How Long Do Aluminium Boats Last?

[glen]

How long do aluminium boats last? I have a boat made in 1975. Is there anything i should worry about? It is painted aluminium. Other than a few big dents and loose rivets that leak it still looks good. I have had this boat for about 20years and i like it. Anyone else have an old boat?

 

Thanks.

[irishfield]

Take a couple heavy hammers and reset those loose rivets...or bring it by and we'll use the proper setting tools. No reason that your great/great/great grandson can't be using that boat.

[steve_paul]

Glen, I have a 16' Aluminum Starcraft from I think 1964 - still a good solid boat, no leaks and no signs of wearing out. As Wayne says, get the leaks repaired and she should be good for years to come.

[Mike the Pike]

My thornes 12 foot is 26 years old .I think the life span of boat depends on how well it is taken care of and how many waves pounded it.

 

 

The little 7.5 Honda that I sold is 27 trs old and still runs like new.

 

Mike

[glen]

Thanks for the replies. You guys are great. The boat has a floor in it so i am waiting till i replace it in a year or two before i fix the dents and leaks. I put a auto bildge pump in it and that works real good. I will try for another 20years before i buy a new boat.

 

Thanks.

[tjsa]

Lessee, I own a 12 ft. Eatons aluminum boat. My buds mother worked at eatons her entire life, and does not remember eatons selling them, lol.

 

Then there is my springbok canoe, it's bottom is rippled between the ribs now from use and abuse, but still going strong, and I remember that thing from 40 yrs. ago fishing in it with my dad.

 

Aluminum boats can last a very long time if not damaged to severely.

[TJQ]

My 12 foot that I take in the bush was built before I was born in 1963.. is a bit dinged up.. but it doesnt leak 43 years old...

[camillj]

Actually .. even if they ARE banged up .. its not a big deal to repair them .... as Irish said a few new rivets and a little sealer and they wont leak a drop. If there's a big gash .. simple cut out the piece rivet a new piece in .. bang it into shape and bob's your uncle

 

Should out last you and me

[GbayGiant]

Is it hard to fix the rivets yourself, what would you need ? or what would it cost to get them done on a 17' boat ?

 

Some rivets on my 1980 aluminum sarted leaking a little wouldn't mind getting them fixed in the spring.

[irishfield]

John...can you access the inside shop heads of the rivets or is the interior in the way too much where they leak?

[gbalardo]

I had one from the early 70's i had to patch with fireberglass a few times, but she was still going until a lake erie storm washed it out of my cottage and wrecked it.

[GbayGiant]

Irish, I would have to remove the wood floor and the side console to get at the rivets but it wouldn't be that hard, I could change the carpet at the same time anyway.

[irishfield]

If that's the case then the suspect rivets could all be "set" again or replaced if necessary while you had the floor out. Generally a re-set on most of them that are easy to get at will put an end to any leaks. I did the 12' tinney at the lake, summer of '05, with my daughter holding the bucking bar on the inside. We did every accessible rivet in about 1/2 an hour. Went from the leaks filling the boat 2 to 3 inches in a day to zip for weeks at a time.... much to her appreciation as she was using it to go back and forth to work at Temagami Shores in Dress pants.

[GbayGiant]

Thanks again Wayne, mine started leaking this year at about 3-4 inches/day, I have the automatic pump but it will be nice to know my boats not leaking for the peace of mind.

 

What's a buckling bar, do you need one ? do you need any glue or anything els.

 

I'm a rookie at this stuff, I'll send your cheque in the mail, lol.

[Carp]

If you repair them if and when needed, they can last a lifetime.

 

Just don't make a habit of running up onto rocks.

The few times I had to beach a boat for any length of time, (camping)

I would always rest the bow on a piece of wood and tie the bow line to a tree.

Much easier on the aluminum than rock, sand

or gravel.

 

A night of high winds will do some nasty work if your boat is shifting back and forth on rock.

[Marc Thorpe]

My 12 foot that I take in the bush was built before I was born in 1963.. is a bit dinged up.. but it doesnt leak 43 years old...

 

So let me get this,your 43 years old and you dont leak!

I'd get that checked out

[yellowboat]

 

 

What's a buckling bar, do you need one ? do you need any glue or anything els.

 

I'm a rookie at this stuff, I'll send your cheque in the mail, lol.

 

 

A bucking bar is a peice of steel used on the inside of the boat to form the shop head of the rivet while it is being hammered by a rivet gun ( air hammer ).

[keiths]

I just turned mine over on some saw horses and one guy held a large hammer to each rivet as the other guy pounded it from the other side. Went from leaking a few inches per hour to leaking a cup or so.

[setomonkey]

My in-laws cottage runabout must be 30 or more years old, leaks a little but is still going strong. The motor is even more impressive, it must date to the 70s, doesn't always start on the first pull but it works...

 

Mike

[arthur]

I have many OLD aluminum boats. (We leave them on NYC reservoirs chained to trees.) My buddies and I buy them at auction or otherwise used. Some are, by my estimates around 30yrs old, but that's a guess. They do take a beating getting dragged into the water, going over rocks on the shores.

 

I keep some JBWeld around to make fixes. Works well, though that is pricey for extensive repairs. Most of our boats don't leak. Only one of five is really a problem....I'll deal with it in the early spring.

[Motorhead]

My 12 footer was my grandfathers originally then it went to my Dad, and now it`s mine. Still leaks a bit but wouldn`t trade it for anything.... It`s got to be over 50 yrs old, but with my merc 7.5hp on it she`ll do 19km/h with just me in it... The number of fish that boat has seen over the years must be mind boggling..

 

Doug

[irishfield]

Thanks again Wayne, mine started leaking this year at about 3-4 inches/day, I have the automatic pump but it will be nice to know my boats not leaking for the peace of mind.

 

What's a buckling bar, do you need one ? do you need any glue or anything els.

 

I'm a rookie at this stuff, I'll send your cheque in the mail, lol.

 

Sounds like you may actually have a crack somewhere. If you get the floor out have a really good look. They can be difficult to see but will radiate out of a rivet hole generally. As was already pointed out a "bucking bar" is nothing but a heavy hunk of metal...but with a polished face that forms the shop head of the rivet when using a rivet gun on the outside/mfg's head. As I pointed out right at the start of this thread you can also use two heavy hammers with as much success.

 

Seam leaks can be fixed by scrubbing the area with coarse 3M scotchbrite...cleaning with Acetone and then sealing with Sikaflex 391. Same can be done over a small crack..although the proper thing to do in your case before the floor went back down would be a proper alum patch riveted in place over the cracked area.

 

If you want a hand...once the floor is out bring it to Penetang and we'll sort it out together.

 

Wayne

[GbayGiant]

Thanks for the offer Wayne, I don't have a shop to work in so I'm going to work on it before fishing in the spring, I'll let you know if I have problems. Hopfully theres no cracks but I'll know for sure when I rip everything apart.

[Kerry]

My old 1972 Starcraft with the Electric shift 50 HP Evinrude is still serving me well and I don't have a mortgage on it.

 

 

 

I only went thru 4 tanks of gas this year so I guess the OL' 50 will be good for another year.

Kerry

[Carp]

So let me get this,your 43 years old and you dont leak!

I'd get that checked out

 

 

I would have guessed he leaks a lot,... but what do I know.