aluminum fishing boat repair

[comancheman]

anybody have any tips on fixing a leaky boat? i got it for free :brows: it has 8 small leaks all coming from the rivets that hold on what i would call the hull "supports" or "reinforcements" can i just grind out these rivets throw down some silicone and put in new rivets? also would normal pop rivets from the hardware store work? they don't look like the original ones but what should i use. id assume i should go with stainless.

[comancheman]

actually what am i thinkin i should go with aluminum duh :roll:

[Pete M]

I gotta imagine either one would work.

 

Free stuff can be cool. :D

[brigarpeon]

As Pete Stated either will work but the $$$ may make your decision. Use Boat Rivets, they are designed so as not to pull through the hull, transom or bow.

[comancheman]

i did a little searching around and i guess i have to use "solid rivets" so i can just pop them in with a rivet gun. i also heard that sometimes you can get away with pounding on both sides of the existing rivet to tighten them up in the hole. if all else fails theres always covering everything in tons of silicone. :cheers:

[chicofuentes0224]

I used bubblegum and superglue.

Haven't sunk yet.

[DirtyComanche]

I dunno much about boats... But I'm sure you can get the rivets for next to nothing. Aviation rivets are sold by the pound, and they're fairly inexpensive. And if it's inexpensive in aviation, it's dirt cheap in the sane world. If you have an air compressor and an air chisel, you just need to buy a rivet snap for the size of the rivets. Then get a nice peice of steel for a bucking bar (say 2"x2"x5" solid). Driving solid rivets is a little tricky, but it's not a big deal if they're in a boat. And put some sort of sealant on the rivets before driving them. Aircraft floats use a product called sika-flex. But I think a guy could get away with something more common, even 10 minute epoxy.

 

And that said, I would probably try sealing the existing rivets before drilling them out and replacing them. Find some nice too part sealer (again, I'm willing to say 10 minute epoxy might work), scuff up the back side of the rivet and around it and smear a generous amount on. I'd not use silicone just because it isn't ment to seal the outside of things, just between them and thus isn't very robust.

[Wildman]

You got me thinking :hmm: So.....I hit Google and came up with this-

 

Google this

 

I know I've hear of some kind of spray on sealer.......some wheres :roll: