Need advice on aluminum hull repair

[texasvet54]

My houseboat has an aluminum hull and it finally warmed up enough that I could get down on my back in the bilge and find the leak. The leak is dead center on the back where the bottom and the transom meet.

So, what is the best waterproof epoxy to use? I'd like to put some on the inside as a temporary fix and then when it warms up, I'll throw my scuba gear on and put some epoxy on the outside.

Thanks,
texasvet

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

I would pull the boat and have it fixed from the outside. You really need to know why it's leaking. Plus you dont want water getting into the wood

 

[texasvet54]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

Unfortuneatly, the boat weighs 24,000 lbs and it would cost me at $600 or more to have it pulled out of the water, plus any repairs such as welding the aluminum.

texasvet

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

600 is dirt cheap compared to what it will cost if you trap the water and force it up the transom.
What if the leak is caused by corrosion? You must find out what is going on.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

I highly recommend this product

PC-11

for underwater use. It cures underwater. Ace Hardware carries it

http://www.right-tool.com/pcwhiteppas.html

 

[texasvet54]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

600 is dirt cheap compared to what it will cost if you trap the water and force it up the transom.
What if the leak is caused by corrosion? You must find out what is going on.

Lyle,

If I patch it on the outside, like was done to a crack in the hull on my starboard side, wouldn't that be safe? I can't remember the name of the product that the marine service down in Austin used, but he told me that the US Navy used the same product for underwater use. He said that it would outlast me and the aluminum hull. I think it had the number 72 in the product name.

Thanks,
texasvet

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

I would get a diver to check it out. Do you know what happened to the side?

 

[texasvet54]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

I would get a diver to check it out. Do you know what happened to the side?

No Clue, The prior owner told me that it was leaking on the side when he bought it in 1998. That leak caused the bilge pump for the middle of the boat to run about once a month since the leak was so small. My bilge in the back is running about once a week, but then it is a smaller area since the bilge is sectioned off from the rest of the boat. So far, the repair on the side has worked fine. The middle of the boat has been bone dry since I purchased the boat last Septmeber.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

The leak is dead center on the back where the bottom and the transom meet.

,
texasvet

if thats near where the engine is, it needs haulin out and tig welding. The stress on a transom from outboards is tremendous.

 

[texasvet54]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

if thats near where the engine is, it needs haulin out and tig welding. The stress on a transom from outboards is tremendous.

Mine is an I/O. Is there any less stress?

The local technical college teaches welding and underwater welding. I think I'll head over there next week and see if I can find someone who knows something about welding aluminum. Also, the leak is on the inside of the boat whre the bead is. I wonder if that is all that would need to be repaired or if both the inside and outside need work.

Another idea is contacting Five Star Marine in Austin to see if they would travel 120 miles to my lake and take a look at it. I guess anything can be accomplished if enough money is in the mix.

texasvet

 

[texasvet54]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

if thats near where the engine is, it needs haulin out and tig welding. The stress on a transom from outboards is tremendous.

Jonesq,

It's been a long time since I looked at the replies to my original post and your comment about outboards putting a lot of stress on the transom made me think. My engine is an 8 cyl 250 hp Mercruiser I/O. Does an I/O put much stress on the transom? Since the engine is on mounts anchored to the bottom of the boat and the outdrive is attached to the motor and goes through a boot to the water, it seems that the transom doesn't have that much pressure on it. Does this sound correct or crazy?

texasvet

 

[undrh2o]

Re: Need advice on aluminum hull repair

Did this never get repaired? If it's aluminum hulled something besides corrosion would be the culprit...I don't think the stress of your ourdrive is enough to crack the transom/hull. Maybe it hit something?