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New here but can add. When the leaks stop drain the water from the boat.
Gluvit fills minor chips and pinholes and is easily painted.
How to seal rivets on aluminum boat. Place the butt of a piece of 34-inch rebar against the tail of the leaking rivet outside the boat. Strike the opposite end of the rebar with a hammer until the rivet tightens up and the leak stops. When the leaks stop drain the water from the boat.
Never use a drill to remove a rivet. Locate the leaking rivets. Prop the boat up and spray water inside to locate the loose rivets.
Dry thoroughly and sand the area around the rivets with 120 grit to remove any paint and provide some tooth for the epoxy. Etch the area with WEST 860 Aluminum Etch Kit. Mix and apply a layer of GFlex epoxy.
How to seal rivits on aluminum boat To do the job right. Replace any leaking rivets then use the Gluvit on the inside. Check your transom wood for rot now and replace if needed.
Replace your foam with the polystyrene sheet foam from HD or Lowes. Apply Gluvit to the rivets with a foam brush. Apply a little extra on the high side of the rivets and let gravity help.
Wait a couple days cover the rivet with something like MarineTex putty or Aquamend epoxy let it set then coat that putty with more Gluvit. When working directly with aluminum youll want a sealant specifically designed to adhere to metal. At the very least the label should let you know that the sealant adheres to metals.
For example a cartridge of Life-Calk will seal to metals and the acid-free formula of Silicone Rubber Sealant wont corrode metal. Stick with the Silicone Rubber. My brother replaced his rivets in his sled.
It was labor intensive but worked. You can buy replacement rivets and do it yourself but youll have to take out the interior. You can try filling the boat with water and seeing where the leaks are if they are obvious to see the extent of the issue.
It could be just a few or most of them. Aug 23 2012. Best way to reseal a rivited aluminum boat.
Do a leak test on your boat fill the bottom of the boat with a few inches of water while its on the trailer and watch the outside of the bottom for leaks. Mark the leaks when you find them. I you have a leaky rivet s replace the rivet.
Use Gluvit on aluminum fishing boats to repair leaky aluminum seams and rivets. The cure rate has a long working time that allows penetration into cracks to seal and strengthen. Gluvit fills minor chips and pinholes and is easily painted.
There are multiple methods to repair leaking rivets on an aluminum jon boat. Some are mechanical involving resetting the rivets. Some are chemical using a sealant around the rivets.
All the methods have one thing in common. Before you begin the repair you fill the boat with water to find the leaks. New here but can add.
While boat is filled with water have buddy hold large hammer against rivet on outside use a long enough rod 34 or so in diameter to place on rivet from inside and strike with hammer. This tightens rivet and you see instant results as the water is still in the boat. Making the aluminum boat repair.
With the leaks identified and marked here are the techniques used for the repair. Flip the boat over for easier access to the bottom and prepare the surface for bonding. For the seams clean out any debris that might still be stuck inside.
On the rivets I used a wire brush in a circular motion to abrade the surface. First thing to try is to just rebuck the rivets. If that doesnt work replace them or use the Gluvit that was recommended In most cases that I have been around just tightening them back up works.
Flex seal only works if your boat is. Using a propane torch you heat the aluminum and melt the stick over the rivet or crack in a circular rubbing movement. Take away the stick and the heat and you are done.
This seals it for good and will not leak or come off. Every riveted boat vintage I see leaks through the rivets. Fish a little bail a little The thread about building a lapstrake boat with rivets made me think if were a good idea to try build a riveted boat employing a caulk rivet technique using panels instead of strips.
I filled my boat about half way up to check for leaks the other day and the only place any water dripped out came from the port and starboard side of the boat where the aluminum on the sides of the boat is riveted to the aluminum that makes up the stern. The leaks were at the same place on each side of the boatabout half way up the curve. When seated in its hole the new rivets unpeened headless end should protrude by about 23 of its diameter.
For the best hold set the rivet first so the metal sheets are in tight contact. Drill a hole just larger than the rivets diameter in a hardwood dowel or steel bar. Put the rivet in its hole and your buck against the rivet head.
Jon boat rivets exhibit different wear and tear over time caused by leaky aluminum boat riveting. Aluminum boat rivets may. Yeah Ive use the stuff and actually really like it but hate the commercials.
Have tried it all over the years of working on boats and a closed rivet or leak proof rivet with a sealant like 3ms marine 5200 is a good way to fix a popped rivet. Most parts departments carry the rivets. The surface must be clean dry and free of dirt dust grease loose paint oils or other contaminants.
Sand aluminum with 80-grit sandpaper within a 1 radius of the leak or repair until the metal is shiny. Remove any sanding residue before application. For best results use Aluminum Boat Etch Wash.
How do I apply Aluminum Boat Epoxy Leak Sealer.