To rivet or not to rivet...

[jlowmiller]

I've just inherited a 16'6" Starcraft aluminum riveted boat. It appears to be from 1981, and today while scraping off some of the "sealant" (aka, porcelain enamel coating for your bath tub) that the previous owner used to seal up some leaks, a rivet came off in my hand, mid scrape.

I'm assuming there are other rivets that are on there currently that are just "spinning" and some that are just held on by the enamel. What I would like to know is if anyone can give me advise as to whether or not I should scrap it out, buy the riveting equipment and rivet it myself, re-rivet using a couple hammers and some drinking buddies, weld the seams, etc.

I'll post pictures of the project as it progresses, as the boat is in rough shape and will need everything. The floor is completely rotted through, will need a bunch of new paint, a new console.... ... everything. Thanks guys, its my first boat (that I've owned).

 

[Bondo]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Ayuh,... Google up "Closed-end Pop rivets".... That's what I use on My Starcraft...
Aluminum of course...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Scraping that old sealant is a great idea. I have found a powered wire brush helps strip most of that away.

Use the rivets that Bond-O has listed and then when you are ready.... get intimate with a can of gluvit for the final sealing.

I would really have to count but I think the Starcraft Aluminum Boat projects are the most common lately in this section. They have a timeless hull design and are fun to work on.

 

[Mark_VTfisherman]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

......as to whether or not I should scrap it out....

That boat is definitely worth the repair. Don't scrap it! Take these guys advise and you will be good to go.

Paint it and give us pictures?

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Ayuh,... Google up "Closed-end Pop rivets".... That's what I use on My Starcraft...
Aluminum of course...

Hollow core or solid?

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Scraping that old sealant is a great idea. I have found a powered wire brush helps strip most of that away.

Use the rivets that Bond-O has listed and then when you are ready.... get intimate with a can of gluvit for the final sealing.

I would really have to count but I think the Starcraft Aluminum Boat projects are the most common lately in this section. They have a timeless hull design and are fun to work on.

It definitely is a timeless design. I'll start a new thread, Jason's 16'6" 81 Starcraft Rebuild, with pictures.. or perhaps I'll just revise my blog and throw it on there. Regardless I have barely touched it, it's still encrusted with 3 yr. old leaves.

I have visited many boat dealerships (some who have been honest and others not so much). I have a friend who's father has been a fabricator for many years (in the 30+ range) and can weld a bead so nice on aluminum its really a piece of art in itself. Is it worth it investing the money to have him weld the seams as well? I've had other dealerships tell me to keep the boat, but instead pay for a Rhino line. As I only have a 25HP outboard Mercury for it, I want to keep the weight down as much as possible.

Ayuh,... Google up "Closed-end Pop rivets".... That's what I use on My Starcraft...
Aluminum of course...

Do you think the pneumatic/hydraulic riveter mentioned to me in another post on another thread? I have a hand riveter I purchased at Harbor Freight. It does ok. I think it will do ok on the building up of the front using angle aluminum but I'm not sure I'd trust it on hull integrity.

 

[willyrocket]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Maybe go through as many as the rivets that are accessible, and see how many you need to replace. Determine from that if it is worth it to buy rivet equipment (maybe more than 15-20 and it may be worth it to buy tools?). If not, then use the bolt method spoken around here.

IMHO, if I were to keep the boat forever or any ally boat, I would invest in the tools, because down the road you will want to rivet it........

 

[willyrocket]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

By the way, how bout some pics!!!!!!!! Will make a lot of people happy round here.....

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Maybe go through as many as the rivets that are accessible, and see how many you need to replace. Determine from that if it is worth it to buy rivet equipment (maybe more than 15-20 and it may be worth it to buy tools?). If not, then use the bolt method spoken around here.

IMHO, if I were to keep the boat forever or any ally boat, I would invest in the tools, because down the road you will want to rivet it........

