's a wire coming out of a wiring harness looks to be grounded to the screw that attaches the gas filler.

So what do you guys think?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hole in my Alumaweld

Well, gluvit will become your friend. I would lightly sand down the corroded thin areas and apply a few coats of gluvit.

I think the grounding wire on the filler is overkill since it is an aluminum boat and the filler is obviously mounted through the aluminum.

ALL grounds in an aluminum boat need to be routed directly to the battery......... since you have that type of corrosion I would imagine you are in salt water. (HINT update your profile with a location ).........

Break open the piggy bank and get a can of gluvit. You can get to work on the problem areas. For holes..... you can install a small patch attached with 3m5200 and later covered with gluvit.

That white powder is aluminum corrosion. Actually the white powder is good because the aluminum is protecting itself with that powder..... I would lightly sand it off and cover with gluvit.

If you use gluvit .....stay inside or under the hull of you will HAVE to coat it with paint. Gluvit is a great sealant for aluminum but it does not have UV protection and will break down if constantly exposed to sunlight.

 

[Fish Junky]

Re: Hole in my Alumaweld

Thanks Bob for the responces. I've owned this boat about a month now. I don't the history of it. From the looks of it, it looks like it's been used in the salt mostly. What I'am thinking is salt water got trapped behind the carpet and caused the corrosion. My plan is to rip out all the carpet and check for more problems. I'll check in to the gluvit.

Thanks again Bob.

I also updated my profile.