Jon boat leak

[Jggrmson]

any tips or tricks to finding a pesky leak in a 16 ft jon boat. dont really want to pull the decks to fill her with water. im sure it is a rivet or seam leak but i cant find it to save my life.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Jon boat leak

Tilt the bow down a bit and add water via the drain tube at the bilge. Add several gallons then put the plug in and level the boat.

I'm just sayin...

 

[drewpster]

Re: Jon boat leak

Does it have a drain for water that gets trapped under the deck? You could tip it forward a little and fill it that way. You could also use a pipe adapter and some copper pipe with a 90 deg fitting threaded in to the drain to fill it. Just watch how much water you put in it. They are boats, not bath tubs.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Jon boat leak

I think a good visual inspection will help.

You will be able to see a rivet that might be leaking.....

Hmmmm it has a deck? Does it have a live-well? Those are normally my first suspicion to check.

How much of a leak? Gallons? Ounces?

I am just not a fan of filling the boat with any amount of water.

 

[Jggrmson]

Re: Jon boat leak

I think a good visual inspection will help.

You will be able to see a rivet that might be leaking.....

Hmmmm it has a deck? Does it have a live-well? Those are normally my first suspicion to check.

How much of a leak? Gallons? Ounces?

I am just not a fan of filling the boat with any amount of water.

agreed. I went ahead and took out the decks and attempted to fill it with water. Man...only a few rivets DIDN'T leak.

it lets in about a gallon over a half day. fish from sun-up untill noon and get about a gallon out of it when i get home.

no live well.

plug doesn't leak

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Jon boat leak

Sounds like a good candidate for Coat-It
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=30

or Gluvit!
http://www.marinetex.com/gluvit.html


I'm just sayin...

 

[bcddd214]

Re: Jon boat leak

food coloring and water......
pour, wait, follow....

 

[fshngho]

Re: Jon boat leak

Decks removed, clean hull, apply Gluvit.
Now thats not so hard!!!
Seriously JGG, if you have everything out of the boat, you might as well fix it right. Get a helper and re bunk all the loose rivets. Than apply Gluvit. Two things about Gluvit, it is slooow to work in cold temps but it flows into and around rivets and seams & it is not UV resistant so you will have to paint/cover it after application. A 16' boat should only need 1 can. Good Luck

 

[Jggrmson]

Re: Jon boat leak

Decks removed, clean hull, apply Gluvit.
Now thats not so hard!!!
Seriously JGG, if you have everything out of the boat, you might as well fix it right. Get a helper and re bunk all the loose rivets. Than apply Gluvit. Two things about Gluvit, it is slooow to work in cold temps but it flows into and around rivets and seams & it is not UV resistant so you will have to paint/cover it after application. A 16' boat should only need 1 can. Good Luck

thats what im going to do. i bought jb weld. is gluvit better?

 

[fshngho]

Re: Jon boat leak

Two great products, two different applications. JB can be used as filler and to repair cracks, loose/broken rivets. Gluvit is a sealer that will flow in and around areas. JB does not flow.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Jon boat leak

thats what im going to do. i bought jb weld. is gluvit better?

Yes, gluvit is better for what you are looking to do.

It's basically a tin can boat restorers best friend. Just make sure not to expose it to UV rays as it will crack. Paint works great, or covering it with the boat's deck.

Good luck!

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Jon boat leak

BEFORE you apply the gluvit (which actually has a bit of flexing when dry) re-buck the rivets....... sealing rivets that need to be tightened will waste the gluvit

 

[Jggrmson]

Re: Jon boat leak

Gluvit it is then. Just follow the directions on the tub/can then? any tips for applying it. it is leaking (in multiple places) were the rivets hold the lateral supports that run across the floor to the floor. my concern is that gluvit is not going to get between these supports and to the leak; only on top of the rivet/ support. will try to get photos up soon to better explain.

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Jon boat leak

In that case I'd put Gluvit on the exterior and interior rivet. I did this on my little 12' boat, just make sure you paint over the Gluvit since it's not UV resistant.