I think I will invest in the tools. I love the boat and I haven't put any money into it yet. I think I will take a bit of everyone's advice, and re-rivet but with a combination of solid rivets and closed-end pop rivets. I have a few good burly friends that wouldn't mind helping out for an afternoon. I think I'll coat all the rivets though in the 3M sealer that some have mentioned.

 

[Bondo]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Ayuh,...

Closed-end Blind Rivets are pretty much solid...
I install them with a plain ole Marson hand riveting tool....

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

So, I think I'm going to get a break in the weather this weekend to start doing some work. After I tear the flooring out, I need to get the boat in a position (hopefully upside down) to where I can start taking off the sprayed on enamel. Thoughts anyone?

 

[5150abf]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

I don't think it can be welded, alot of times they use a gasket or sealer between sheets and it isn't weld freindly.

Tried to weld a buddies boat and as soon as I hit an arc that sealer started coming out, it was a mess.

Throw some water in it and see exactly where and how much it leaks, you may luck out.

 

[Bondo]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

I need to get the boat in a position (hopefully upside down) to where I can start taking off the sprayed on enamel. Thoughts anyone?

Ayuh,... If the existing paint is Well Stuck to the hull,... Leave it there....

Just sand it out,+ paint over it...
Why go through the Hassle of priming, when the base paint is solid....

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Well I got the boat off the trailer today and flipped it upside down on the ground.
It appears that the enamel they sprayed it with, is really an enamel over fiberglass matting. I was able to get it off real easy (pry bar and a hammer to pull it up).

The bad part is i noticed on the underside a lot of rivets missing, and one that was straight up missing on the very bottom of the boat.

You stand behind closed end pop rivets if i use them on the entire boat

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

Well I got the boat off the trailer today and flipped it upside down on the ground.
It appears that the enamel they sprayed it with, is really an enamel over fiberglass matting. I was able to get it off real easy (pry bar and a hammer to pull it up).

The bad part is i noticed on the underside a lot of rivets missing, and one that was straight up missing on the very bottom of the boat.

You stand behind closed end pop rivets if i use them on the entire boat

Yes the rivets are great for all rivet needs on your boat.

Fiberglass matting What matting? Please explain. There is no place for fiberglass on an aluminum hull.

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

I KNOW!! Crazy right? Evidently they tried to cure the leaking and rivet failures by putting fiberglassing over the aluminum. I had to have two "hosses" of friends come over in order for me to get it off the home made trailer.

Evidently about 90% of the rivets are missing from the "tip of the V" on on the bottom of the boat. In fact, in one at the very very tip of of the bottom, there was a hole?! for a rivet I wonder? Not sure, will try to get outside and take some pics tomorrow.

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

... <dupe post removed>

 

[Bondo]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

You stand behind closed end pop rivets if i use them on the entire boat

Ayuh,...

Back when I found these Closed-end Pop rivets,...
I bought/ buy them from a supplier who used to supply a pontoon boat builder down in Marathon Ny...
They used these pop rivets to build the Whole pontoon boat...

 

[jlowmiller]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

On a somewhat unrelated note, and I haven't gotten that far into it yet.. on your starcraft aluminum rebuild, was the foam there for structural integrity? Noticed some towards the aft section of the ship, haven't torn out the flooring yet, just curious what kind of rot or bad foam I will run into. How hard is it to repour this on an alum?

 

[reelfishin]

Re: To rivet or not to rivet...

None of the older Starcraft hulls had pour in foam, at least none that I've had yet. Were talking the late 50's to late 70's or so.
I own 5 of those hulls right now. their great hulls. While I've yet to have one loose a rivet, I have run across a few crooked or loose rivets. What I do is to simple buck in an original rivet, it takes two guys, one inside and one outside The result is an undetectable repair.

That boat must have had a pretty hard life to be missing that many rivets.
I've never had one with any rivets missing.

As stated above, Gluvit is your best friend with any aluminum boat, but to be honest, I've not yet had a leaky one yet. Even so, I still coat the entire below the water line area just as a precaution and for some extra protection.